KL.
elders, whose voices were for peace, were
considerable. They did not confine themselves
to abuse, but fired several muskets
during the debate, in hopes that one shot out
of the many might prove fatal; which, if it
had, and any distinguished chief had been
killed, or even wounded, it would have immediately
thrown all into confusion. Even
when pacific measures were decided upon by
a very large majority, and the chiefs were
about to separate, a bullet was fired from the
par, which had evidently been aimed at a
chief, a well-known ally of the late Shulitea,
as it fell at his feet, and the earth it threw up
fell upon him. For a few seconds surprise
kept all silent; but, as the angry chief rose
up, and was about to address the crowd, his
friends eagerly surrounded him, and hurried
him away.
This was the first instance on record, in
which these people had laid a statement of
their private wrongs before a public assembly
consisting of deputies from every part of the
island, and abided by the decision of the majority
; and it was the only instance of a chief
being killed in battle, and his decease not
having been followed up by the plundering
and destruction of his whole family or tribe.
This had been a question of peculiar interest
to us Europeans, as several of their
great men had fallen in a skirmish (whether
an accidental one or a decided combat made
not the slightest difference). We knew their
barbarous custom ; and, consequently, we were
preparing for scenes of deadly revenge and
insatiable fury to be acted by both parties,
and which must have involved all settled here
in destruction. Our feelings may therefore
be imagined, when we were informed that a
parliament had been convened, and all the
parties interested were present by invitation,
and took part in the debate. A central spot
was fixed on to accommodate the various
chieftains. The causes of the accident were
then explained ; they wept and lamented the
fallen chiefs, and finally retired satisfied to
their several homes. Surely every one who
is interested in tracing our own form of
government, from the present time up to its
first rude outline, will perceive the similarity