172                                 A    VOYAGE    TO
1777. &n inferior perfon to officiate as a hufband, the children he
has by her are killed* Ancj if a Teou be caught in an in-
trigue with a woman of the blood-royal, he is put to death.
The ion of the Eree de hoi fucceeds his father in title and
honours, as foon as he is born; but if he fhould have no
children, the brother affumes the government at his death.
In other families, pofleffions always defcend to the eldeft
fon; but he is obliged to maintain his brothers and lifters,
who ate allowed houfes on his eflates.
The boundaries of the feveral diftrid:s, into which Ota-
heite is divided, are, generally, either rivulets, or low hills,
which, in many places, jut out into the fea. But the fub-
divifions into particular property, are marked by large ftones,
which have remained from one generation to another* The
removal of any of thefe gives rife to quarrels, which are de-
cided by arms; each party bringing his friends into the
field. But if any one complain to the Eree de hoi^ he ter-
minates the difference amicably. This is an offence, how-
ever, not common ; and long cuftom feems to fecure pro-
perty here as effectually, as the moft fevere laws do in other
countries. In conformity alfo to ancient practice eftablifhed
amongft them, crimes of a lefs general nature are left to be
punilhed by the fufferer, without referring them to a fupe-
rior. In this cafe, they feem to think, that the injured per*
fon wiU judge as equitably as thofe who are totally uncon-
cerned; and, as long cuftom has allotted certain punifh-
ments for crimes of different forts, he is allowed to inflidl
them, without being amenable to any other perfon* Thus,
if any one be caught ftealing, which is commonly done in
the night, the proprietor of the goods may put the thief in-
ilaritly to death; and if any one Ihould inquire of him
after the deceafed, it is fuffiaerit to acquit him, if he only
inform