he was contending in
favour of his son Teewarro, who had married the daughter and only child of
the late king of that island, against Tabeeterree, his surviving brother.
He was attended, in this expedition, by many of his warriors; but whether
their service was voluntary, or the condition on which they hold their rank
and property, we could not learn.
That he collects tribute from the subordinate chiefs, we had a very
striking proof in the instance of Kaoo, which has been already related in
our transactions of the 2d and 3d of February.
I have before mentioned, that the two most powerful chiefs of these
islands, are, Terreeoboo of Owhyhee, and Perreeorannee of Wohahoo; the rest
of the smaller isles being subject to one or other of these; Mowee, and its
dependencies, being at this time claimed, as we have just observed, by
Terreeoboo, for Teewarro, his son and intended successor; Atooi and
Oneeheow being governed by the grandsons of Perreorannee.
The following genealogy of the Owhyhee and Mowee kings, which I collected
from the priests, during our residence at the _morai_, in Karakakooa Bay,
contains all the information I could procure relative to the political
history of these islands.
This account reaches to four chiefs, predecessors of the present; all of
whom they represent to have lived to an old age. Their names and
successions are as follows:
First, Poorahoo Awhykaia was king of Owhyhee, and had an only son called
Neerooagooa. At this time Mowee was governed by Mokoakea, who had also an
only son, named Papikaneeou.
Secondly, Neerooagooa had three sons, the eldest named Kahavee; and
Papikaneeou, of the Mowee race, had an only son, named Kaowreeka.
Thirdly, Kahavee had an only son, Kayenewee a mummow; and Kaowreeka, the
Mowee king, had two sons, Maiha-maiha, and Taheeterree; the latter of whom
is now, by one party, acknowledged chief of Mowee.
Fourthly, Kayenewee a mummow had two sons, Terreeoboo and Kaihooa; and
Maiha-maiha, king of Mowee, had no son, but left a daughter called Roaho.
Fifthly, Terreeoboo, the present king of Owhyhee, had a son, named
Teewarro, by Rora-rora, the widow of Maiha-maiha, late king of Mowee; and
this son has married Roaho, his half-sister, in whose right he claims Mowee
and its appendages.
Taheeterree, the brother of the late king, supported by a considerable
party, who were not willing that the possessions should go into another
family, took up arms, and opposed the
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