Belle M. Brain tells the following in her book, “The Transformation of
Hawaii”:
A visitor to the Hawaiian Islands a few years ago said to King
Kamehameha V: “Really now, don’t you think things are in a worse
condition than before the advent of the missionaries?”
“I leave you to judge,” answered the king. “Since you have come
into my presence you have broken the ancient law of _tabu_
in three ways. You walked into my presence instead of crawling,
you crossed my shadow, you are even now sitting before me. In
the old days any one of these things would have cost you your
life.”
(2061)