Some seven miles towards the north the ascent is gradual, and brought us to the Pali, a precipice which certainly presents one of the most beautiful views the eye can behold, of the plain below, with its tropical trees and forests, with the ocean in the distance.
The descent is by an excavated road running round the peak, whose height is immense; it reminded me, in some particulars, of the excavation in the mountains of Caracas, under the government of Paez. Tradition says that the opposite and most lengthy peak, which appears to be only a foothold for a man, was occupied by one of the former chiefs, or kings, when pursued by his enemies, whom he hurled headlong as they approached. The following day I paid a visit to one of the young princes, who had been in the States, as also in Europe, the past year, in company with Dr. Judd, and found him in a bamboo, grass-covered house, within the inclosure of the palace grounds, seated upon a sofa; the ground floor was covered with matting, upon which squatted the lightly clad Kanaka women of the household. He conversed well in English, and expressed himself pleased with his voyages. The women are expert riders, and on Saturday of each week the whole town, male and female, who can procure horses, make it a gala-day. The former, who bestride the saddle, wear a bright yellow scarf, extending from the skirt of the dress behind to cover the stirrups in front, and round straw hats with wreaths of flowers, presenting, as they dash furiously along, a picturesque appearance.
I congratulate myself in having again escaped the loss of my luggage, as my fellow passenger from San Francisco has lost a part of his effects, while the remainder was wet through in coming ashore. The reef extends out about half a mile, and the heavy breakers capsized the boat’s crew, who narrowly escaped a worse fate. I was fortunately ashore with the captain.
LX.
Honolulu, June 26, 1851.
The Yankee character for enterprise is admitted to be a peculiar one, whether productive of good or evil. On board of our vessel from Lahaina we received two Americans who had established a circus company in this place with great success, and had gone to the neighboring island to try their fortunes, but were not permitted to play. They had come here to present their petitions, and had numerous advocates, although it was contended by their opponents that the Kanakas were so fond of this amusement that they would exhaust their resources to gratify it. It is contended by some that the laws and regulations enforced by the missionary influence are too rigid, and that while the latter are actuated by good motives, their remedies have proved worse than the disease; that while the most stringent laws have been enacted against immoralities, they are entirely ineffective of good, as it is asserted that the most unblushing looseness of manners prevails in the islands. Another charge is against the teaching in the language of the country, and discouraging the use of other languages; and that civilization cannot advance when hampered by a tongue which, in the words of Onmittee Wyldie, abounds in names for every vice, but is without a name for any virtue, and which is too loose and ambiguous for official correspondence, permanent records, or civil contracts. They say that the discouragement of manly exercises among the natives, such as throwing the spear, and wrestling, in which they were so expert, has gained them nothing but increase of idleness, inactivity, and diminished cheerfulness, which are incentives to criminality. The missionaries, on the other hand, refute the charges alleged against them, saying, that they are not answerable for the acts of the Hawaiian government; that church and state have never been united in the islands; that the penalties imposed upon the people for their abuses in manners exert a powerful restraint; and that the natives are the only true judges, as they understand fully the nature, objects, and operation of the laws. They state that they have taught English as far as possible, but cannot teach an entire people a new language; that they had other work to do, leaving the translation of the Bible until such times as the people could understand it. They have been without doubt instrumental of vast good, having civilized and partly christianized these barbarians. They have had many difficulties to contend with, and those who are now enjoying the benefits of the present state of society, are the first to oppose them. They have without doubt committed some errors in judgment, which is usually the case with reformers who wish to make all classes conform to their standard of right and wrong; but I have generally found them useful, and obliging to the traveller and stranger, and desirous of imparting information; standing as pioneers at the outposts of civilization, and as useful in extending the area of knowledge and Christianity, as the hardy squatter of the frontier, in his advancing the agricultural pursuits of our western wilds.
When we reflect that in the year 1820 the first mission was established among a nation of low and brutal savages, who have been reclaimed from barbarism and instructed in Christianity, it must be admitted that much has been done, although it is contended by many that the population has been vastly reduced by contamination with the whites, and rendered less happy.
The churches, of which there are several, are attended by natives to hear the word in the native tongue, and large numbers are communicants, and follow up the externals, and many are strictly pious, but very many have to be dealt with, not being able to forget their former practices, which causes much labor for their teachers. They have here a House of Nobles, so called, whose acts are published with as much consequence as if they proceeded from the Parliament of England. I have been much amused in the island of Hayti with the supreme authority and dignity of the black emperor, Soulouque; and cannot help but look at some things here as a farce, but the advantages are that there is American talent here to dictate and pull the wires. I have had the opportunity of visiting and coasting through six of the eight inhabited islands of the Sandwich group, which extends between 18° 50´ and 22° 20´ N. Lat., and 154° 53´ and 160° 15´ West Long., and which composes eight thousand square miles with a native population of some eighty thousand—supposed. I am thus particular in describing their locality, as I had previously known so little of these remote specks on the vast Pacific, which were so far removed from us by reference to the chart, that I had never intended to visit them. As you may be interested in the language, I give you the following notice with the translation; it may be of service to those who wish to commence the rudiments at home.
Fonu—(See Selom.)
Olelo Hoolaha.—Ina. e. loaa ana kekahi. kanaka, mahope o ka hooaba ana o keia palapala, e lawe ana, i ka Paakia.