similar exhibition at home.' The king, then sixteen years old, and the chiefs, some of them the veteran warriors and counsellors of Tamehameha, appeared at the head of their classes, and showed a laudable ambition to be first in knowledge as they were first in rank. The king read aloud in English, with great distinctness of enunciation, and correctness of accent. At the same time was exhibited some needle-work, done by a class of young girls under the instruction of Miss Ward; the articles were beautifully finished, as much so as if the work of a skilful mantua-maker. Many of the native females have become expert in dress-making, and obtain their support by the exercise of their art.'

Though there cannot but remain some relics of the recent barbarism of the people, yet the progress made exceeds the most sanguine expectations. The visits of foreign ships, and the trade in sandal-wood, have brought a good deal of profit to the chiefs, the effects of which might be expected to appear in a gaudy finery and extravagance. But it seems, on the contrary, that the islanders show a very considerable taste and sense of propriety in their luxuries and ornaments. Mr. Stewart particularly describes the furniture of the palace of the king, and of the houses of the principal chiefs, which, though in many instances costly, does not indicate a childish admiration of what is glaring and fantastical.

In a letter addressed by the missionaries to Captain Finch, on the improvements made in the islands in the course of ten years, they say, 'No nation is probably more temperate and less addicted to gambling. Industry has been encouraged; commerce has been increased about five hundred per cent.; schools have been every where established; and about 30,000* of the inhabitants, perhaps more, brought under instruction; about 500 pagest of different matter have been prepared for the press, in the language of the country, including more than half of the New Testament, and 100 hymns; the whole printed and published in various forms by our press, amounting to about 7,000,000 pages.'

Mr. Stewart says, that if any of the missionaries could find time for editing a news-paper, we should soon see the 'Hawaiian Herald and Sandwich Islands Register,' as the patronage

*Now 50,000, Mr. Stewart says.

Now, Mr. Stewart says, 13,632,800.

+ Now 800 pages.

would be fully sufficient to sustain it. Some attempts have been made to establish a body of written laws, but as yet with no great success. Some of the foreign residents, we are careful not to say all,-have opposed the adoption of a written code of laws, and have absolutely denied the right of jurisdiction over them, to the Government of the islands. It is their will and pleasure, in short, to be lawless, for they deny the jurisdiction of their own native Governments, as stoutly as they do that of the Sandwich Islands, so that they in effect deny their obligation of obedience to any laws whatever. And they have sustained this state of savage independence hitherto with some success. At the time of the visit of Lord Byron, the subject of a code was discussed, and he proposed some general laws, mostly however of a constitutional character, regulating the political relations of the rulers and people, but some also respecting the title to lands, and the regulation of commerce. It does not appear that any except the last were adopted. The operation of these has been very beneficial. The regents, who governed in the name of the young king, attempted about the same time to introduce some laws of a municipal kind, particularly in relation to crimes. Some of the missionaries were invited to be present at the discussion of this subject in the council, on information of which, a party of leading individuals among the foreign residents, violently and riotously interrupted the council, with such menaces and threats against the members of the mission, even to the taking of life, that the chiefs were actually intimidated, and, for the time, relinquished their purpose.' Afterwards, however, in 1827, notwithstanding the opposition from the same quarter had increased, the king and chiefs determined on the promulgation of laws against murder, theft, and adultery; the first to be punished with death, the other two with imprisonment in irons. These laws were first proclaimed by the king in person, to an immense assembly of people, natives and foreigners, and they were immediately printed and circulated in handbills. Soon after, others were added against gambling, drunkenness, prostitution, and sabbathbreaking.

An incident that occurred in the early stage of the mission, will illustrate the state of society at that time, and the disposition of some of the foreign residents. The pupils of the first female school collected by Mrs. Bingham, after being clothed and brought with much care and attention to habits of neatness

and propriety in their persons, and having become deeply interested in various branches of useful instruction, were borne off, openly and forcibly, by some of the foreign residents to become their mistresses, while their instructress could answer their appeals made to her for protection, only by her tears.*

Some transactions occurred as lately as October, 1829, in relation to one of the English residents, which are strikingly illustrative of the state of things at the islands. Near to Honolulu, the principal port, is a large common, on which the horses and cattle of both natives and residents are turned to graze. Adjoining this common, are situated little cultivated plantations. According to an ancient custom of the island, if an animal break into an enclosure, it is forfeited to the proprietor. Proprietors do not, however, usually avail themselves of the forfeiture, but are content with a reasonable reparation in damages. A certain British resident, whose name is not given, being the proprietor of an enclosure, had adopted the practice of shooting every animal that broke into it. The same resident owned a cow, which was turned upon this common with the other cattle. To protect the plantations, an order had been passed, to secure the cattle in yards during the night. This order he neglected, and his cow broke into a plantation of a native, who detained her as a pledge for the damage she had done; for which he was reproved and threatened by the owner, who made no reparation. Accordingly, on the cow's breaking into the plantation again, she was shot by the farmer. The owner of the cow, on being informed of this, went on horseback in company with an American resident, and without any order from the chiefs or consultation with them, they seized the farmer, and pinioning his arms, tied a halter about his neck, and rode off to town, a distance of three miles, with their prisoner. They rode with such speed, that the islander, after being exhausted with running, fell, and was then dragged along the ground until he was much bruised, several of his ribs being injured, and his sides excoriated. An islander seeing he was like to be strangled, had the courage,' as Mr. Stewart expresses it, to run to his relief and cut the rope. He was, however, by the order of his captors, put into irons and imprisoned in the fort, the usual place of confinement, where,

* Stewart's Residence, &c. p. 162. London edition, 1828.

says Mr. Stewart, he still remains,' namely, on the 19th of October, being some two or three weeks from the time of his seizure. We presume the fort to be under the command of the native Government, and we accordingly cannot see how this native would be confined there, by the order of the two residents, as stated by Mr. Stewart. However this may be, Mr. Stewart says that the facts of the outrage were stated to him by a number of the chiefs and by others, and among the rest by the man who cut the rope to save the life of the person seized. Taking the facts as stated to Mr. Stewart to be true, and they are corroborated by a document published by the king and his council at the time, the outrage seems to resemble very nearly the transactions that recently took place in Georgia.

The affair became one of much importance and interest at Oahu. The British residents drew up a formal memorial to the Government, representing their lives and property not to be longer safe at the islands; with a request to Governor Boki, that an answer might be carefully prepared, as it would be transmitted to the British Government. A solemn meeting of the council of state was accordingly held, and a formal reply drawn up in both the English and Hawaiian languages. It assures the memorialists of the protection of the Government; declares that all foreign residents shall be amenable to the laws; replies, in relation to the seizure of the farmer, that he ought not to have been punished without a consultation with the Government, adding, you rashly and suddenly injured the man; that is one of the crimes of two of you;' setting forth particularly the wrong and violence. This paper contains a touching expostulation to the foreign residents. This is our communication to you all, ye parents from the countries whence originate the winds; have compassion on a nation of little children, very small and young, who are yet in mental darkness, and help us to do right, and follow with us that which will be for the best good of this our country.'

The memorialists were so little satisfied with this reply, that they threatened violence against any who should be concerned in its publication. Persons friendly to the missionaries advised them not to print the document at their press, lest it might give rise to unpleasant consequences. They, however, printed it, and no violence seems to have ensued.

Some of the residents are friendly to the improvements, which have been commenced in the islands, and if still more

of them would use their influence and lend all the aid they can in the establishment of laws and the introduction of morals and manners, they would have less reason to be jealous of the interference of the missionaries in the affairs of the Government; for these little children,' as the islanders call themselves, can only become civilized through the advice and assistance of the Europeans and Americans, and they must necessarily resort to those who are ready to lend them aid. They very naturally, and, indeed, under the present circumstances, necessarily, resort to the missionaries for counsel in state affairs, as well as in matters of faith and conscience, and it is desirable that they should do so, if there are among the missionaries, persons of sufficiently liberal views and skilled in civil polity. They, however, disclaim any desire to interfere, and are specially instructed by their patrons not to meddle with political concerns.

Captain Finch was the bearer of a letter, dated January 20th, 1829, addressed to the young king by the Secretary of the Navy, (Mr. Southard) by order of the then President, (Mr. Adams) inviting a good understanding between the United States and the islanders; expressing the President's admiration at the rapid progress made by the islanders in acquiring a knowledge of letters and of the true religion,—the religion of the Christian's Bible,'-encouraging them to proceed in the course of improvement,-recommending the missionaries to their favor, as persons who seemed to be sincerely desirous to be useful to them,-intimating that foreign residents owed obedience to their laws, and by violating them, 'violated, at the same time, their duty to their own Government and country, and merited censure and punishment,'and saying that Captain Finch was commanded diligently to inquire into the conduct of our citizens whom he might find at the islands; and, as far as he had authority, to insure proper conduct and deportment from them.' This communication was highly gratifying to the islanders; the king and chiefs listened to a translation of it publicly read at the time of presenting it, with ecstacy, some being moved even to tears. They have a deep sentiment of their being as yet but half-reclaimed savages, that they are 'little children, very small and young,' they feel that their own improvement is an arduous undertaking on their part, and, accordingly, any encouragement and recognition of them on the part of the Governments of civilized countries, are exceedingly cheering and gratifying.