Polynesian. [volume], July 13, 1844, Image 1

About Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864

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PUBLISHED WEEKLY, AT IIOKOLULU, OAIIU, HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
J. J. JARVES, Editoji.
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 1844.
NEW SERIES, Vol. 1 No. 8.
For the Polynesian.
TO MISS
soxa.
i.
Come, come let us (Ice,
From this world and its madness ;
And rest us in peace,
In sweet solitude's sadness.
Come, come let us flee,
From this folly and broil ; .
And live and love fondly,
Where life has no toil.
2.
Together we'll roam,
O'er each moorland and mountain;
Together we'll sit,
'Neath the cool-shaded fountain;
Together we'll listen,
To the 'plaints of the dove;
And together we'll sing,
Our own songs of love.
3.
Still, still undisturbed,
'Neath the willow's deep shade;
Shall glido the cool brook,
Through the darkly green glade.
Still, still undisturbed,
Shall feed the wild flock;
Where through the calm sunbeam,
Falls the tear from tho rock.
4.
0 ! come let us flee,
From this world's mad confusion;
And rest us in peace,
In love's sweet illusion :
For in tho gay world,
Love is naught but a show;
Smiles arc deceitful,
And tears falsely flow.
Honolulu, June 30, 1841.
Z.
FROM OUR AMERICAN CORRESPONDENT.
. NUMBER 4.
Boston,-
1843,
Dear Editor, No one can approach Bos
ton, cither from land or sea, without recall
ing to mind Webster's sublime apostrophe
to the granite shaft, which now towers so
proudly from Bunker's Hill. The rising
and setting suns play upon and gild its sum
mit; the approaching traveler's eyes arc first
greeted by its sight; and to the departing
Bostonian, it remains the last beacon to re
mind him of his birth-place.
Among the real improvements of the city,
the wooden pavements struck me as being of
the best, In New-York and Philadelphia,
they have proved a failure, but here have
succeeded admirably. I don't know that I
was more surprised with any change than
with the better looks, increased size, in
short, manliness of form, and strength and
activity, of the present race of young men.
Upon inquiring why they differed so percep
tibly from their elder brothers, I learned
that their physical education had been at
tended to. Sheridan's Gymnasium is the
grand secret. In it are to be found facilities
for every variety of manly games or exerci
ses. Sparring and fencing are also taught,
and I found few young men who considered
themselves as educated, who had not spent
much time in developing their frames in this
Gymnasium. A few, excited by competi
tion, are apt to over-exert themselves, but to
the mass it is vastly beneficial. Clergymen,
lawyers, merchants, clerks, in short every
body who has the time and means frequents
it. , So popular has it grown, that another
has been established by a rival professor.
The young ladies too, not to be out-grown,
and out-don in these matters by the hardier
ex; have a Gymnasium also, under the
charge of Madam Halley. The uniform
worn here is, I am told, for gentlemen are
strictly tabued, somewhat novel. Its chief
merit is that it gives full play to the limbs,
to run, jump, climb, hop, dance, or any oth
er motion in which they may desire to dis
play their activity. I suppose now, that the
young damsels, instead of being bent over
pianos, and fancy work, will be cutting ca
pers on parallel bars, wooden horses, and
practising dumb belles. They also have
their swimming schools, and some are per
fect naiads. If the generation of puny ones
is not soon run out, it will be no fault of these
establishments. But, without a doubt, they
are most excellent institutions for cities, and
will go far to counteract the ill effects of sed
entary, and fashionable life.
I have met Mr. Bingham several times.
Since the termination of the China war, his
hobby seems to be a Chinese mission. How
ever, he still remains in the United States,
and is uncertain himself, whether he shall
return to the scene of his former labors.
Dr. Lafon has been taken up by the Anti
slavery folks, who are out, both tooth and
nail, against the American' Board of Foreign
missions, because they receive donations
from slave-holders. The Dr. is now encaged
in a wandering crusade against the Board,
on this score. It is much to be regret
ted that he has been so led away, for, in
other respects, he is a most worthy man,
and possessed of singular benevolence. But,
every man, it is said, is crazy in some point.
Some expectation has been entertained that
Mr. Bingham would give to the public his
life of Kaahumanu, but for all they have yet
seen of it, it may as well be in the tomb of
the Capets. Sandwich Islands folks are now
quite numerous here. Of the older visitants,
Hon. William Sturgis is the most prominent.
He was much at the Islands between 1798,
and 1805, and has a fund of anecdote about
Kamehameha tho conqueror, and the high
chiefs of those days. Messrs. H. and P.
have settled at Charlestown, enjoying the
fortunes they have so honorably earned.
The Islands are much indebted to them, in
more respects than one. The beautiful, and
accomplished, Mrs. P., who figured so con
spicuously in your society eight years since,
now keeps a fashionable boarding house in
Summer Street. Dr. Anderson, of the Am.
Board, who formerly had charge of the S. I.
mission, has sailed for Smyrna, intending to
visit the missions in that region. The Rev.
David Greene takes his situation at .the Mis
sion House, in Pemberton Square. By the
way, their library and museum are becom
ing very valuable. Their list of works rela
tive to India is vcry complete, and, in the
latter, I noticed a number of curiosities with
your name attached as deposited by you. I
like the plan much of getting together a mu
seum. It serves to show, far better than
books, the domestic life of heathen nations,
and the state of civilization among them, and
interests the public to contribute for the sup
port of missions. Tho collection of Hawaiian
idols, and curiosities, is far more complete
than can now be obtained at the Islands.
By the way, in speaking of ladies' gymna
siums, I forgot to add that tho ladies have
also, oyster saloons, and refreshment shops,
splendidly fitted for their patronage; where
Jadies, under the exclusive guidance of pet
ticoat pilotage, can accommodate themselves
with a lunch at any hour of the day. This
is a great convenience to those who come
in from out of town, and do not desire t
trouble a friend, or to go to a public house
for a meal. Aloha.
Thine, Wakebv.
How apt we aro to repeat stories to the
rejudice of others, even though we do not
elievo them ourselves. Truly hath St.
James said, "the tongue is an unruly
member."
LEAVES FROM MEMORY'S NOTE BOOK.
NUMBER 2 .
The pilot at Papei'te is a native, and ap
pears to be a capable and intelligent man.
The climate of Tahiti, I should not judge to
be as favorable as that of Oahu. The aver
age range of the thermometer is higher;
more rain falls, and the heat of the sun causes
a constant evaporation, and miasma, to arise
from the numerous water runs, and the dense
beds of vegetable deposits, which lie beneath
the trees. But these noxious influences arc
greatly counteracted by tho strong sea
breezes, bringing as they do a refreshing
current of air from the ocean, which dispels
tho vapors of the land, and invigorates the
inhabitants, debilitated by the calms of the
early morning. Of all the numerous trees
and vegetables, which, on this island, seem
to be engaged in a struggle for the mastery,
the Guava has attained a formidable ascen
dancy. The rear of the town, as far as the
hills, which was once a plain, rich in grass
and various fruit trees, is now, for many
miles, a thicket of guava trees. They grow
together, with their branches interlocked, so
as to present an almost impenetrable barrier.
Orange, lime, cocoa nut, bread-fruit, ohia,
and other trees, and even the grass, have
given way before its rapid growth; in short,
it has choked out all the other vegeta
tion, and is yearly gaining ground upon the
cultivated lands. It is a formidable foe to
the feeble agriculture of the islanders, but
would soon fall before the better, and more
efficient efforts of European farming. A
path leads through a portion of it to the
banks of a pretty rivulet, the favorite bathing
resort of the inhabitants. The branches
overhang the path so as to form a perfect
screen from the sun, and the fruit, which is
really delicious, hangs in tempting array
within reach of the hand. The ground is
also strewn with the over-ripe guavas, which
have fallen from their parent stems. These
afford food for cattle and swine. Tahiti pork
is unlike any I have eaten elsewhere. It is
of the most delicate, and delicious flavor;
more like the choicest wild-game, than the
fattened brute of the farm-yard. This supe
rior flavor I attribute, greatly, to the fruit
diet of the animals, which stroll at largo in
the forest.
Tahiti was first discovered in 160G, by the
Spanish navigator, Pedro Fernandez de
Quiros, who sailed from Callao on a voyage
of discovery in the Pacific ocean. It was on
the 10th of February that he first saw this
island, which, from its shape, in the position
that he approached it, he named Sagitaria,
or, the Bow. We have no further notice of
it for a century and a half, until Capt. Wal
lis reached its shores in June 1767. Bou
gainville, the succeeding year, spent eight
days on the island, and it is from his repre
sentation of its exuberant fertility, pictur
esque scenery, and voluptuous inhabitants,
that its early European reputation was de
rived. Cook came next, fifteen months from
his departure. A longer stay, and better
opportunities, enabled him to present to the
world a more correct description. Dixon,
Portlock, Edwards, Vancouver, La Perousc,
and Marchand, and other navigators, soon
followed, so that Tahiti was well known to
the scientific and commercial world, while
he Hawaiian group remained undiscovered.
It is a curious fact, when taken in relation
with the recent unhappy controversies which
have sprung up between the Protestant, and
Romish missionaries, that both tho Society
and Hawaiian islands wero visited by mis
sionaries of the latter faith, long before the
Protestant world had awakened to a sense of
their claims, or, almost a knowledge of their
existence. It was customary with the earli-
est Spanish navigators to carry with them
priests, not only for religious purposes on
board of their several vessels, but to prose
lyte among any race of barbarians who
were disposed to give them a footing. Thus,
if we may rely upon the traditions of the
Hawaiians, and they seem to be founded in
truth,a Spanish priest landed on their shores,
two centuries before Cook arrived, and,
though he did not make any perceptible
change in their savage rites, yet his teach
ings and examples were not wholly without
effect. So, also, in 1772, some vessels from
Peru visited Tahiti, and two natives returned
in them to America, where they were bap
tized. The succeeding season they sailed
for their native land, accompanied by two
priests. A wooden house was erected for
these visitors. But their designs were as
much for temporal, as spiritual rule, and,
after a visit of two years, in which they
made no permanent impression upon the isl
anders, they sailed again for Lima.
On the 7th of March, 1797, the missiona
ries from England arrived in the ship Duff,
at Tahiti. The history of this island, since
that period, is too well known to require
farther reference.
Yours, Wandering Tim.
SELECTED.
From the Editor's Table, in the October number
of the Knickerbocker, to which we always look with
interest, we make a 6hort extract. Here is a brief
sketch of the inmates of Sing Sing Prison:
"If the unhappy young man who has so
recently filled the journals of the metropolis
with the details of his folly and crime could,
before yielding to temptation, have looked in
upon the State Prisoners at Sing Sing, as we
did the other day, surely he would have
shrunk back from the vortex beforo him.
Poor wretches, in their best estate! How
narrow their cells; how ceaseless their toil,
what a negation of comforts their whole con
dition! It was a sweltering August day,
breathless and oppressive; but there was no
rest for the eighteen hundred unhappy con
victs who plied their never ending taslis with
in these walls. Stealthy glances from half
raised eyes, pale countenances, stamped with
meek submission, or gleaming with powerless
hate or impotent malignity, and hard labor'
in the fullest sense, were the main features of
the still life scene as we passed through the
several workshops. But what a picture was
presented as their occupants came swarming
into the open court yard at the sound of tho
bell to proceed to their cells with their din
ner! From the thick atmosphere of the car
pet and rug shops, leaving the clack of shut
tles, the dull thump of the 'weaver's beam
and the long, confused perspective of cords
and pulleys, and patterns, and multitudinous
'harness,' they poured forth; from murky
smithys, streamed the imps of Vulcan, grim
as the dark recesses from which they emerg
ed ; from doors which opened upon intermin
able rows of close set benches burst forth the
knights of the awl and hammer; the rub a
dub of the cooper's mallet the creak of his
shaving knife,- were still; the stone hammer
was silent, and the court yard was full of that
striped crew!
" God of compassion! what a sight it was,
to see that motley multitude take up in gangs
their humiliating march! Huge negroes,
sweltering in their heat, were interspersed
among the lines; hands crimsoned with mur
der rested upon the shoulders of beings young
alike in years and crime; the victim of beast
iality pressed against the heart broken tool of
the scathlcss villain; and all were blended
in one revolting mass of trained soldiers of
guilt; their thousand legs moving as the leg
of one man; all in silence, gave the peculiar
sound of the sliding tread, grating no less
upon the ear than the ground. One by one
i i 1. it 1 t j: : j
mcy iuuk wieir wuouch paimui uingy ana am
phibious looking ' grub and passed on, wind-
the stairs ot the different stories and
inff un
streaming aloncr the narrow corridors to their
solitary cells. It was to much for the tender
heart of poor E., this long procession of 'the
gangs. As they passed on in slow succes
sion, her lips began to quiver, and one after
another drops of pity rolled down her cheek.