Polynesian. [volume], July 27, 1844, Image 1

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

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PUBLISHED WEEKLY, AT HONOLULU, OAIIU, HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
J. J. JARVES, Editoii.
SATURDAY, JULY 27, 1844.
NEW SERIES, Vol. 1. No. 10.
n
Zr the Polynesian.
AMERICA.
A world is found hid in the distant wet,
It lay for ages in old ocean's breast ;
There it had been since first the East began,
And still unknown, untrod by haughty man ;
There it had mocked in solitude sublime,
Improvement's strides the lofty march of time.
Long had proud Europe slept in starless night,
Old Greece and Romo were gone, and with them light ;
Fair wisdom wept in solitary glen,
With monks retired from the paths of men;
And science buried in those awful cells,
No sweeter praise she heard than chime of bells.
And there, recluse, full oft she mourned the hour,
When conquering ignorance bound her magic power.
But age on age at length had rolled away,
Knowledge resumed her proud and ancient sway,
And now fair wisdom, that celestial maid,
Had fled from monks and burst the cloistered shade,
When bold Columbus left his native land,
To set k another world another strand.
He leaves his kindred and his native shore,
Treads in a path that none had trod beforl ;
And fearless tempts the perils of the deep,
The winds, the waves, the storms, that never sleep.
Hope swells his sail ambition steers his bark
Fame is the prize a distant world the mark.
The dangers past, the lengthened voyage o'er,
Triumphant now he treads Columbia's shore.
And now the thought exulting heaves his breast,
That he from peril here has found a rest ;
That he has turned the shafts of scorn aloof,
With truth's strong buckler all-protecting proof;
That he has given with unsparing hands,
To princes empires, and to peasants lands.
Nor was forgot in that exulting hour,
The leading hand of an Almighty Power :
For, bending low he worshipped on the sod.
And breathed with pious lips a thank to God.
Now see wide-spreading to the astonished view,
A world around us how sublimely new.
See lofty hills in slow gradation rise,
Until at length they seem to pierce the skies;
See many a stream flow on through many a plain,
Still gathering strength until they reach the main;
O'er many a hrt tk see mountain streamlets bound,
And lofty forests nodding all around.
Here oft is heard the long and mad'ning howl,
Of savage men and savage beasts that prowl;
Here stalks the Indian in the midnight deep,
Dreams of revenge or waking or asleep;
Here oft these wilds have known the bloody scene,
When life runs out in many a crimson stream;
And oft they'd known the fierce and awful hour,
When weakness faintly gasped in savage power.
Land of the mountain and the mighty flood,
O Nature made thee in her wildest mood !
Land of the forest and the mighty lake,
Man calls on thee from solitude awake !
The world goes on see change succeed to change,
How trifling some, and some how passing strange ;
See now Columbia smile from shore to shore,
A desert waste three hundred years before ;
Where forests stood sec mighty cities rise,
Whose lofty domes aspiring reach the skies;
See farm and village spread o'er many a plain.
Where solitude once held her ancient reign;
See science shine, see flourish every art,
And trade and commerce thrive in every part;
Her sons ne'er bow to proud oppression's nod,
They fear but one they worship only God.
Favored of Heaven! Land of the brave and free!
The oppressed from every country fly to thee;
If once they reach thy hospitable shore,
Of dangers past and toils, they dream no more;
But there in peace they tie the social knot,
The present unperplexed the past forgot.
With thee Columbia my native land,
May gracious Heaven deal with gentle hand;
May it avert from thee the storms of State,
And every woe that latent may await;
May some kind Angel guard thy boundless shore,
Alike from foreign and intestine war;
May the hot blood of fierce and lawless broil,
Na'er impious stain thy consecrated soil,
But if my country's violated laws,
Or it fair freedom's ever sacred cause,
Demand imperious the avenging sword ;
O! then may victory be the just award,
Then, then in triumph may thy banner wave,
And its bright star to glory guide the brave.
Honolulu, July 4, 1844. Z.
LEAVES FRO MM EMORY 'S NOTE BOOK.
NUMBER 3.
The hills of Valparaiso arc in sight; in the
interior rise a range of lofty mountains,
covered as far as the eye can reach, from
their summits downward, with a deep belt of
snow, on which the sun glitters with the ra
diance of diamonds. The Vale of Paradise !
poor indeed must have been the land previ
ously visited on this coast, when the Spanish
explorers, pleased with the contrast, gave
this name to the bay. Its hills arc red, sun
burnt, and cheerless, with just enough of
vegetation to show that the soil possesses
fruitfulness, when nurtured by the hand of
man. It would require, however, much wa
ter, labor and expense, to cover these steep
and lofty hills with verdure. Some pretty
gardens are to be seen in the rear, and high
above the town : these belong chiefly to the
foreign merchants, the richest of whom,
here, live in much luxury. The hills on
which the southern portion of the town is
built, are much broken up into precipitous
ravines, or, as they are termed in the lan
guage of the country, "quebradas." These
are narrow, allowing frequently of only a
footpath; yet on either side, wherever houses
can be made to stand, they have been erect
ed. In a country so prolific of earthquakes,
these residences appear singularly insecure ;
but they are chiefly those of the lowest or
ders, and built of cane and mud, can be al
most as speedily built as overthrown. The
doors of some overhang the roofs of others.
Row after row, and group after group, rise
one above another, just where the nature of
the declivity, and the whims of their con
structors permitted. There are many such
streets, in and about the town, and arc all
densely populated, and they give it a singu
lar appearance, reminding one of the manner
in which chimney-swallows build their nests.
In heavy rains (which are rare,) torrents of
water rush down their narrow beds, doing
no little damage to the frail structures which
line the ways. Not unfrequently, after a
storm, small quantities of virgin gold are
found. The soil every where abounds with
it, in minute grains, but not in a sufficient
quantity to reward the present method of
extracting it: Valparaiso has, however,
some fine streets, and tolerable public build
ings, but it is of too recent growth to exhibit
structures to compare with those of Lima or
Santiago. Its population is now 40,000,
having doubled itself within twenty years.
The southern portion is built on a sandy
plain, called the Almcndral. Here the streets
are wide, and the houses spacious; some are
of three stories, the upper of which, on ac
count of earthquakes, are built of reeds,
and other light and yielding materials, nice
ly joined together, and the whole handsome
ly painted, or plastered. At the foot of the
Almendral are gardens, where, for a trifling
sum, the visitor can indulge in eating lus
cious grapes from the vines. Omnibuses of
the most wretched and dirty description, arc
constantly running thither from the port.
They are a great novelty for Chili, and
thousands use them as pleasure vehicles,
for which, besides their cheapness, they arc
better adapted than the heavy, clumsy car
riages of the country. The streets of the
port are narrow, and badly paved; but wheel
ed vehicles aro not numerous, mules being
chiefly employed in the transportation of
merchandise. Business here wears a lively
aspect. The streets are crowded with Eu
ropeans, and other foreigners. The French
form quite a little colony, and in the many
little shops which line the chief street, the
lively countenances of French women are to
be seen. English, Americans, and Germans,
are also numerous. In fact, the heaviest
houses arc those of foreigners, many of
whom have accumulated great wealth. As
a mart for foreign goods of every descrip
tion, from the richest fabrics of Europe,
China, and America, to their cheapest, Val
paraiso is second to no other port in the
Pacific. The amount lying in the Custom
house stores is at all times extensive. When
sold for re-export it pays no duties; other
wise they arc high. The Custom House is
a large and lofty building of brick, covered
with white stucco, and immediately facing
the Mole. It is of a chaste design, and was
erected by an American. Near by is the
Bolsa, or Exchange, a building well adapted
for its purposes. The room in which are
files of papers from all parts of the world,
is lofty and spacious. From its roof vessels
in the offing are telegraphed, and a fine view
of the harbor and surrounding country ob
tained. The bay is large, and its northern
shore exposed to the full sweep of the ocean.
During the winter months, storms from this
quarter, known as " Northers," frequently
set in, and sometimes blow with great vio
lence. The holding ground is good, and
when due precautions arc taken, it is seldom
a vessel is driven ashore. The surf rolls
heavjly upon the beach, and throws its spray
over the stores, but not to do them detriment.
Either extremity of the roadstead is protect
ed by a fort. The southern one contains
the Arsenal. Off it lay the war-ships of the
country, and outside of them, the foreign
men of wcr,of which generally there is a
goodly display. The usual wind is from the
south, and blows strong, but the high cliffs
of Angel Point, protect the shipping.
The climate is considered very good. In
winter a fire is not unfrequently desirable;
but during the summer, the dust and heat
arc excessive at noon-day. The atmosphere
is, however, bracing. Slight shocks of earth
quakes are frequent, and the inhabitants
live in dread of more disastrous ones. Many
among the ladies, have at hand during
the night, long robes for earthquake dresses,
which they hastily snatch up, upon an alarm,
and rush into the squares. The scenes, on
some of these occasions, when the motley
population of all colors, classes, virtues,
and no virtue at all, are turned thus hastily
from their beds into the street, is a better
subject for the imagination than the pen.
But when once seen, the affrighted inhabit
ants, in 'their robes dc nuit," screaming,
"un temblor !" assaulting the heavens with
their Ave Marias, it is not to be quickly for
gotten. Foreigners, at first, manifest little
alarm at the shocks, but they soon learn to
share in the general panic. The elite of
native Chilian society reside at Santiago,
but often make temporary sojourns at Valpa
raiso, and add greatly to the gayety of the
place. Some of the old families, by courtesy,
still bear the noble titles which were legiti
mately theirs before the Revolution. They
still display much wealth in their equipages.
The Tertullias are a pleasant feature of Val
paraiso society. To them foreigners are
much invited, and they meet with a pleasant
circle, though not on a par in general intel
ligence with those of similar standing in the
United States and Europe. But education
is becoming more diffused, and of a higher
standard. At present cards and music, and
dancing, are the chief amusements. The
former very generally leads to gambling, of
which, even among the ladies, there is con
siderable. But dancing is the passion of
young and old, and of all their dances, the
waltz is the favorite. The Chili ladies, for
beauty, compare well with those of the United
States. Indeed, in dress, features, and com
plexion, the better classes much resemble
them, and arc very different from their
neighbors farther down the coast. The for-
cign society is good, and much Riven to
amusements. Indeed, the destitution of all
literary resources, and pursuits of scientific
and benevolent character, which occupy so
much of the time of American females, ren
ders pleasure the paramount object. Con
sequently balls, card-parties, serenades, ri
ding excursions and pic-nics, are the life of
the place, and they render the visits of stran
gers particularly agreeable. But there is a
freedom of conversation, bordering upon
vulgarity, (as it sounds to American ears,)
borrowed from the native society, which is
far from agreeable. Those who reside here
insensibly glide into it, and remarks, witty
allusions, and double entendres, are freely
bandied; adding an evident zest to conver
sation, which would not for a moment be
tolerated in the United States.
Yours, Wandering Tim.
FROM OUR AMERICAN CORRESPONDENT.
NUMBER 5.
Boiton ,
1834.
Dear Editor, The deep interest felt in
this city and in New England generally in
the Sandwich Islands, has astonished me.
By all classes have I been closely questioned
in regard to them; their queries of course
varied according to their previous impres
sions or prejudices. All however, with few
exceptions, now award a full meed of praise
to the exertions of the American Mission
ries. The Roman Catholics here also mani
fest much interest in them, on account of the
French Mission. Their views are altogether
formed upon their representations and the
reports of the " Annals of the Propagation of
the Faith" and of course are strongly . par
tisan and hostile to the Protestant Missiona
ries. This hostility is sometimes ludicrously
exhibited, as you will perceive by the carica
ture upon the American Missionaries, pub
lished by them and which I forward to you.
Setting aside all religious differences, the
success of the Hawaiians in establishing a
liberal and independent government, and the
rapid spread of the arts of civilized life among
them, are the most prominent points of attrac
tion. That missionary labor has been the
chief instrument in this work seems now set
tled, and the inquiries have turned upon sub
jects of more personal nature. Some are in
clined to believe the islands a rude place,
and the people little better than wild savages
in their domestic life. It is a matter of
astonishment to them, how so many can
yearly leave our city to settle among them
the females particularly are subjects of their
commiseration. They smile incredulously
when I tell them that society there is quite
on a par with many of our large towns; and
if I should further tell them, that the streets
of Honolulu were safer to females at all hours
than those of our own cities, I should be still
less likely to be believed. But such is the
fact. In New York, Philadelphia, Balti
more, and the cities of England at night-fall,
courtezans throng the public avenues, un
blushingly proclaim their trade, and endea
vor to arrest the attention of the passer by.
Boston is some better in this respect. I can
didly consider the temptations to vice as far
more prominent and powerful with us than
with you.
But your climate, that's the charm. Those
who have once tried it are reluctant to brave
our nine months winter, for in fact we have
but a few months of weather which may be
called summerish. When it is hot you feel
it, so that cither in summer or winter, one is
compelled to regret the mild, even tempera?
turc of Oahu, with is freedom from cohb,
fevers, rheumatism, catarrhs, and a long list
of other ills, while the memory fondly recalls
the bright, sunny skies, the translucent at-
t