The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-01-11
SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.
We continue the abstract from, the Jour-
nal of Bennett and Tyerman.


missionaries, for the Sandwich Islands, and
landed at the place where Cook WAS killed.
The relics of Cook were worshipped at
Hawaii in temple of Reno. one of the
Gods, of whom the navigator was supposed
to be representative. The islanders have
generally renowned their idols, but they
have now no religion--they used to worship
blocks and stones, and now they wor ship
| nothing. Riporiko gave, as Peter says, the
smashing blow" TO idolatry and other su-
perstitioas observances. Sacriege was not
considered worse than for a mar to eat of
the same food and at the same fable with
woman. The king was the first to rouse
1 courage enough to eat tnUs at public
feast, to the horror and CONSERVATION Of all
present-but as his gods let him alone, he
lived long to abuse them, and break their
images. Here then was people without
any religion, and the fruits were character
istic of the tree, and there is hardly place
on earth where the debasing passions and
propensities have more fully done their
work.
The Kings of Hawaii have given their
people no charters-life and limb belong to
| the monarch. The rents are vigorously ex-
acted (for the king is the universal proprie-
tori and are paid in dogs, hogs, or canoes
An Englishman occupies so much land that
he returns to the treasury one hundred
dogs. The laws are subject to sudden
hanges-unlike those of the Modes and
Persians-for they ale the will of the SOW
ereign, and he is known to change his mind,
at the insligation of interest, resentment
or caprice. The people, however, are all
lawyers-or take the laws into their own
hands, and execute justice on offenders ac-
cording to circumstances.
The people are generally tattooed-most-
ly with the figure of goat-all swim, old
and young-and an old woman Of seventy
will plunge into the surf like seal.
Nothing comes amiss in the way Of food
all entrails are considered tripe, and all
tripe is eaten undressed. A dog is rather
dainty, and is commonly slnged and roast
ed. Cats are eaten, as in Spain, where
they are called rabbits. Fish, crabs, and
shrlaps are often eaten without the inter-
venton of fire.
There are no set times for eating or
sleeping-a and generally, when the Depu-
ties entered house, they found some one
asleep.
Among the strange customs noticed, was
the practice of drawing tooth or two on
the death of friends, and this, if not always
the effect of grief, is universally the cause
of it. These islanders have lived in state
OF nature, though this is seldom state Of
innoce nce-one Of their barbarian usages
was this, and it was mild and merciiul com
pared with others. Where u person beat
another to death, the assaant, like Ugoli-
no in the Inferno, must eat his enemy. He
was shut up with the body and allowed no
other food while a particle of it remained
I unconsClmed.
There is much etiquette in the court Of
Hawaii. The Queens court dress is web
OF native cloth, so long that she is wrapped
in it like a mummy. The cloth is spread
out on the ground, and her gracious and
dusky Maj esty rolls over and over till the
whole Is wrapped around her. The Depu-
ties net one of the Qseens, taking the air
in wheelbarrow, and much gratified with
the dignity of her station. The Queens
wheelbarrow is an object for reverence, and
before the Kings calabash, coming with
water from the spring, the passengers pros
trate themselves.
On the whole, the Deputies had favora-
bic opinion of the Sc islanders, though they
admit that they 70 und among them no sense
of shame. 25,C0J psople have been taught
to read-many can write, and some have
the elements of arithmetic.
The Deputies had the pleasure OF seeing
that the wife of their Tahitan Missionary
had found a long lost brother at Hawaii,
from whom she had been separated thirty
years. He was a person Of distinction, and
the Deputies were much encouraged by the
omen, and other circumstances, to believe
that better state was dawning on the ISL
ands "which God had made so beautiful
and Satan so vile."
.Ne,0 Zealand sS;ere the Deputies had
another peril more imminent than any for
mer danger. A party of the natives took
possession of the ship, axes were brandish-
ed over their heads-there seemed 30 de-
lverance from death, and to be killed was
also to be eaten. In the very nick Of time
a chief named George rowed into the har-
Dor, and saved all from destruction.
.Ne,o Holland At Sidney, town of
10000 people, the Deputies lodged at the
Sidney hotel, where the proprietor was ia
ken up for concealing stolen goods. The
jewels stolen he had adrotly concealed I'M
der. Dr.. Tyerman's bed. In fact, there is no
place where the institution of property is so
little honored. The men believe in Saint
Simon, and the women in Frances Wright.
Where party of ten assemble, it is proba-
BILE that nine are thieves.
There is no security against depreciation,
and a mans pocket is no safe depository of
his money, nor is his watch secure in his
fob. By night hole is made in the side
of brick or stone house, and the rooms
entered and 'rfed with too little noise to
break slumbcr. A lock is no better than
latch. The rogues seem to have the cap
that renders the wearer Invisible, for chat
tells vanish under the eyes of the proprietor
as If they had a self-moving principle
Where such are the men, what are the
women Bad as can be.
These, however, are the convicts-but
there are a great many settlers that came
out for agricultural and other pursuits,
who do not defio themselves Ivy holding
the intercourse Of society with the profit
gate, however prosperous or wealthy-for
many who were convcts have amassed
large fortunes. Among the class above
named the moral sentiment is not compro.
missed, and the distinction of caste is never
forgotten or relaxed.
Thenatives are the most debased of apv
OF the human race they are nearly as
dark as Ethiopians. Art has never woven
them garment or constructed cabin
They wear not even skins-they wear no.
thing. They sleep like wild ANIMALS under
bough or rock and seldom twice in the
same place. 1t is appalling to think how
much man is the creature Of circumstances
land how abject or majestic he may be as
these are favorable or otherwise. 1t seems