The Polynesian., 1841-01-16

clral Fart, without troubling themselves W
inquire deeply into the history, traditions, re-
lgion and customs of the strange race among
which they were sojourning. This deiicien-
cy in their otherwise faithful pictures of new
scenes and scenery, has left II wide blank in
the history of Polynesia which research has
as yet done but little in filing up. We read
of religious tcst, ais, of orders of priesthood,
the tyranny of the rulers, and other matters
of this nature, and yet there are no connect
ing links to enable us to form any adequate
idea of them, by which we could compare
these institutions with those of other nations
Perhaps there is not much left to be gather
led, but enough has been told to stimulate
our curiosity to secure the remainder What
do we know of their astronomy, poetry,
songs, their polity-of the origin of the kapu
system, their professions and trades! Little
else but that they existed among them at
such date, and have now persisted, to
be revived no more. To form correct
opinion of their character, we should know
whence their origin their relations with one
another, in short, the whole minutin of their
civil and domestic life TO student of his
tory such facts are no less important and in
tercsing than the recital of the 2cncalogy Of
their chicis-their wars, and revolutions
indeed the attempt to innovatc upon the cs-
tablishcd customs of people has cost many
ruler his power. 1t is through them, too,
that the principle of civilization is to be
traced; the gradual Development of human
mind, shown III its progress after truth, or
its sinking deeper into error. BY coIlatng
facts of this nature, much can be done to-
common origin, Of unrayclling as it were,
the snarlcd thread of time. They are the
guide-poss to historical research, telling the
advance as well as direction of the different
tcrest do the nations that now direct the des-
TIMES of the earth look back upon the feeble
dawning of their incipicnt powers; to that
aye when they roamcd the wilds, as rude
and free as nature herself; when they were
race of barbarans. Who would recognize
the modern Germans in the description of
the savagcs Of that name given by Tacitus
Has England, all powerful and intellectual
as she now is, forgotten the times when her
shores were peopled by race of cruel dis
piritcd mhite savages, equally as unable to
defend their coasts from invasion as the In.
dans of modern days. They were race
looked upon with SO much contempt by tn G
then Mistress of the World, that Cicero in
a letter to his friend Atticus, advised him
" not 10 obtain his slures from Britain, be-
cause they are so stupid, and muly incnpa-
Die Of being taught, that they are m!M 10 ,@rm
a part Of he household Of -11icu" Where
the metropolis of Scotland now stands, race
of cannibals once lived. What has come
down to us of the history of tho Sc times car
ries with it the interest of romance, and the
pages OF history are searched to trace the
origin of that civilization, and those institu-
tons which are now the glory and admiru-
ton of the world. If then so much impor.
lance is attached to the early records of
people, no time should be lost in securing all
the remains of this ration. The race of an
Client priests, orators, and poets, the knowl
edge of trades, the customs and traditions of
M fnvc rIl,,,