The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1849-10-27


LIFE IN THE SANDWICH ISLANDS. We
make the following extract from a letter publish.
ed in the Philadelphia Bulletin, dated on board
the u S ship Ohio, IN the Bay Of San Francisco
Aug. 81:
"1n the 18th instant we arrived here from a
most delightful visit TO the Sandwich Islands =
The first place on the island that we visited was
HIlo, native village on Byrons, or Wal kea
bay, III the island OF Hawaii or Owyhee This
is the largest OF the lslanls and gives the name
to the whole group. Imagine village OF grass
huts covering several miles in extent, on beau
tiiul, quiet bay, Immediately skrted by high.
lands. In the distance rise two high mountains
rising N the forms oil immense cones, as it were
rom the bosom OF the island-one blazing with
volcanic hres by night, and the other showing
top covered with snow by day. The lace Of
the country is as green as a tropical sun and
ralns can make il; with the tall cocoa nut tree I.
the deep green Bread Fluit tree, the Pandamus.
Aon, Ohla and other trees, bananas, plantains
sugar canes, and the shining green coffee tree
scattered over it, 1t is such place as fairies or
water-nymphs would delight in and where anv
one might be content to live or die There are
no extremes OF heat or cold. The very showers
seem TO contribute as much to the health of man
as to that OF the flowers and trees
island, is subject to frequent showers. sum.
med up the quantity OF rain which tell there dur
ing one year, and it amounted TO ne fourteen
ieet The streams emptying into the bay and
sea are very numerous, aud run from the noun
taIns through deep rocky ravines formed by earth
quakes and volcanic eruptions, and occasionally
pre- senting the must beautiful Cascades The
whole group OF islands is volcanic. | visited the
volcano OF hliau ca, which is still active, and
went down into the tremendous crater described
in Wilkes Exploring Expedition 1t is 600 teet
deep, and thirty odd miles in acknowledgements
awiu hole, and not the most agreeable place to
visit IN the world
From Hilo we sailed to Lahaina, in the island
OF Maui This is larger village than Hilo, and
more civilized, but il possesses fewer of the beau
ties OF landscape, climate and population than
that place. We remained here only two davis
and then sailed for Honolulu in the island Of Oa-
hu, the largest OF the towns and the resi- ence OF
the king and his court. This is also beautiful
place, but not SO interesting as Hilo, from the
fact that civilization has DESTROYED the pecuIiar
charm OF native simpl city and manners, without
having sufficiently advanced TO give the refine.
ment of European American towns. More.
over, tie natives are not SO clearly or so good
looking as those OF the other places; being thick
~ sprlnkled with halt breeds, ami many of th.m
bearing in their faces the marks the white mans
vices.
! The chiefs and their families male and female,
are hne boxing people, yet even here are t, a
ces oil paler skin. The largest man have ever
seen is chief named Pa XII, who is the Kings
tiraEd Chamberlain, and worthy of the epihet
grand. The King. who is described as also
large man, did not see, as he had gone to Ha
wall, and did not return before we sailed. His
wife, the Queen, was board, with nearly all
the court, and had the honor OF an introduction
TO her Majesty.
AT Hilo most of the men and boys go naked,
with the exception OF the nlurO a small strip of
f0pd or native cloth worn around the lolns.-
Their forms are generally fine and manly; color
between dark and red olive; hair straish hit and
fine as that OF European they are amiable
in disposition, indolent and hospitabIe The fe.
males, even the children, wear clothing that COW
ers the person from the throat to the ankle, and
this was the custom before the whites visited the
islands Their dress is generally loose gown
OF common muslin or calico, much like chem.
Use, with long sleeves, gathered around the
waist by drawing string. Some OF the Young
women are very good looking, with forms almost
perfect; but the old women are hideous.
They are an amphlbious race, being great
part OF the time in the water. | saw one girl
dive and bring up live 6,h in her hand A la
vorite amusement: at Hlo is to glide down the
stream (Wai in-ka) on their backs, and go over
perpendicular fall OF ten or fifteen feet They
go over feet foremost, and continue at this amuse-
ment Tor hours The girls excel in this exer.
clse, and practice it more than the boys As
they come cut OF the water, their white dresses
clinging TO their figures, show forms as well de-
veloped and graceful Grecian statue. On
two occasions squadron of about fourteen OF the
water nymphs swan of TO the ship, re IN aiming in
the water four hours, with nothing to support
them but their powers OF swimming. We heard
after we left that for violating the missionary
laws, in thus swimming TO the ship, these girls
had been taken up, and would be obliged to.work
out their hnes in labor upon The public roads
TuchcrW and Superstition. There is, in
the neighborhood OF Henton and its vicinity.
nnnnlatinn of ahnnl 0n0 In ,,hinh :. -'..