The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-11-06
FROM THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.

FROM THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.
MAKAwAo MANI, SANDWICH ISLANDS,
July 25, 1851.
To the Editor Of the National Era,
scarcely need tell you or your readers that
tor the last two years everything has been
iiuctuating, exceedingly so. During the year
lS49, most of the foreign residents, mechanics
and merchants, were absent from their island
homes, either digging gold or specializing in
California. Nearly one half of them died, and
! about one half of the survivors returned mostly
poor and slckly. 1t was soon found that bet
ter means of obtaining gold was at hand than
digging for it in Californa-that it lay in the
soil OF Hawaii, if it could be brought out 1t
was found that Hawaiian produce, vegetables,
sugar, and syrup were in great demand at San
Francisco Vessel after vessel visited the
islands from this city of gold and enterprise,
and others were fitted out from the islands
During this year, trade from the islands to the
coast was brisk, speculation was rife potatoes
sugar, and syrup, brought high price, and had
quick sale. During 1850, things went on
swimmingly. Many seemed to think that the
2silseD@iOg ~ Negyyerce hsd downed say of
commerce, for though in April of that year "a
veqy respectable number of the residents Of Hon
oltlu and some from osnerparts II the iiaw aian
kingdom met to take preliminary steps to the
formation of an Agricultural Society, and
though such society was organized in August
yet am sorry to say that of the more than
one hundred and twenty members of this
society, precious few have attempted even to
increase the agricultural productions of the
islands. Certainly, there has been little, very
little increase of strength 10 the thin ranks of
agriculturists This is not perhaps strange,
considering the character of the foreign COM
munty at the islands Some thirty are
missionaries or ex-missonaries, seamens chap
lains assistant missionaries &c. More than
twenty are regularly bred merchants, having
extensive establishments. Here, too are the
consuls of all nations sending hither these Off
cials-members of the kings cabinet, judges of
our courts physicians and mechanics. While
| think that much more agricultural activity
could not have been expected of these gentle
men, members of the society, | still think that
the fact is not very creditabe to us as friends of
Hawaiian improvement, that tho spirit of enter
prise has found other channels than agricultu-
raj am sorry that cannot furnish you with
statistics on this subject You would be sur
priscd to hear of the increase of mercantile
business since the beginning of 1850. | can
reckon up in my own neighborhood nearly
twenty stores which occupy much of the atten-
ton of some forty men, chiefly foreigners. Mr.
| Hitchcock, from the door of his house on the
little island of Molohai, am told, can count
five stores* Allowing the increase on other
islands to be only half as great as on Mani,
there will probably be found more than one
hundred more stores than there were in Janu-
airy, 1850.
1t did seem for awhile that every foreigner
on the islands would become trader. During
all the year 1850, business was lively; sugar
and syrup and native productions high, and 80
of everything else Kula in my parish, wa,
full of natives-some ut work. as wages were
high, and Others specializing Irish potatoes a,
one time commanded 81, IS, and even SO, per
barrel In the bush, ten or twelve miles from
the sea. Transfers charged so cents per bar
rel for taking them to the sea. Ordinary ma
| tive women obtained S per day for filling carts
with this vegetable. Money became exceed
ingly plenty, and all seemed to say, My noun
tain stands strong ! shall never be moved"
] had many fears for our people, lest this state
of prosperity should prove their ruin, especial
ly as in addition to the multitude of stores, shops
were opened in several places for the sale of beer.
or vile compound called beern which produ-
ced drunkenness ] called as many of my people
out on Wednesdays of each week as possible,
and continually warned them of their danger
| also gave them work for the Lord--cause of
benevolence, monthly concert contributions. and
ant-slayery contributions, and | raised $500
for Westinghouse, This seemed as clear
gain, for reUer@ is the order of the day. The
merchants from one end of the islands to the
other are in the deepest embarrassment; and
the planters who combine the two characters,
planter and merchant are still deeper in en-
barrassment than the city merchant. Syrup,
of which planters have large quantity, will
not sell at any price. There is no cali for po-
tatoes, though the country is full Of them 20
that thousands of barrels will probably decay
in the ground and be lost The natives are
entirely destitute of money, it having all been
picked up by the traders and the traders are
in the greatest distress, being unable to get
their pay of the planters, who cannot turn their
produce into money. What greatly adds to
the distress of all parties is the scarcity of ma
tive productions lkula, sweet potatoes corn,
&c. natives having neglected to plant for the
sake of raising the Irish potato for the Cali
forna market What will be the result no one
can tell | see not what can save the planters
and many of the merchants from bankruptcy
There is no sale for lands except mt great sac
u
create market for syrup sugar vegetables,
&C., there must be heavy failures and much
distress.
You will have heard ere this reaches you of
great excitement in Australia II seems that
gold mines have been discovered in the vicni-
" of Sydney New South Wales and multi
tudes are rushing thither to grasp the shining
dust The Polynesian, our Government paper,
Of July 10Th, gives copious extracts from the
Bathurst Free Press and the Sydney Peoples
.aduocafe, and remarks" The receipt Of this
startling intelligence from Sydney created
great excitement in Honolulu on its promulga-
ton, as was TO have been expected. II became
the town talk, in which everybody engaged
Conjectures in regard TO the effects likely to be
produced were freely made, and M a result five
vessels were advertised in one day for "the
Australian gold minesp Four or FIVE thousand
bags Of -four also changed hands on Monday,
for shipment to Sydney. II you have not the
Polylesiar, ask Mr.. Lewis Tappan, and he'll
send the one for July 49,
You will see from the Sydney accounts that
the country IN in state Of great excitement,
and that multitudes will be ruined Farmers,
especially sheep farmers, will suffer greatly
One writing 10 Honolulu says ain fact, the
whole commercial fabric will be changed--and
it is almost impossible 10 form any correct opin-
ion Of what is to take place. suppose we shall
have second California here Life and prop
erty trust will be protected, although fear
we shall have thousands Of express from Van
Dieman's Land, who are extreme vagabonds--
none worse. The price Of everything must
rise" Since writing the above my eye has
fallen upon paragraph which ! quote Us ex-
pressing my feelings from the first IN regard TO
California From the foregoing relation Of
facts some idea may be formed Of the state of
our town and district. In sober seriousness,
the times are out of joint The wiscst men are
mere children in the matter, and are rs little
aware how II will end. At the present time,