The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1856-09-11
HONOLULU, HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, SEPTEMBER Il, 1856.
VISIT
OF the Sleep of War St. Mary's as Apia
NavigatOr's Islands.

OF the Sleep of War St. Mary's as Apia
NavigatOr's Islands.
We have been permitted to make the following ex-
tracts from letter written by of the officers of
the T. s sloop 81. -Narys, giving account of her
cruise in the South Pacific received by the corvette
Embuscade:
"Leaving Tahiti, Sept 9th, 1855, arrived at
Apia Navigator Islands) on the 18th. We were cor
daily welcomed because the Z. S. Consul Conc Van
Camp) had been abusing his Office, well abusing
the natives. Capt Bailey formed himself and his
officers into a court on shore, at the house of of
the principal chiefs, and collected together all the
complaints between the Consul and the natives, and
we rendered our judgments, according to our legal
learning and the evidence. Capt. B. was the Judge,
Jones the prosecuting Attorney, and we were the ju
rymen. In almost every case, decided against the
Consul and in the end, found him man devoid Of
all honor and principle. lie has since been removed
from his office and Mr.. jenkins Q thinb) appointed
in his place These meetings called foao, gave great
satisfaction to the natives, and for many reasons 1t
was for instance the first fono, since the time OF
Capt Wilkes, that held shore. The usual GUS
tom adopted by Captains of men-of-war, among the
NavgatOrs and Feeees, has been TO order the chiefs
and natives on board the vessel. 1t too often hap
pened that some of these chiefs were detained as
prisoners and all the good that fonO likely to
effect was uadoae by the act which too frequently
savored of treachery, and perhaps, of tmiddy. Bal
leys course was different He went boldly shore,
and this very act inspired confidence, and enabled
him to dispense justice. All of decisions, how
ever, were not made in favor of the natives. In
many cases they had done wrong. Once they robbed
a wrecked schooner thereby breaking their treaty
with Capt. Wilkes The proofs conclusive>@and
we made them pay up the value of the theft, and in
fiicted fine, as an exemplary damage which should
be appropriated to some public benefit. Our object
was to place the amount Of this fine ($50) at the
disposition of Mr.. Murray (the resident missionary
But he refused it, and it subsequently used for
the purpose of building q bridge across small
stream which intercepted the communication between
two portions of the harbor-town. This bridge the
natives call the st. Mary's bridge" [ relate these
things to show how friendly our intercourse and
how pleasant the visit to Apia. :
cannot dismiss this short history of our island
cruise without making some general although per-
sonal, reflections that hope will be interesting to
YOU The interesting portions of the South Sea
Islands L regard to be the Samoan, Navigator
group. Their advancement in civilization however
retarded by the neglect of the British Government
and the absence of that zeal, wealth. and political
energy which have always characterised the mission
ary enterprises of the United States. Had the Sa-
means a central government, any government at
all, beyond the feual establishment, which is illus.
Islands prior 10 the of Kamehameha had
they code of written laws, they would now
advance as rapidly the Hawaiian Islanders have
done. 1t to me that they just prepared
ripe for the reception of government. As well rs
can understand the of the harvest being
ready know not where it may be well illustrated
rs in Samoa. But they want EaW-cicu Ia,C-more
than anything else There is no guide to the native
like the Bible. 1t is lCriHen iGto; the only one he
possesses and that fact alone is capable of making him
yield his life to obey it. Instances known where
the foreigners have imposed upon some ignorant native
by quoting fdlsel ly-cOnstrued Biblical law, for
the purpose OF efecting a wicked end. Does the
written law command or sanction it He obeys at
once. In fact, the influence of the missionary may
be attributable, especially in the first instances to
the eagerness with which the natives received the
Bible as written code. 1t is thus that the Samoan
to-day is in transition state, which gives to his
present history peculiar interest. What public
benefactor Will strike while the iron is hot
s. From Apa to Talcahuano-what change. From
the savage Feejee to the polite Spanard-from what
little religion there in Polynesia to the religion
of forms, ceremonies, and the heyday of PROFESSIONS
religious bull-fghts, Virgin Mary, and holy-water
with consecrated candlesticks But then, if there
but little religion in Polynesia still that religion
the Protestant, whose prayer-forms and duties
had been taught in childhood There something
pleasant, however, in getting back upon the of
Soutl America and from the fact that had acquired
q little Spanish, felt ut home at Once.''