The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1859-09-28
NOTES OF THE WEEK.

A SHARK SToRY.-The natives are capital hands
for the fabulous. A group of them will sometimes
originate a story, bordering on the wonderful, and
before they have told it q dozen times to their friends,
they get to believe it themselves. The man who was
picked up by the Margaret, a few days since, off
Barber's Point, stated after he got on shore that he
had seen no sharks during the fourteen hours that he
passed in the water. His friends, however, thinking
his fourteen hours swim not quite marvellous enough,
appear to have persuaded our contemporary, if no one
else, into the belief that n shark about five feet long
swan beside him all night, and accompanied him I'M
til he was picked up by the schooner /; probably for
the purpose of protecting him; and this little embel-
lshment is now attached to the newest relation of the
story. which we find in the Poiynesian.
This circumstance reminds us of an incident which
was related by an old resident of the islands, some
time since A native was describing an instance of
the kindness of the favorite god of his family to his
great grandfather. The family god was a shark and
the narrator said that one day when his great grand
father was out fishing, the canoe upset at a mile dis
lance from the land, and the poor man after ineffect-
ually trying to right it, seated himself on the bottom
of the canoe to recruit his strength preparatory to a
swim ashore. While he was lamenting over what
seemed the inevitable loss of his boat and lines, he
perceived a large shark swimming rapidly, with open
mouth, towards him. Halloo !" said the native
"don't you know me? you're my akua (god,) and you
ought to help me, instead of eating me-" Upohtht
the shark seemed to change his intentions, and diving
beneath the canoe he placed his head within the
thwart, and pushed it towards the shore so swiftly that
the friction set the water ON fire behind them. They
reached the shore in safety, and the shark swan
away without speaking a word. And that, /, !. said
the speaker, is proof positive of the power of our
god.' But" asked the foreigner, 'sdo you really
believe all this." " Certainly was the reply
g my great grandfather told it to my grandfather,
and my grandfather told it to my father, and my ia
ther told it to me and SO it must be true !"
DEATH OF A SHIPMAsrER--Capt. Chas. W. Hamil-
ton, late master Of the bark JMoneka. died at Tahiti
in the latter part of August last, during the stay Of
his vessel at that place. He was attacked by an
apoplectic fit, while on a temporary visit at the house
of MI. George Dexter, sixteen miles distant from the
port. which proved fatal. Captain Hamilton was a
New England man. about AZ years of age. He was
a good shipmaster, and an excellent man-com-
handing the confidence and esteem of all with whom
the duties of his profession brought him in contact.
He leaves q wife and child in Chatham, Massa-
chusetts. -
RICE CULrURE.-It is believed by some of our ag-
riculturists that the growth Of rice will at some flu
ture day, become a great business Of the Hawaiian
Islands,-the climate and soil being we'll adapted for
it. and the lands. in many cases. already prepared for
its culture. The rice planted soma time since at the
AErioultnrsl Gardens. in Nuuana valley, is now in
.6ns order md condition. Ths upper 6eld b in ears.
4 tie lower grounds exhibit gsnsrally : dine stand
s1hrive we'll Those who Asl interested in the
III DE- 0ell tocsliS = the gardens and snam-s
- Inethod1ef culture pur1eod Nh. HoEj II q
elVlJD BED a connQ1l1<ae fnl6smation TO viSflonG