The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-10-05
Prom the HOnOlulu Advertiser.
The Mnrnmannn InInmAl

we alluded last week to the report of
the Hawaiian Missionary Society. From
that pamphlet we extract the following
account Of ths'grOup from the pen of Dr.
Gulick:
There are but six inhabited islands in
tie group. Three Of thein-Fatuiva, Ia
hnata and Iiivaca-lay to the south, and
are called the windward islands, in rcla.
tiOn to the so called southeast trades -
the other three, Uahuna, Uapou, and M.
lhlva, are called the leeward, formerly the
Washington Islands. All these are in
such relation TO each other, that but little
difficulty is experienced 10 employing the
tradewinds, which here blow well from
the cast, in sailing from one island to the
other of the whole group.
The greatest distance between any of
these islands is between IIivnOa and Unpou
about fifty miles. The other channels
are from rs to 80 miles in width. The
distance between Fatniva. the most south
ern, and Nuuhiva Tor Nuknhiva), the most
northern, IL only about 10 miles, about
the distance between Oahu and Hawaii.
from which it will be seen the group COW
eTs but small portion Of our ocean.
The Individual islands Are also very
small. There are four Of them, Fatuiva,
Tahuata, UapOu and Uahuna, whose long
diameters nre only about eight miles
about the size Of KahOolawe. IIivaoa
and NuuhivA are respectively twenty two
and seventeen miles in length from east to
west--abOut theSize Of Niihan aud Lanai.
The whole Of the inhabited and uninhab.
tied Of the Marquesas Islands together
would give but little more superficial area
than Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, and
Niihau.
The romantic scenery of the MarquesaS
Islands has been the theme Of many pens.
II is certainly rugged land, and presents
as great variety Of petrous formation and
arrangement, as could conveniently com.
port with its igneous origin. But it is t.
be borne in mind that it is principally
the romance Of rock and rockincss. The
points, hradlands, cliffs, ramparts, ridges,
chaSmS, towers. needles, cones, turrctS,
and pinnaclcs, are nearly all bare, black,
fTOwning, arid rock. A short yellow grass
does indeed succeed in roofing itself over
considerable portions; but the eye wan
ders rcstlcsSly, aud with pain, 10 find a
little relief from some patch Of green
Such patches are indeed found in some Of
the valleys, and are all the more beautiful
from the great, preponderating contrast
but they are Of such comparatively limit
cd extent that they do not very materially
change the general scene.
The Marqucsas Islands are probably,
with the exception Of the Galapagos
Islands, which are, however, uninhabitcd
the most barren, unproductive, and com.
mcrcially unimportant Of the basaltiC
groups Of the Pacihe7Dccan. They fur.
) nish wood and water to ships, together
with small quantities Of breadfruit, cocoa
nuts, bananas, pigs and fowls. But it is
hard to see what object Of healthy con-.
mcrce they can be made to produce; OF
how as civilization dawns upon them. they
will be able to purchase the few foreign
wares and fabrics their limited population
will need. Stock may be raised, and is
already multiplying upon some Of the
slopes, and sweet potatoes may be raised
in or near the valleys; but there is no
prospect Of any considerable market for
them.
The total population is only about g..
900; Hivaoa numbering but $500. and
Nunhiva 800 In 1888. the Rev. Mr.
Stallworth estimated Fatuiva at 5000
Tahunta at 1000, aud Ilivaoa at 5000.