The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-08-08
The Mnrquesan Islands.

We alluded last week to the report Of the Hawaiian
Missionary Society. From that pamphlet we ex-
tract the following account of the group from the
pen of DR.. Quick
The MARoUEsAs IsLANDs.-There are but six in
habited islands in the group. Three of them-Fa-
tuiva, Tahuata and Hivaoa-lay 10 the south, and
are called the windward islands, in relation to the
so-called Southeast trades the other three, Uahu-
ma, Uapou, and Nuuhiva, are called the leeward.
formerly the Washington Islands. All these are in
such relation to each other, that but little difficulty
is experienced in employing the trade-winds. which
here blow well from the East, in sailing from one
island TO the other of the whole group.
The greatest distance between any of these islands
is between Hivaoa and Uapou-about fifty miles.
The other channels are from % TO 35 miles in width.
The distance between Fatuiva, the most Southern.
and Nuuhiva (Or Nukahiva, } the most Northern, is
only 10 miles, abOu: the distance between Oahu
and Hawaii from which it will be seen the group
covers but a 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 are only about eight
miles,-abOut the size Of Kahoolawe. hivaoa and
Nuuhiva are respectively % and II miles in length
from East TO West-about the size of Niihau ans
Lanai. The whole of the inhabited and the unir-
habited of the Marquesan Islands together would
give but little more superficial area than Kahoolaws-
Lanai. Molokai and Niihau.
The romantic scenery of the Marouesas ISLANDS
has been the theme of many pens. 1t is certainly ?
rugged land, and presents as great variety of pa
trous formation and arrangement rs could convea-
iently cOmport with its igneous origin. But {
should be borne in mind that it is principally tie-
romance of rock and rockiness. The points, head
lands, cliffs, ramparts, ridges, chasms, towers, me-
dies, cones, turrets, and pinnacles, are nearly az
bare, black, frowning, arid. rock. 4 short yellsw
grass does indeed succeed in roofing itself over coz
siderable portions but the eye wonders restless;E,
and with pain, 10 find a little relief from some paseh
of green. Such patches are indeed found in soEze
of the valleys, and are all the more beautiful frbE4
the great, prepOnderating contrast /; but they are of
such comparatively limited extent they do not ver-
materially change the general scene.
The Marquesas Islands are probably, with the
exception of the Galapagos Islands, which are how
ever uninhabited, the most barren, uRprOfuctiss,
dad commercially UHimporfant of the basalFc
groups of the PaciGc Ocean. They furnish woed
and water TO ships, together with 4 few breadfruis,
bananas, pigs and fowl, and objects Of
lioentious desire. But il is hard 10 see what object
Of healthy commerce they can be made to produce ;
or 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 on 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 5000; Hivaoa
but $500, and Nuuhiva 1900. In 1888
the Rev. Mr.. Stallworth estimated Fatuiva al 5000.
rahusts at 1000, and Hivaoa at 5000.