The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-06-25

running streams to the doors of habitations, tina
rice grew on my island, &c., sc. OF course l expect
to have this disproyen, as soon as the people entered
the island and what motive could l have to risk
such palpable exposure with a number of needy and
disappointed men. l had none. There was no profit
to be made out of the $35 advanced-every dollar
of which was fairly expended, as vouchers will show,
1 must notice another matter, to which you have
so %recklessly given publicity, the charge Of fraudu-
lently celebrating the ear marks of animals. 1t is a
well-known fact that l have purchased from two
residents of Maui, and from over twenty residents OF
Lanai, as many different lots of sheep, and that l
have had in my large flock, on Lanai, over thirty
different ear marks on sheep, and all owned by me
and have receipts and vouchers for these purchases
and marks. To protect my stock, l procured a
brand, a small G to be placed on the cheek, and
procured from the Governor of Maui, o written
authority for using it. After a time, 1 was surprised
to discover, that nearly every herder of sheep on
Lanai, had procured a brand, which was a semi
circle of the same kind, of exactly the dimensions of
my G ;-one had q c, another an e, another q
crescent. another a half circle then a half circle
with a small mark or point added, so that unless my
G was very distinctly impressed, it was difficult to
distinguish it from other marks with a similar and
exactly fitting semi-circular carve. In this case, /
devised other brands, which were as successfully
-
States, an ear cut, or mark, was suggested-a cut
out of the ears. making a fork in both. and a permit
to use such mark was obtained by my son, in the
Office of His Excellency the Governor of Maui. My
young stock was receiving this new mark on my
return home when shearing wool, or cutting lambs,
the man, Perkins, took part in the work.
This man and family were beautifully fed and lie
had good reason to be content with the guarantee of
a living for his large family, and the same prospects
of an increase of property ; but he. as well as others
were tempted away by the chances of a htigious
speculation, originating with penniless and unscrupu-
lOus adventures who hope to manufacture a public
opinion in their behalf, and to successfully sponge
for a living during it's existence. - ,fT
Mr.. Editor, I honestly risked time and means in
trying what you esteemed a judicious emigration and
agricultural experiment, and had the rains favored,
as l have known them to do for nine years past on
Lanai, l with my company would have made good
crops, and l ' would have been honOred for my public
spirited experiment but the unyielding skies have
kept back the usual southerly rains. my hope Of
crops have failed and l must bear the fault of the
failure. 1t is not alleged that 1 did not have a large
domain of land, working stock and implements /; bat
that I had no water. There is not very much, it is
true, on Lanai, but even in these horrible dry times,
we have on the island a beautiful little limpid stream
that could supply a ten inch pipe, and it irrigates
many acres of fine land and we have numerous
small springs, pools and holes in one mountain, from
whence we obtain now n moderate supply of the best
of water for culinary purposes, and for the cleanli-
ness of our persons. The washing of my family and
that of all its 400 or 500 inhabitants is satisfactorily |
within the limits of the island. We
have beautifully formed and very fertile valleys,
which have, in years past, fed their own population
supplied your own and other markets with grain,
potatoes, melons and other products and even now
in the time of our distressful drought we feed the
town of Lahaina with our fat mutton
and beef. At this day a small party, who along
with other good and true men, who have fairly tried
the island, are successfully cultivating Irish potatoes
in high, moist lands and should a summer rain yet
come, which l may expect, Gas the best crop of corn
| made onTLaasiy was planted after a rain on the &c
July, in 1865 or 60 will be able to show a
proof of the fertility and prOductiveness the ISL
and, that will sustain my statements and give the
lie to q lot of lazy shirkers of work.
WALTER NJ. GIBSON.