The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-06-22

members and Children of the association called
the Blue Bank. In this the dates of the births
of the children and the dates and the places Oh
the deaths of members and children are gwen
In this book are given siXty.fve missionary
mothers and their children, Of whom there
were born 2SS. Thirty-two OF these had died
| in the Islands OF disease, one WAS drowned
and live had died at other places, one of whom
was drowned OF the 80 malrons, nine had
died in the Islands, and two at other places
The first child was born in October, lS2O; and
the last in March, 1854. The value OF these
figures is better Appreciated when we rcmem
Der that the first missionaries arrived here III
1878, so that the period embraced in the sta
tlstics was 80 years regret that | have not
the means Of determining the numbers and
dates of the arrivals Of the rciniOrccmcntS, but
as the dates Of the births of the children are
given, together with the dates and places OF
the deaths among them, we are enabled from
these to make valuable computations As we
have seen, the 65 mothers bore 2SSchildrcn, OF
whom 50 had died. Reckoning from the birth
Of each child up to 1854, the time when the
statement was made, the aggregate years OF
life, if none had died, was 400; computing
then the time from each death up to 1884, the
aggregate is found to be 463 years, which, il
deducted from the 400 years, leaves 1851 years
of life. With these data given, each one may
make his own computation, though | cannot
help Observing that more than Sc per cent. OF
those children born. i'll the Islands, were living
at the end of the period of "a years after the
first was born. The medical profession may
be familiar with such results, but | confess
they surprised me.
l may state here that learned from accou,
cheurs and other reliable sources that parturi.
ton Is much easier and safer here than Is usual
in other countries, and that even few months
on the Islands seemed to prepare the system
for such results.
While enjoying the hospitality of Father
Alexander at Wailuku, and before | had seen
the Blue Book, | expressed desire to obtain Il
biological history Of the missionary families
of the Islands, when he remarked that there
might be difficulty in getting the history of
all, but he could readily give the history of
one. That he and his wife came from Ken
tHcky to the Islands as missionaries in 1892
That they had had nine children, nineteen
grandchildren and six sons and daughters-in-
laws, and that there had never been death in
the family, but all were now living on the
Islands, and" said he, rs he Strengthened
himself up, just pride beaming from every
lineament Of his countenance, mot IA black
sheep among them all" The venerable heads
Of that remarkable family still manifest the
elasticity and vigor Of middle life, and labor
with unabated zeal in the cause to which they
at the beginning consccrated their lives. Truly
they have been conspcuously blessed.
The departments of the government kindly
furnished me with all the statistical intOrma-
ton in their offices, but | find nothing which
answers the inquiries for vital statistics which
| am making. The rapid elimination Of the
native population, which has long been known
the world over, and has been often the subject
of elaborate dissertation, had not led me to
expect here the most favorable conditions for
human life to be found in any country of which
| have any knowledge. 1t is not only remark
able as Il sanitarium for children, but for adults
as well. The aged missionaries who have
been laboring here for forty or fifty years or
more, find still strong and vigorous, working
in their missions, with a promise
still of many years of usefulness, notwithstand-
Ing the harllships and privations through
which they have passed.
Let me add that the last census shows, for
the first time an increase of births over deaths
of the native population of Honolulu, but |
fear the hopes which this statement inspired,
that turning point had been reached in the
vitality of the native population of these
Islands, will prove ilusory, and that they are
At last destined to fade away and disappear.
Yours,
JOHN DEAN CATION.