The Russellville Democrat., 1881-11-03
TIE SANDWICH ISLANDS.
What an old Sea Captain SAW in King
 Ealakaus's Island.

an interview with an old sea captain who has had long experience in the sandwich Islands, on the system of slavery founded by the owner of large sugar plantation on the islands. The Captain is a man Of large means, whose word is above reproach. The substance ot his story, told in hls own words is as follows:
 Iarriyed from Honolulu two wee ss ago The occurrences of which l speak are, therefore. new. Slavery exists on the Hawaiicn Islands in its most hideous form: there are three classes of emigrant people on the island at present, aside from the rapidly dying native element The chief iezredient of the population, and the one which is virtually master is Chinese. Of these and their moral worth or worthleSsness, the people of San Francisco know enough kanakas have been driven out of the means of subsistence by the Chinese, who have turned their taro patches into rice fields and left the kauakas to live on the deg radiation of their women. The most miserable class of people on the island are the South Sea Islanders. They are workable slaves. hunte l to death by brutal overseers. TecruitR from out of the scoGfings of European nations.
 The Hawaiian government owns and charters aimcst all vessels which are in the slave trade with the south Sea Islands. These are fitted out with q consignment of whisky, blankets and trinkets. Captains, having arrived at one Of the well-populated Pacific isles. begin to trade with the chiefs and soon secure a shipioad of aboriginal humanity upon whom the matches are battened T f0r T T z7, trader casts anchor at Honolulu. Here the unfortunate heathen, naked and child-like, are driven into an inclosure populariy called the pen. Then they are apportoued to different plantations. eath slave receiving a tin tag with a number on it, which is tied around his neck, and 3 malo or lap-cloih with which 10 hide his nakadness, after which he Is driven of to a slaves death. But few survive the harsh treatment of their tax-masters. Among these heathen slaves a frugal, hard working and re- spectable Portuguese IS thrown, and has hardly better treatment. Upon arrival, the same pen receives him on reaching Honolulu. Here he Is also apportioned to different plantation on the island, and are driven ofi by slave-driyers, whose trusty and steady companions are revolvers and bowie-kuiyes. know that the accusations against Claus Sprec&els and other planters have been denied, but l affirm that not only is that which you have said true, but you have heard but half the truth.
 There arrived during my stay at the island cargo of five hundred Portuguese. These people were informed by their countrymen on shore what fare had in store for them. They were landed in the pen, and instead of finding a genial climate and beautiful woods so elo- quently pictured to them by the emigra- ton agents, they were told that the sterile cliffs and plateaus of volcanic mountains would be their future homes. They refused to separate in the pen, and threatened to break their contract. Thereupon Q courier was hastily dis. patched up to the town, and a posse of police and two companies of soldiers as well ss field battery were moved upon the field of action. The Portuguese were willing to fight for their freedom, but they found themselves suddenly surrounded by a CordOn of soldiers ready 10 throw shot among them; They would have fought, nevertheless, but among them were their wives and children and nothing remained but to follow their masters, humbly hoping for the best. Eleven ot the men were seized and imprisoned, but what has become of them l can not tell. The Portuguese have no representative on the islands who woull claim human treatment for them, and all laws are made by slave holders and for shareholders. Their daily routine of labor is about as miSer- able as can be, They are fed on rice and beef or pork in the morning, which Is thrown out To them in large tubs. Afler breakfast they are marched ont for a mile or two into the field.
 Their noon meals are brought out to thesl in wagons and at night they are driven back Co their homes which give them shelter for the night
 These Port lguese are a hardy race. but life in the islands is too hard even for them. The food is of the poorest kind and has to be imported from this port and besides rice and pork they see but little. Therefore they soon sicken. and many die. Those who struggle through five years of slavery, to which their com tract binds them, find that al the end cf that time, instead of having betterel their conditions, as everywhere led 10 believe, they are poorer than ever. They are invariably in debt, and still slaves subject to bondage for the money they QN0- Aucl were utattilN men when tAtN left their native soil, and that Is now Jeff of them is broken and shaking body and the prospect of continued sla- very for their hard taskmasters. Worse than that, their families are broken up. Their wives, if they have not fallen vic tins to lust of the keepers, or money and the auurements of the Chinameu, have also slayed themselves to death iu the sugar cane fields, while their chil- dren have grown up without schooling, among thinese and surrounded by all the saualor and wretchedness which must be seen to be even imagined.
 Chiuamen. Portuguese, and kauakas comminele freely, although 60 far the white race has been kept tolerably clear hut it is only question O, time when all threo will intermarry, although it is doubtful fl anybody but Chinese will survive the process The latter practi- cally govern the islands. Crime has cer- tAinly increased fifty per cent, since the reciprocity treaty came in force, and this treAty is directly responsible for the most