The Osceola times., 1881-11-05
THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.
what an ola Sea Captain Saw In King
HalaiSaus's Island.


The San Francisco Chronicle has had
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 a large
sugar plantation on the islands. The
Captain is man Of large means, whose
word is above reproach. The substance
Of his story, told in hls own words, is as
follows
arrived from Honolulu two weeks
ago. The occurrences of which | speak
are therefore, new. Slavery exists on
the llawaiiun 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 iegredient of the population,
and the one which is virtually master
is Chinese. OF these and their moral
worth or worthlessnees, the people Of
san Francisco know enough. Kanakas
have been driven ont of the means of
Subsistence by the Chinese, who have
turned their taro patches into rice fields,
and left the kanakas 10 live on the deg
radiation Of their women. The most
miserable class Of people on the island
are the South Sea Islanders. They are
veritable slaves, hunted to death by
brutal over-0ers, recruited from ont Of
the scourings Of European nations.
The Hawaiian government owns and
charters almost all vessels which are in
the slave trade with the South Sea
Islands These are fitted out with
consignment Of whisky, blankets and
trinkets. Captains, having arrived at
one Of the wel-populated Pacific isles,
begin 10 trade with the chiefs and soon
secure a shipload Of aboriginal humanity
upon whom the matches are battened
down for forty days and until the slave
trader casts anchor ut Honolulu. Here
the unfortunate heather, nakca and
child-like, are driven into an irclosure
popularly called the pen. Then they
are apporiionel 20 different plantations,
each slave receiving tin tag with
number on IT, which is tied around his
neck, and q malO or lap-clOlh with
which to hide his nakadness, after which
he is driven off 10 a slaves death. But
few survive the harsh treatment Of their
ax-masters. Among these heather
slaves a frugal, Woodworking and re-
spectacle Portuguese is thrown, and has
hardly better treatment. Upon arrival,
the same pen receives him on reaching
Honolulu Here he is also apportioned
to a different plantation on the island,
and are driven of by slave drivers,
whose trusty and steady companions are
revolvers and b0wie-knives. | know
that the accusations against Claus
Spreckels and other planters have been
denied, but | 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 acargo of five hundred Portuguese,
These people were informed by their
couutrymen on shore what fate had in
store for them. They were landed in
the pen, and instead Of finding q 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 a courier was hastily dis
patched up to the town, and a posse OF
police and two companies Of soldiers as
well as 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 Gordon Of soldiers ready
to 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 OF the men were seized and
imprisoned, but what has become of
them | can not tell. The Portuguese
have no representative on the islands
who would 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. After
breakfast they are marched out for a
mile or two into the field.
Their noon meals are brought out TO
them in wagons, Spd at night they are
driven back to Their homes, which give
them shelter for the night
These Portuguese 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, ana
many die. These who struggle through
five years Of slavery, to which their con.
tract binds them, find that at the end Of
that time, instead of having bettere1
their conditions, as everywhere LED 10
believe, they are poorer than ever. ihey
are invariably in debt, and still slaves
subject to bondage for the money they
owe. They were healthy men when they
left their native soil, and J that IS now
left 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 allurements of the Cinnamon
have also slaved themselves 10 death IN
the sugar cane fields, while their chil
dren have grown up without schooling,
among Chinese and surrounded by all the
soualor and wretchedness which must De
seen TO be even imagined.
Chinanen, Portuguese, and kanakas
commingle freely, although so iar the
white race has been kept toleraoly clear
bnt il IL only question ot time when
all three will intermarry, although ~ ,,s is
doubtful If anybody but Chinese WI
survive the process. The latter pfacu'
cally govern the islandss. Crime has cer-
tainly increased fifty per cent. since ,he
reciprocity treaty came IN force, anu tills
treaty is directly responsible ior 'he iios'