The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-12-16

Mr.. EDITOR :-ln Tuesdays ADVERTISER,
YOU have an article copied from the New York
Sun, headed New Englanders Dying Out
The writer says the first census of 1880, ten
wears after the missionaries began their work lin
the Sandwich Islands,) found a population of
100, 900, now dwindle in 1880, or in fifty years
to about 10000.
This is spoken of as since their Christianiza-
ton. The true number at the last census OF
1872, was about 80, 900, but the process of dimi-
mutton had been going on before the mission
aries came, and SO far as we can judge from such
data as we have, with great rapidity.
Captain Cook in IT'S, estimated the population
at 400. 600. an esfiMGie supposed to be too large.
Forty-two years after, in 1920. the population
was esimated at $50, 900. In 1880, or ~ffty-two
years later, the census gave l3O,OOO. and nifty
years later still, We find the. decay has gone ON
steadily leaving only SO, 900 remaining. Captain
Cook was On observing man, but in his brief VS.
its, at the most populOus points, to which the
natives crowded from all quarters to see the Won
derful strangers, il is evident that he could form
no reliable Judgment of the number of inhabi-
tants on the islands. That they were populous
the multitudes which he saw, and the extended
cultivation could not leave a doubt.
And when missionaries first travelled over the
islands. the large fields lying waste ySela1.gave
evidence of having at some tim$SSFespeeast,
been highly cultivated. as well asO@Auica
tons, pointed to a much larger population at
some former period. We reas n from the known
to the unknown, and as we know of the deca-
QencG OELMcc2 ~ uEol ~ TIC AhSl NchouST hhh
observe the evidences of a denser population at
a former period, so We are prepared to accept
the testimony of the great navigator as to the
populousness of the islands being largely in ex-
cess of anything from 1920 to the present time,
and that the process of decay had been going on
for q long and unknown time, before q mission
airy ever set his feet upon the islands, or Chris
tianity visited these shores. The writer says ::
1T is ~well-known that since their ChristianiZa-
ton, the people of the Sandwich Islands have
fallen of rapidly in numbers" II Cooks esti-
mates approximate the truth,-if the unmistak-
able evidences of a much denser population are
to be at all relied upon-it is pretty clear that the
decadence had been going on long before the
gospel shed its light upon these shores. Chris
tianity indeed did not arrest the rapid decay
which was, and had long been in progress. 1t
no doubt would have done much to this end had
the people listened to, and o6eyed its vitalizing
precepts. II they will do it BoU, there is hope.
II they will live pure and temperate and indus
trious lives. there is hope. If not, / believe they
are doomed, neither immigration or anything
else will save them. Their physical constitution
has become so far impaired that it may not be
capable of renovation, but reform is their only
hope. II they will 1--we purely, temperately and
industriOusly, they will at least promote their
own happiness and manhood, even if they fail to
save the life of the nation. 1 subscribe myself
their sincere friend. 8. n. CASTLE.
HoSoLULU, December II, 1882.