The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-02-21
UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS
Some Mistakes About the Sandwich
Islands.

letter pointing out numerous ulIStdAcS
in book, "Under the Southern Cross, :"
written by Mr. Ballou:
To the Editor of the Transcript
''Under the Southern Cross" is a very
popular book, no doubt, and one hest
tates a good deal to take critical and
questioning-at towards so noted
traveller and distinguished author as MIR.
Ballou. The writer would only call at
tention here to so much of the book as
refers. in the first two chapters, to the
Hawaiian Islands, not criticising ''the
region beyond" with which we have no
acquaintance On PIP. 10, 20, the author
refers to the Hawaiians ''as race OF
cannibals;'' "they poured out human
blood like water, and fattened upon
human flesh"
1t is also true that in the time OF their
clark mfndness,' as they term it, the
people were under the terrible yoke OF
the kapu-the dominion of their priests,
and that of INSCRIPTIONS chiefs orrulers,
who used the uncontrolled power OBJ
tanned through the kapu to carry out
their desires In extraordinary emer-
gencies or occasions human victims were
sacrificed to the idol gods, and that, too,
in considerable numbers, as we estimate
the sanctity and value OF human life,
but there is no statement Of any histO-
rian, native or foreigner, that would war
rant the charge-'they poured out
human blood like water and fattened
upon human flesh" eating the bodies of
their slain for sacrifice.
The early New Englanders might with
equal justice and truth be charged with
brutality and blood-thirstiness for the
treatment of the witches at Salem, and
of Roger Williams in Boston.
The Hawaiians were never, as a race,
cannibals-were never butchers to ''pour
out human blood like water" or ''fatten
upon human flesh" There is only one
solitary instance in the whole known
history OF the people where there was
any cannibalism practised. That one
instance was a chief, resident on the
island of Oahu, who conducted the
bloody business, and he was much
feared, dreaded and execrated by the
larger majority. of the people, who re-
joiced in his death. Sacrifices were left
before the idols to decay-and as we
state, were never eaten by priest or peo-
pie.
Mr.. BallOu, again, on page %, gives
the name of the Kingdom. Kalakaua's
name has been SO prominently brought
before the world the last few years that
one is surprised at the evident intentional
misspelling of it. On page "a, it is fur
ther stated: ct is impossible to readily
forget that his (the King's) direct an
cestor, slew, roasted and ate Captain
Cook" 1t appears a little ungracious
to read such thing as this against the
King, as we read it in another paragraph,
"The King greeted US cordially, and by
invitation of His Majesty we stepped
into an adjoining department, when he
added few pleasant ords of welcome"
"He is a man of more than ordinary in
telligence, aud even a considerable de-
gree of culture" The King was no more
responsible for Cooks death than any
other Hawaiian. The whole statement
is without any adequate foundation in
truth.
On page 25: ''The heir apparent to
the throne is the brother of the King,
and is now thirty-ive years of age" AS
tho KiDU'S only, Irotbor diad Soroo foY,
or more years ago! and his sister, Her
Royal Highness who recently visited
Boston with the Queen, has been heir
apparent for the same time and acted as
Regent during the absence of the King
on his tour around the world, such care
lessness creates a doubt as to the accu-
racy of statement in the work, when the
true facts could SO readily be known by
consulting any year book of the Court OF
Hawaii.
On page % we read, "The women wear
but one garment, usually of French
calico, the wearer being generally bare
legged and bare-footed. It was noticed
that the foreign-born ladies appeared in
the same style of dress, adding slippers
and hose" 1t is true that the mild, |
tropical climate permits a minimum of |
dress. Yet from years of residence |
among the people we know that it
would be hard to find one in ten so
dressed women in the streets.
of the dry goods imported
into the Kingdom ar of American man
and but very small moiety
being of French production. The dress
of the foreign ladies of the islands will
compare most favorably in all of fashion
with those of the most ele-
CANT styles of any civilized country. The