The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-05-03

guise the heather condition of the peo-
| pie before they learned of better way,
it is an undeniable fact that when they
were bound in gross idolatry and under
the cruel and despotic power of the Kapu
system they sacrificed human beings to
their gods. Still, it is not true, so far as
any historian has written or the people
of the present day have knowledge,
''that they reveled in human gore" or
! that "they poured out human blood like
water" or that the islands of "tO-day
are the abode of the Anthropophagi.'
Although bitter wars were sometime
waged between rival kings they were for
conquest OF territory, and we know of
no record written or traditional of their
"always eating the prisoners taken in
battle,' or that "until within 80 or so
years they made war for the purpose of
securing prisoners to be roasted and de-
vOured." This charge of cannibalism
made against the Hawaians is most I'M
just and without any adequate founda-
ton. 1t has been repeatedly denied
and no creditable writer of late years
who wrote from authentic sources of in
formation would repeat so base SLAM
der against the people, and we challenge
any testimony to substantiate the charge
as in any respect true, with the solitary
exception OF a petty chief who lived
some three or four generations ago and
was an object OF dread and horror to the
people generally. Such wholesale state
ments that are entirely unsupported
by any historical facts, certainly prove to
be rather detrimental to the accepting of |
the following chapters of the book
though written ever so .attractively.
Mr.. BalIou writes "The natives of |
later years have discarded their idol |
atrous worship and profess Christianity, |
but those who read well-meant mission |
airy reports can hardly realize how little
this profession of Christianity signifies |
among senli-barbarous races" 1t may
be we'll to quote from Mr.. Ballou himself
on another page, when he gives testi-
mony as to the present condition of the
people. Writing of Honolulu he states
that cit has all the belongings of modern
civilization, charitable institutions,
churches, hospitals and schools; to-day
nearly all the rising generation can read
and write, and the entire race are pro-
Tossing Christianity. The Government
spends $4,000 annually on schools.
Could stronger contrast be found than
the aspect presented when Capt. Cook
discovered the islands in 1873 and that
Of now in 1882" Surely We may apply
the words here, ''by their fruits We shall
know them" The great change has
been very largely wrought under the in
hnence and by the zeal and intelligence
of the noble band of American mission
aries, under whose guidance schools
were introduced, the true religion taught,
civilization and Characterization going
hand in hand, and by their patient teach
ing the natives have been brought from
heathenism to an acknowledged place
among the powers of the earth.
Mr.. Ballou cannot have availed him
self of the several histories of the islands
for the past 100 years or he would not
have written as he has of Kamehameha
|, whom he describes "as anything but
Il nice sort of a person, :" "a pOlvgamOus
old rascal" etc. Vancouver describes
[ as OF "majestic car
riage, and every action told of mind
which under any circumstances would
have distinguished its possessor; his
do l.
generous, in form and statue herculean
savage, in ability and character a man
that any country might be proud to ack-
noWledge as her son." q. Jackson Jar
Wis history, p. 1881 Which testimony
shall we accept, that Of Vancouver, who
saw Kamehameha [, or Ballou, who did
not? Mr. Ballou writes of the old King
being converted by the missionaries
and induced to give up four of his wives,
zeeplng but one" AS the old King
lied at about 66 years of age, instead of
80, as stated by Mr.. B., and about a
year before the missionaries arrived on :
he islands, it is difficult to make an in 4
elligent connection between his econ
and the influence of the mis-
ionaries in bringing it about. There
ire minor historical inaccuracies, such .
Is styling Kama as "King of Oahu"
When he was a rebel deserter from Ka-
rs forces to the real King of
oahu, Kalanikapuli; that the CHER APP
parent is the Kings brother and is now
3 years of age''-who has been dead for
everal years. The Kings sister, now
bout 48 years Of age, has been CHER
and at one time regent, since
Ter younger brothers. death. The state
nent that Queen Dowager Emma was