Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 6, 1880
No. 380.
Mr. Comly
to Mr. Evarts.
Honolulu, December 22, 1879. (Received January 23, 1880.)
Sir: I have the honor to inclose sundry clippings from the Pacific Commercial Advertiser, which may be of interest, giving account of * * * immigration to these islands of cognate races from the Pacific.
I have, &c.,
immigrants from micronesia.
The hark Hawaii, Capt. E. Wood, which sailed hence on the 30th of July last, on a voyage to the groups lying southwest of these islands, in search of immigrants, returned to port on Sunday last, 31 days from Jaluit, in the Marshall Group. She brings 288 people, 115 men, 99 women, and 74 children—all apparently in robust health, and in excellent spirits.
The bark was only 22 days from land to land, the remaining 9 days being consumed in beating up from Kauai.
The Storm Bird, under command of Captain Hatfield (Captain Jackson returned in the Hawaii), which left Jaluit on the 14th of November, arrived on Thursday, bringing 110 immigrants, all well.
The brig Nicolaus, which had been chartered by the agent of the board of immigration, would sail for the Gilbert Group on the 16th of November, the agent going on her. She may be expected here about the 1st of February, with 200 immigrants.
We understand that the Hawaii will be refitted at once for another voyage, and will probably be commanded by Capt. Benjamin Whitney.
It appears that the result of the first thoroughly organized expedition by the board of immigration will be the addition of 600 men, women, and children to our population, with a prospect of as many more as we may have the means of sending for.
We heartily congratulate the board on the success which has so far attended their efforts to introduce a cognate race with the original inhabitants of Hawaii nei; and we congratulate the country on the fact that the supply of this class of immigrants is so ample, whereby the immigration of Chinese males—which threatened to overflow the country and overshadow the native race—will be materially discouraged.
We are well aware that as laborers or plantation hands the South Sea Islanders are not the physical equals of the Chinese, and it cannot be expected that they would be, under the circumstances. The Islanders are mere children in character, and have not been trained to systematic labor. But they are extremely tractable, and ready to do, with cheerfulness, whatever they are taught to do, and we may not anticipate their combining to attack an overseer with hatchets and cane-knives through some misunderstanding about rations or wages. But at the same time we beg to suggest that a system of treatment and management should be adopted by the employers of these Islanders somewhat different from that pursued with Chinese or native Hawaiian laborers. For some time, or until they become familiar with their new conditions and surroundings, they will require to be specially looked after in the matters of food, clothing, and medical attendance, for it must be remembered that they are liable to all the effects of change of climate and habits of life. Children as they are, of a larger growth, and with very inadequate ideas of the value of money, they will be likely to squander their wages with unscrupulous Chinese shop-keepers. In regard to health precautions, a few simple remedies are usually kept on hand on every plantation. It would, however, be a sound precaution to have all the new-comers vaccinated on their arrival in the country. Vaccination was made compulsory in the Fijis after they became a British colony, and it saved the race on the arrival of coolies from India with the small-pox.
A noticeable and pleasant feature is the large number of children among the immigrants from the South Seas. These will, of course, be sent to the government schools, and in a year or two become, to all intents and purposes, Hawaiians.
It has been commonly said—and we hear it here at the Islands as well as from abroad—that with the Hawaiian people a few years more will finish the work of extinction. This is a mistake. During the past few years the rate of decrease has been gradually lessening.
the strangers.
The 398 men, women, and children, natives of the Micronesian Groups, who have arrived here during the week, under the auspices of the hoard of immigration, have been objects of curiosity to the Hawaiians, and on the other hand our own people and everything about us are equally objects of curiosity to the new-comers. They roam promiscuously about the city, entering yards and houses, where they make themselves perfectly at home, helping themselves to eatables, &c., with guileless simplicity. Their ideas of meum et tuum are apparently a little crude as yet, but were in one instance somewhat brightened by a Chinese shop-keeper strenuously objecting to their carrying off some of his dry-goods; but they are only children now—happy children. Experience of civilization, with its labors and responsibilities, is before them.
Our reporter has visited the quarantine grounds, and describes the Gilbert Islanders now quartered there as contented and happy. Their fancy is that Kalakaua has sent for them to come and work for him. They are only too glad to leave homes made undesirable by frequent wars, and consequent scarcity of food, for a land of peace and plenty. They are not very prepossessing in personal appearance, though some of them have good features and intelligent faces. They are in many respects obviously inferior to the Hawaiian race. But our people take kindly to them, and are ready to treat them with generous hospitality as they walk about our streets and suburbs, which they are freely allowed to do. There is even some complaint of the persistency with which the Hawaiians try to persuade those who have children to give away their little ones.
A careful inspection of the vessels will show how amply the board has provided for their wants. They have improved evidently in personal appearance and behavior in the few weeks they have been on board ship. Some of them are church-members, and have brought their books and slates and certificates of baptism and marriage. On the way up three companies of them had regular daily worship.
But the Gilbert Islanders are as ready for a fight as the Irishman proverbially is. Two or three times on the voyage it was necessary to insist that whatever they might choose to do on their own territory, there could be no fighting on shipboard. They tell of constant fighting on the islands. The war on Tarawa has ended because the young chief who was the head of the weaker party has come to Honolulu with all his family. The King of Apaiang is still fighting the people of Mariki. On Tapiteuea there has been a fight between the people of the north side, mostly heathen, and those of the south side, where Kapu and Nalimu, Hawaiian missionaries, have been preaching and teaching. It would seem, from the stories told, that Nalimu’s zeal against idolatry may have given occasion for the fighting. But the result has been disastrous for the heathen cause. Though they were furnished with guns, they were defeated and 13 killed. They look upon this as a Divine rebuke. Kapu has kept faithfully at work, exhorting the people to take Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. One hundred and ninety were received into the church last year, and 200 more are reported as inquirers. The people are building a new house of worship 90 by 48 feet, and wish to procure a bell.