“The number of foreigners residing at the islands is far greater than I supposed. Four American mercantile houses – two of Boston, one of New York, and one of Bristol, Rhode Island – have establishments at this port, to which agents and clerks are attached.”
“Their storehouses are abundantly furnished with goods in demand by the islanders; and, at them, most articles contained in common retail shops and groceries, in America, may be purchased.”
“The whole trade of the four, probably amounts to one hundred thousand dollars a year: sandal wood principally, and specie, being the returns for imported manufactures.”
“Each of these trading houses usually has a ship or brig in the harbour, or at some one of the islands; besides others that touch to make repairs, and obtain refreshments, in their voyages between the North-west, Mexican, and South American coasts, and China.”
“The agents and clerks of these establishments, and the supercargoes and officers of the vessels attached to them, with transient visiters in ships, holding similar situations, form the most respectable class of foreigners with whom we are called to have intercourse.”
“There is another class, consisting of fifteen or twenty individuals, who have dropped all connexion with their native countries, and become permanent residents on different islands; and who hold plantations and other property under the king awl various chiefs.”
“Of these, Marini (Don Francisco de Paula y Marin) a Spaniard, interpreter for the government; Rives, a Frenchman, private secretary to RihoRiho; Law, a Scotchman, the king’s physician, all of Oahu; Young, an Englishman; and Parker, an American, of Hawaii; and Butler, an American, of Maui, are the principal and most known.”
“Marini and Young have been at the islands more than thirty years; and were companions and counsellors of Tamehameha. The former has accumulated much property, holds many plantations, and owns extensive flocks of goats, and herds of cattle; and is said to have money in fund, both in the United States and in England.”
“He has introduced the grape, orange, lemon, pine-apple, fig, and tamarind trees, but to a very limited extent; and seemingly from a motive entirely selfish: for he has perseveringly denied the seeds, and every means of propagation, to others, and been known even secretly to destroy a growth that had been secured from them without his knowledge.”
“A considerable quantity of wine is yearly made from his vineyard; and his lemons and pines, by sales to ships and in the town, bring quite an income.”
“He has a numerous breed of mules; and several horses, some twenty or thirty of which have within a few years been brought from the coast of California, and are now rapidly increasing.”
“Flocks of beautiful doves, also an importation, are domiciliated at his establishment; and some few miles from the town, along the coast, there is an islet, covered with the burrows of English hares, belonging to him.”
“Besides this class of foreigners, there are between one and two hundred runaway sailors and vagabonds, scattered through the group, wanderers on the earth, the very dregs and outcasts of society.”
“These, and, I am sorry to say, too many others, who, from their birth and education in a Christian land, ought to be examples of rectitude and morality, are the greatest corrupters of this wretched people; and present the most formidable of obstacles to the moral influence of our teaching.”
“Fancying themselves, in this remote part of the world, free from every restraint of God and man, instead of attempting to turn the heathen from their darkness, they encourage them in sin; even become pioneers in iniquity; and the instruments of doubly sealing them, as we fear, in the gloom of spiritual and eternal death.”
“When the first Missionaries reached the Sandwich Islands, in the spring of 1820, an effort was made by some of the foreigners, to have their landing and establishment at the islands forbidden by the government.”
“With this view, their motives were misrepresented by them, to the king and chiefs. It was asserted, that while the ostensible object of the mission was good, the secret and ultimate design was the subjugation of the islands, and the enslavement of the people …”
“… and by way of corroboration, the treatment of the Mexicans, and aborigines of South America and the West Indies, by the Spaniards, and the possession of Hindostan by the British, were gravely related.”
“It was in consequence of this misrepresentation, that a delay of eight days occurred before the Missionaries could secure permission to disembark.”
“In answer to these allegations, the more intelligent of the chiefs remarked, ‘The Missionaries speak well: they say they have come from America, only to do us good: if they intend to seize our islands why are they so few in number? where are their guns? and why have they brought their wives?’”
“To this it was replied, ‘It is true, their number is small: a few only have come now, the more fully to deceive. But soon many more will arrive, and your islands will be lost!’”
“The chiefs again answered, ‘They say that they will do us good; they are few in number; we will try them for one year, and if we find they deceive us, it will then be time enough to send them away.’”
“And permission to land was accordingly granted. Mr. Young, I am told was the only foreigner who advocated their reception.”
“The jealousy of the government was, notwithstanding, greatly awakened; and all the movements of our friends were closely watched: the king was even led to believe that the digging of the cellar, and the laying of the foundation of the Mission House, was the commencement of a fortification, of which the spaces left for windows were the embrasures.”
“By the close of the first year the Missionaries had so far proved to the government the purity of their motive, and the integrity of their character, that the question of their longer continuance was not agitated.”
“Some of the chiefs had already become interested in the instructions commenced in English, and in the services of Christian worship, regularly observed on the Sabbath, and occasionally at other times.”
“The partial acquisition of the language of the country – the formation of an alphabet for the native tongue – the elementary lessons in reading and writing which immediately followed – and chiefly perhaps the Preaching Of The Gospel – had by the end of the second year confirmed to the Missionaries the confidence of the rulers, and began to secure to them decided marks of friendship.” (The entire text, here, is from CS Stewart.)
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