A Residence of Twenty-one Years in the Sandwich Islands; Or, The Civil, Religious, and Political History of Those Islands

DEDICATION.

TO THE HONORABLE

The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions,

ITS OFFICERS AND MEMBERS, CORPORATE AND HONORARY,

AND ITS NUMEROUS AND GENEROUS SUPPORTERS,

THIS RECORD

OF ONE OF THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS IN RESCUING HEATHEN

NATIONS, PREPARED BY ONE, WHO, FOR A QUARTER OF

A CENTURY, HAS HAD THE HAPPINESS ΤΟ BE

EMPLOYED IN THEIR SERvice, is grATEFULLY

AND RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED,

BY THE AUTHOR.

PREFACE.

WITHIN the last half century, public attention has been attracted to the isles of the Pacific as a field of Christian missions and commercial enterprise; and the power of the Gospel has been tried on several branches of the Polynesian family.

The introduction and progress of Christianity and civilization at the Sandwich Islands, viewed in connexion with their original state, present condition, and prospects, have become a matter of interest to many who desire to see a connected account of the efforts to raise that people from their degradation and barbarism,✓ and convert them from their idols, their cruel superstitions, and their unbridled lusts. Such a narrative I have been requested to give by those in whose judgment I confide, and with whom I have, for a quarter of a century, been specially connected.

Various parts of the History of the Sandwich Islands have been offered to the world in the publications of the American Board, and of several able writers, who have had a short acquaintance with that group-the Rev. Messrs. C. S. Stewart, Wm. Ellis, and S. Dibble; J. J. Jarves, and Charles Wilkes, Esqs., and others. But having a more perfect acquaintance with the main facts from the first attempt to rear on those shores the standard of the King of nations, "it seemed good to me also to set forth in order a declaration of those things" which came under my own observation, and those "which have been delivered to us by eye-witnesses," or have become matters of history.

"Of making many books," the reading public desires "no end," and though long accustomed to speak, write, and preach, and sometimes to think, in a foreign heathen tongue which had become familiar, I have labored to add a volume in plain English, illustrative of the character, condition, language, customs, religion, government, and pursuits of the Hawaiian people, the struggles through which they have passed, and the changes which have been wrought there by the Divine agency.

Following, in the main, the order of events which Divine Providence arranged, I have given briefly, in the first Chapter, an account of the people, for an indefinite period previous to the

discovery of the Islands by Captain Cook; and in the second, their history during the subsequent forty years; and in the third, a record of preparatory measures for introducing Christianity among them, with which the reader may, if he choose, commence the narrative. Thence onward, in twenty-two successive chapters, the history of the mission and the history of the nation are interwoven, or run parallel, for Twenty-One years; and in the twenty-sixth chapter, for five years further, to the beginning of 1846.

I have aimed to introduce to my readers the Hawaiian people and their country, with its mountain, valley, and volcanic scenery; their rulers, teachers, friends, and opposers; their habitations, schools, churches, revivals, etc., as they appeared to myself, and to show the footprints of the nation's progress in their uphill efforts to rise amid conflicting influences. To this end, within the free outline of a 'RESIDENCE,' are incorporated such events and sketches of character from personal acquaintance, and that others may speak for themselves, such documents and extracts (sometimes without a reference) from the archives and publications of the American Board, the mission, and the native government, and other sources, as the object and unity of the work, the clearness of the narrative, and the limits of a convenient and reasonable volume would admit, and as many, too, as seemed to be required to make the volume entertaining and valuable to the rising generation, the mature Christian, the candidate for missionary toil, the teacher of religion, and the philanthropic statesman or philosopher, who would appreciate the application of the means of elevating nations, and removing barbarism, intemperance, oppression, and idolatry from the world.

To render the work the more deserving of confidence, I have availed myself of the valued criticisms and modifications suggested by the Rev. David Greene, one of the Secretaries of the American Board, to whom with others, not excepting one familiar with the prominent scenes and events described, I am greatly indebted, and through whose aid, the pleasure and advantage of the courteous reader will doubtless be promoted, the labor of preparing it more certainly rewarded, and the notes of praise to divine grace, which it is intended to multiply, be made richer and higher.

New York, June 7th, 1847.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

ORIGINAL STATE OF THE NATION.

Tradition uncertain-Origin of the Hawaiian race and of their tabus-Charac-

ter of their religion- Relation to other tribes-Prediction of a new religion-

Parentage and childhood of Kaahumanu-Discovery by Capt. Cook-War

of Kalaniopuu and Kahekili-Deification and death of Capt. Cook...

CHAPTER II.

.......

WARS AND REIGN OF KAMEHAMEHA.-1780-1819.

Death of Kalaniopuu-War with Kiwalao-Attack on the South of Hawaii-