184 SANDWICH ISLANDS. 



the ship, and in the course of the afternoon, many of the 

 foreign residents ; and among others the English and French 

 Consuls. 



October 2d. To-day I visited the town. It is regularly 

 laid out in streets, and contains many houses built in the 

 European style. It also contains several churches and two 

 hotels. The natives 5 houses are well adapted to the climate, 

 and are pleasant, convenient residences some cover a great 

 extent of ground ; there is a small yard before each, inclosed 

 by a wall built of adobes. The houses belonging to the better 

 classes have their floors covered with mats, and are furnished 

 with chairs, beds and curtains. 



The king's palace stands facing the harbor, and has an air 

 of snugness and comfort rather than elegance. It is a single- 

 story building, constructed of wood, and painted white. Seve- 

 ral of the stores owned by foreign residents are large and 

 appeared to be doing good business ; indeed, Honolulu is the 

 New York of the group. The merchants of the other islands 

 come here to purchase their goods. The population is esti- 

 mated at 7,000. 



The natives have healthy, athletic forms, and in complexion 

 are a shade darker than the Tahitians. They have made 

 much greater progress in civilization than any of the Poly- 

 nesian nations. They are well acquainted with weights and 

 measures, and the value which all articles ought to bear in 

 exchange with each other. Their currency is gold and silver. 

 The chiefs are well clothed in the European style ; but the 

 masses are not more than half- dressed, and some still wear 

 nothing but the maro. The apparel of the women consists of 

 a long loose-gown, made of calico, and a fancy-colored silk 

 handkerchief, thrown over the neck and shoulders. Most of 

 the old people of both sexes have from one to three of their 



