34 NATURAL HISTORY OF HAWAII. 



the want of domestic animals as beasts of burden, the Hawaiians achieved a 

 remarkably high stage of development before their discovery. The degree of 

 their development is especially shown, as we shall see, by the thoroughness 

 with which they had explored their environment and utilized the natural raw 

 materials which it supplied. 



The easy tropical conditions, as well as the unsettled political state which 

 surrounded them originally, were not necessarily conducive to the highest 

 physical or mental achievements. According to Blackman, the regular recur- 

 rence of a sufficient amount of food to supply their needs may also have pre- 

 vented the development of the traits of thrift and frugality that are so inbred 

 in the races of the north. There is no doul)t tliat the bright, warm, cheerful 

 climate had its influence on their temperatment, their health, and their home 

 life, by diminishing the relative importance of permanent shelter, by enticing 

 the people out of doors; and also on their morality, as we interpret it, ]\v ren- 

 dering clothing the thing least required for l)odily comfort. 



Inter-Island Communication. 



Another important point in their environment was the fact that the in- 

 habited islands were sufficiently numerous and near enough together to influ- 

 ence one another decisively, yet far enough apart to make inter-island com- 

 munication difficult. The group was far enough removed from other groups to 

 prevent fre(iuenf migrations and small enough to render a wandering life and 

 contact with other people and tribes impossible. At the same time they were 

 just far enough away from each other to satisfy the natural human desire for 

 travel, adventure and experience. 



Inter-Tribal Wars. 



The valleys on the various islands constituted natural divisions of the land 

 that had a marked influence on the government of the people by district chiefs 

 who were frequently at war with one another. To offset this there were inter- 

 tribal and inter-island marriages enough to in-cduce a uniform stock throughout 

 the group. This interchange of blood and ideas was most beneficial in bringing 

 about the homogeneity and compactness necessary to preserve inherited habit 

 and secure the persistence of traditions, customs and the learning of the whole 

 people. 



Agriculture and the Food Supply. 



Althougli file valleys are usually fertile, they are limited in extent. The 

 soil though rich, varies greatly in productiveness, and being of a porous nature, 

 needs much water to render it valuable for the various pursuits of agriculture. 

 To meet this demand, extensive irrigation systems were built and used by the 

 native farmers. Besides flic valley lands, there are broad tracts of rougli lava 

 and dry upland country that were of little use to the aborigines with their 

 primitive methods of agriculture. In brief, the conditions were such as to re- 

 quire much labor and skill to produce sufficient food from the soil t(t sn])ply 



