HAWAIIAN GROUP. 49 



There are certainly instances in which many members of a family are 

 united and live in harmony, and I can readily believe that the w^ish 

 to have families is daily increasing, as the laws now protect and hold 

 out inducements to those who have large ones. For these laws the 

 natives are indebted to the missionaries, who have certainly effected 

 this desired change. This change will do more to improve the 

 character of this people than any other circumstance ; and, by care 

 and watchfulness over the wants and pleasures of the rising genera- 

 tion, the parents will lose some of that selfishness, which is now so 

 predominant a characteristic, that a very short time, spent among 

 them suffices to show its general prevalence. 



According to the missionaries and residents, a native is content if 

 he can obtain a little poe and fish, and regards nothing beyond. This, 

 however, according to my experience, is rating them too low; and 

 probably proceeds from their unwillingness to be taught, or become 

 passive to the will of the missionaries, or to exert themselves as much 

 as those doing business for money, and seeking for profit out of their 

 labour, desire. Thus, with different ends in view, they arrive at the 

 same conclusion. In regard to the energies of the natives, as far as 

 my own observations extended, they are always willing to work for a 

 reasonable compensation ; and it is not remarkable that they should 

 prefer their own ease to toiling for what they consider, in the one 

 case, unnecessary, and, in the other, for an inadequate reward. 



Having little motive for industry, they expend their physical ener- 

 gies in various athletic sports. A favourite amusement of the chiefs 

 was sliding down hill on a long narrow sled : this was called holua ; 

 it was not unlike our boys' play, when we have snow. The sled was 

 made to slide on one runner, and the chiefs prostrated themselves on 

 it. For this sport they had a trench dug from the top of a steep hill 

 and down its sides, to a great distance over the adjoining plain. This 

 being made quite smooth, and having dry grass laid on it, they were 

 precipitated with great velocity down it, and, it is said, were frequently 

 carried a half, and sometimes a whole mile. Diamond Hill and the 

 plain of Waikiki was one of these localities for this pastime. 



Playing in the surf was another of their amusements, and is still 

 much practised. It is a beautiful sight to see them coming in on the 

 top of a heavy roller, borne along with increasing rapidity until they 

 suddenly disappear. What we should look upon as the most dan- 

 gerous surf, is that they most delight in. The surf-board which they 

 use is about six feet in length and eighteen inches wide, made of 



VOL. IV. 13 



