KAUAI AND OAHU. 69 



island is celebrated for the bea-utiful mats maimfactured by its women. 

 It is also said to be a favourable place for the manufacture of salt. 



The number of inhabitants is one thousand ; and what is remark- 

 able, although but a few miles removed from Waimea, on the island 

 of Kauai, they show an increase, in the proportion of births over 

 deaths, of eight to six. The climate cannot be very different, and 

 both would be equally subject to drought, if it were not for the rivers 

 and the irrigation dependent on them. On this island there are two 

 hundred children, about one-third of whom read : these are divided 

 into twelve schools, under native teachers. 



The district of Koloa on Kauai is twelve miles long by five broad. 

 The face of the country is much broken into hills and extinguished 

 craters. The land is good along its whole extent and half its breadth, 

 and they have a sufiicient quantity of rain to enable them to dispense 

 with irrigation, of which but a small extent only would be susceptible. 



The climate is generally mild and equable, the range of the ther- 

 mometer being usually from 60° to 80° F. ; but during the summer 

 months it is occasionally found as high as 90°, and in winter as low 

 as 50°. Sugar-cane grows in luxuriance, as well as cotton ; the 

 mulberry, both Chinese and multicaulis, Indian corn, sweet-potatoes, 

 yams, and taro also flourish. 



This has been the seat of the operations of some foreigners (Ameri- 

 cans), and although, as has been before remarked, the natives derive but 

 little pecuniary profit from their labour, yet the influence of a steady 

 occupation has produced a striking improvement; they are clothed 

 in foreign goods, and are generally found employed, and not lounging 

 about as formerly. The comforts of their habitations have, however, 

 as yet undergone but little change. 



The population in 1840, was one thousand three hundred and forty- 

 eight. There is a church, with one hundred and twenty-six members, 

 but no schools. The teachers set apart for this service were em- 

 ployed by the chiefs, who frequently make use of them to keep their 

 accounts, gather in their taxes, &c. The population is here again 

 increasing, partly by immigration, whence it was difficult to ascer- 

 tain its ratio. This district, it will be observed, lies immediately on 

 the east of Hanapepe. Infanticide is not known, and drunkenness 

 rarely if ever happens. There are no epidemics ; asthma and oph- 

 thalmia are the diseases most prevalent : the latter is ascribed to the 

 strong winds which blow constantly, and irritate the eye with the 

 minute particles borne on them. 



VOL. IV. 18 



