414 HONOLULU. 



the wash from the town, and the dust and earth that are daily in 

 motion from the violence of the wind, though imperceptible, will in 

 time produce effect : much of this may be obviated by the construc- 

 tion of a wall on the reef, near the inner edge of it, which would 

 intercept a great part of it, and prevent the deposit from taking place 

 in the deep water, which it now does. It will be very easy to direct 

 the discharge of the Nuuanu in a direction towards the sea, by 

 damming, and this could be done at very little expense. 



The naturalists were not idle, but usefully employed in rambling 

 over the islands, so that we had every opportunity of becoming 

 acquainted with the productions, soil, climate, and inhabitants. 



We had a good opportunity of observing the advance they were 

 making in civilization under the new organization of the government 

 and laws, and the amount of good the missionaries had done ; of 

 which I shall speak hereafter. 



From my long stay at the different islands of this group, many 

 opportunities were afforded me of examining their establishments in 

 detail. I therefore feel that I may be permitted to give an opinion 

 without the imputation of having been over hasty, or prejudiced in 

 forming it. Such haste or prejudice may with some reason be imputed 

 to those who not unfrequently imbibe their notions of these islanders 

 and their teachers from a few days' sojourn, and who have had inter- 

 course only with those opposed to both the government and missiona- 

 ries. I am not at all surprised that this should be the case with those 

 who only visit Honolulu. 



That great licentiousness and vice exist there, is not to be denied ; 

 but to throw the blame of them on the missionaries, seems to me to 

 be the height of injustice. I am well satisfied that the state of things 

 would be much worse were it not for their watchfulness and exertions. 

 The lower class of foreigners who are settled in these islands, are 

 a serious bar to improvement in morals, being for the most part 

 keepers of low taverns, sailors' boarding-houses, and grog-shops. 

 Every inducement that can allure sailors from their duty, and 

 destroy their usefulness, is held out to them here. Such men must 

 be obnoxious in any community, and that they are not able to make 

 more disturbance than they do, supported as they are by those who 

 ought to know better, is, I am satisfied, mainly owing to the attention 

 and energy of the governor, and the watchfulness of the members of 

 the mission over the natives. 



I do not desire to be understood to express the opinion that the 



