HAWAII. 209 



For the manufacture of sugar, Governor Adams owns a small mill, 

 in charge of two or three Chinamen ; but it is in a wretched condition. 

 It is worked by a small stream of water led from the Wailuku river. 

 The quantity of sugar made in the year 1840 was about thirty tons; 

 but with a well-adapted mill, and under good management, a much 

 larger quantity might be made, for much of the cane is now suffered to 

 rot from want of facilities to grind it. The natives now understand its 

 culture well, and each has a small patch. If a demand was created 

 for sugar, the cultivation might be greatly extended. The cane comes 

 to perfection in twelve months. There is certainly a large field open 

 here for enterprising individuals, as much of the land now lying waste 

 in the neighbourhood is admirably adapted to this cultivation, and 

 might be obtained on lease from the government for a small price. 



Mr. Castle has a mill, also, about seven miles north of Hilo, which 

 he uses, I was told, to great profit, although it is but a small concern. 



The only extensive plantation of coffee that I heard of was that of 

 Mr. Castle, which, however, is not yet old enough to produce crops. 

 Some isolated trees in gardens at Hilo have yielded eight or nine 

 pounds of coffee each ; and the calculation is, that the average yield of 

 each tree will be equal to that amount. 



Mr. Goodrich, the missionary who preceded Mr. Coan, was very 

 desirous of introducing the culture of sugar-cane and coffee, and became 

 very active in promoting it. With the assistance of the natives he 

 planted a large number of coffee trees, and was bent upon instructing 

 them in the mode of cultivating both. He also erected a small sugar- 

 mill. I regretted much to hear that his successor viewed all these 

 improvements in a far different light, and, not content to allow the trees 

 to fall into neglect, he actually took the trouble to root them up, in 

 order to arrest the progress of the improvement of the natives in their 

 culture. 



I walked round the garden with the missionary, and saw all the 

 vines, fruit, and ornamental trees, to which his predecessor had paid so 

 much attention, and in which he had taken such pride, going to waste. 

 One would have thought that the spirit of his calling would have dic- 

 tated a more worthy and enlightened course. I never was more satisfied 

 with the folly of such a step, than when the question was asked me by 

 an intelligent native, " Why the missionaries no like grow sugar-cane 

 and coffee ?" I could not but believe that the intelligent lady of the 

 establishment, with her numerous scholars, would have been well 

 employed in superintending the garden, and that it would have proved 

 a source of recreation as w T ell as of profitable industry to all concerned. 



The districts of Hilo and Puna are embraced under the same pastor, 



VOL. IV. S2 27 



