HAWAIIAN GROUP. 7 



with foreigners, difficulties were thrown in the way. The chief agents 

 in the vexations to which the government has been exposed, are the 

 designing individuals who hold the situation of consuls of the two great 

 European powers ; and through their baleful influence the difficulties 

 have been continually increasing, until, finally, these islands and their 

 government have been forced upon the attention of the whole civilized 

 world. All the laws and regulations established by the kings and 

 chiefs for repressing immorality and vice, were not only derided, but 

 often set at open defiance, because they clashed with the interests of 

 some of the individuals settled here. If attempts were made to enforce 

 them, official remonstrances were resorted to, accompanied by threats 

 of punishment. As this, for a long time, did not follow, the matter 

 came to be considered as a systematic course of bullying, which soon 

 lost its effect, and remained unheeded. When these idle threats failed 

 to effect their object, the new one of the arrival of a man-of-war was 

 held out as a terror. In these disputes the missionaries seldom took a 

 part, even in the way of advice, and left the chiefs to their own 

 guidance. They did not feel themselves competent to give advice upon 

 international questions, and, besides, considered them as of a temporal 

 character ; for which reason they believed it their duty to abstain from 

 any connexion with the disputes. They could not, however, avoid 

 being as much surprised as the chiefs themselves were, at the continu- 

 ally renewed difficulties which were made by these troublesome 

 officials, and which there was nothing in the laws or regulations to 

 justify. 



As to the threat of the coming of a man-of-war, the natives rather 

 looked to it as the sure termination of the vexations to which they were 

 exposed. They had formed their opinion of the character and probable 

 course of action of the naval officers of either of the two great powers 

 from the visit of Lord Byron in H. B. M. frigate Blonde. This vessel 

 had been the bearer of the bodies of the late King Liho-liho and his wife 

 from England, and her commander had made a most favourable 

 impression upon the chiefs and people. They therefore expected that 

 on the arrival of another man-of-war, all existing difficulties would be 

 removed, and that their good intentions and strict adherence to justice 

 would be made manifest. In this expectation they were disappointed; 

 the British naval commanders who came afterwards were not Byrons, 

 and were, with one or two exceptions, the willing tools of the designing 

 consul. Influenced by his erroneous representations, they demanded 

 apologies and concessions, and endeavoured to dictate treaties. The 

 regent and chiefs resisted these demands, and many disagreeable inter- 

 views occurred. 



