34 



HA WAIL 



[LETTER III. 



on all island subjects in grotesque antagonism. So far, the 

 former have left the undoubted results of missionary effort here 

 to speak for themselves ; and I am almost disposed, from the 

 pertinacious aggressiveness of the latter party, to think that it 

 must be weak. I have already been seized upon (a gentle- 

 man would write " button-holed ") by several persons, who, in 

 their anxiety to be first in imprinting their own views on the 

 tabula rasa of a stranger's mind, have exercised an unseemly 

 over-haste in giving the conversation an anti-missionary twist. 

 They apparently desire to convey the impression that the New 

 England teachers, finding a people rejoicing in the innocence 

 and simplicity of Eden, taught them the knowledge of evil, 

 turned them into a nation of hypocrites, and with a mingling 

 of fanaticism and selfishness, afflicted them with many woes 

 calculated to accelerate their extinction, clothing among others. 

 The animus appears strong and bitter. There are two intelli- 

 gent and highly educated ladies on board, daughters of mis- 

 sionaries, and the candid and cautious tone in which they 

 speak on the same subject impresses me favourably. Mr. 

 Damon introduced me to a very handsome half white gentle- 

 man, a lawyer of ability, and lately interpreter to the Legis- 

 lature, Mr. Ragsdale, or, as he is usually called, "Bill Ragsdale," 

 a leading spirit among the natives. His conversation was 

 eloquent and poetic, though rather stilted, and he has a good 

 deal of French mannerism ; but if he is a specimen of native 

 patriotic feeling, I think that the extinction of Hawaiian 

 nationality must be far off. I was amused with the attention 

 that he paid to his dress under very adverse circumstances. 

 He has appeared in three different suits, with light kid gloves 

 to match, all equally elegant, in two days. A Chinese gentle- 

 man, who is at the same time a wealthy merchant at Honolulu, 

 and a successful planter on Hawaii, interests me, from the keen 

 intelligence of his face, and the courtesy and dignity of his 

 manner. I hear that he possesses the respect of the whole 

 community for his honour and integrity. It is quite unlike an 

 ordinary miscellaneous herd of passengers. The tone is cheer- 

 ful, courteous, and friendly, and people speak without introduc- 

 tions, and help to make the time pass pleasantly to each other. 



Hilo, Hawaii. 



The Kilauea is not a fast propeller, and as she lurched very 

 much in crossing the channel most of the passengers were sea- 

 sick, a casualty which did not impair their cheerfulness and 



