THROUGH HAWAII. 
419 
little progress in building and repairing their ships, or 
in any of the mechanic arts. They seem much more 
fond of the pursuits of commerce, and are tolerable 
adepts in bartering. In exchange for foreign articles, 
they not only give sandal wood and salt, but fur¬ 
nish supplies to the numerous vessels which visit the 
islands for the purpose of refitting or procuring refresh¬ 
ments. In the months of March and April, and of Sep¬ 
tember and October, many vessels, principally whalers, 
resort to the Sandwich Islands for fresh provisions, 
&c.'—we have seen upwards of thirty lying at anchor 
off Oahu at one time. The farmers in many places 
dispose of the produce of their land to these ships ; 
but in Oahu and some other harbours, this trade is 
almost entirely monopolized by the king and chiefs. 
There is indeed a public market, in which the natives 
dispose of their stock ; but the price is regulated by 
the chiefs, and two-thirds of the proceeds of whatever 
the natives sell is required by them. 
This is not only unpleasant to those who trade with 
them, but very oppressive, and retards in no small 
degree the industry, comfort, and civilization of the 
people. In return for most of the supplies which they 
furnish to the shipping, they receive Spanish dollars ; 
but the sandal wood, &c. they usually exchange for 
articles of European or Chinese fabrication: the silks, 
crapes, umbrellas, furniture, and trunks of the latter, 
are most in demand; while those of the former are 
hardware, earthenware, linens, broad-cloth, slops, hats, 
shoes, canvass, cordage, &c. 
The season was approaching when the whalers, fish¬ 
ing on the coast of Japan, usually put in to some of 
the harbours of these islands. Hence Karaimoku had 
