HAWAIIAN NATIONAL FLAG. 409 
maritime and commercial enterprise. The king 
and chiefs own fifteen or sixteen vessels, several 
of which, like the Nio, are brigs of ninety or a 
hundred tons burden. The greater part of them, 
however, are schooners of a smaller size. The 
larger ones, on a long voyage, are commanded by 
a foreigner; but, among the islands, they are 
manned and navigated by the natives themselves. 
A native captain and supercargo is appointed to 
each; the former navigates the vessel, while the 
latter attends to the cargo. The natives in gene¬ 
ral make good sailors ; and, although their vessels 
have greatly multiplied within the last few years, 
they find constant employ for them, particularly 
the small craft, which are continually plying from 
one island to another, while their larger ones are 
either chartered to foreign merchants, or make 
distant voyages on their own account. They have 
once sent a vessel to Canton, loaded with sandal 
wood, under the care of an English captain and 
mate, but manned by natives. They have also 
traded to Kamtschatka and other parts of the 
