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While we are upon questions of such minute accuracy, we may turn to points of a yet more trifling nature, and hazard a doubt whether, in speaking (p. 217.) of the "voyde" of spices introduced after the banquet, Mrs. Thomson is correct in calling it a dessert of spices. The use for which these were designed does not respond to the purpose of a modern dessert. The spices were not eaten as condiments or fruit, but mixed with the wine. They were often so mixed beforehand; and when this was not done, they were introduced on silver" spice plats," to permit the guests to mingle their proportions in the wine-cup at their own pleasure. This use of spices Mrs. Thomson has herself stated in one of the passages already quoted, which renders the inaccuracy more unaccountable. And why has our fair author stated distinctively of the masque, that it (p. 226.) was in dumb shew?' as if dialogue had always been excluded from this species of entertainment. Even in Henry's time the pantomimic disguising and "mumming," in which, in the earlier years of his reign, he took such delight, was intermingled, as she acknowledges, on the authority of the chronicler Hall, with "parley." We may add, that songs and other poetry were certainly introduced in the masque from its earliest exhibition; and even in its ruder construction it was the same species of dramatic entertainment which gradually matured into elegance, until it was worthy of the numbers of a Jonson and a Milton. We have to add, in conclusion, that upon the ecclesiastical part of her history we offer no opinion.

ART. XI. Narrative of a Tour through Hawaii, or Owhyhee; with Remarks on the History, Traditions, Manners, Customs, and Language of the Inhabitants of the Sandwich Islands. By William Ellis, Missionary from the Society and Sandwich Islands. 8vo. pp. 442. London. Fisher and Son.

1826.

WE have been agreeably disappointed in this work. We expected to find it wholly occupied with details of the proceedings adopted by Mr. Ellis and his fellow-missionaries, for the purpose of winning over the Sandwich islanders to Christianity; of the sermons which they preached, and the conferences which they held, the vicissitudes of their failure or success, together with an ample eulogium on their zeal, and a flattering account of the progress which they had made. These topics are not indeed neglected, but they form a very small proportion of the volume, which contains the clearest, the most minute, and by far the most interesting account of the principal of the Sandwich islands that we have yet seen. The style is unaffected, but at the same time careful and well adapted to the subject. Facts are related with a scrupulous attention to accuracy: inferences are usually left to the reader; and if the author have any religious prejudices, we must do him the justice to say, that he has not exhibited them in his Narrative.'

It is no part of our duty to animadvert upon the plan which Mr. Ellis and his companions followed in diffusing the doctrines of the new law among the people of those islands. No rational person, however, can read the work before us without feeling, that if the Missionaries imagine they have established Christianity wherever they appeared and proclaimed it, they must be the most sanguine of mankind. Their mode was, on their arrival in the islands, to enter a populous village, to collect the inhabitants as far as they were able, preach to them once or twice, and then pursue their journey to the next hamlet. The ignorant people might, perhaps, have been struck with wonder or admiration by the doctrines that were thus newly expounded to them, but even if they felt an anxiety to become further acquainted with the sublime precepts of which they heard, and to model the conduct of their lives upon them, they had no opportunity of doing so, for when the sermon was over the Missionary took his departure, and both he and his discourse were most probably soon after forgotten.

According to Mr. Ellis, he and his colleagues were received every where in the Sandwich islands, particularly in Hawaii, of which, indeed, he chiefly treats, with respect, hospitality, and favour, Their instructions were listened to with attention, and generally excited the curiosity of the natives; but it does not appear that any permanent impression has been as yet produced upon their minds in favour of Christianity. Their ancient system of idolatry was in a great measure abolished by the late King Rihoriho, not, however, from motives of a religious nature, but from a desire to remove a multitude of inconveniences with which it was encumbered, and which were particularly felt on the most common occasions of domestic intercourse. For instance, the tabu, which was an essential part of that system and its principal support, prevented the females from eating with the men, and thus drew a daily and an impassable line of distinction between the members of the same family. The word tabu' seems literally to have been applied to every thing that was set apart as sacred to the gods, but in its general signification it was used to express whatever the priests of the idols prohibited to be done, and they, in order to augment their influence over the people, established a code of regulations, which interfered with almost every action of life, and were strictly enforced by the civil authorities. The extent to which this practice was carried was quite ludicrous. During the season of strict tabu,' says Mr. Ellis, every fire and light on the island or district must be extinguished; no canoe must be launched on the water; no person must bathe; and, except those whose attendance was required at the temple, no individual must be seen out of doors; no dog must bark, no pig must grunt, no cock must crow!' The latter part of the prohibition was effected by tying up the mouths of the animals, and fastening a piece of cloth over the eyes of chanticleer!

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The whole of this oppressive system was extinguished, upon his accession to the government of all the islands in 1819, by Rihoriho, who destroyed also every idol which his reforming hand could reach throughout his dominions. He was a perfect iconoclast; and though he met with considerable opposition from certain chiefs and families, forming a part of that class which is to be found in every country, barbarous or civilised, and which wages an angry war against every sort of innovation, yet he ultimately carried his point with ability and vigour. This important change in the "constitution and church" of the Sandwich islands was peculiarly propitious to the objects of the Missionaries, who arrived there soon after it had been completed, and found the whole nation without any religion, unless a number of mere superstitious feelings and observances be entitled to that name. And these, like almost every traditionary superstition which has prevailed in the old world or the new, evidently owe their origin to local circumstances. The island of Hawaii seems to be a complete mass of lava, or other volcanic matter, in different stages of decomposition. This mass is perforated with innumerable apertures in the shape of craters, which afford so many vents to a vast furnace burning constantly and fiercely beneath it. The principal volcano, which is called Kirauea, is supposed by the natives to be the residence of a deity, whom they have named Pélé, and to whom they naturally enough ascribe tremendous power, believing that it is she who commands the earthquake that startles them from their midnight slumbers, and who kindles the blue flame that hovers over their mountains. Her they fear and endeavour to propitiate by various acts of secret or public worship; and as they are continually exposed to her operations, they look for her favour, or dread her hostility, in almost every thing they do. The existence of this superstition, inconsistent as it is with the truths of natural philosophy, is, nevertheless, not to be wondered at among a people who, until they were visited by Captain Cook, nearly half a century ago, had no conception that there were other continents or islands beyond their own. It is, however, remarkable, that, entertaining such a belief, which approaches so nearly to the knowledge of one omnipotent Being, they coincided with other Pagan nations, of whom they never heard, by fabricating numerous minor gods for themselves, and ascribing to their idols a supernatural agency.

The Sandwich islands are ten in number, and lie in the Pacific Ocean, within the tropic of Cancer, between 18° 50′ and 22° 20′ north latitude, and between 154° 53′ and 160° 15' west longitude from Greenwich, about one-third of the distance from the western coast of Mexico, towards the eastern shores of China. The principal island Hawaii, as Mr. Ellis writes it, or Owhyee, as Captain Cook spelt the name from the similarity of the sound, resembles an equilateral triangle, and is about 300 miles in circumference. Seven of the other islands are inhabited, and two are little more

than barren rocks. They all appear to have a volcanic origin; and though the climate is warm and debilitating to an European constitution, it is not insalubrious. The natives generally possess the European countenance, and are well formed, particularly the chiefs, whose gait is graceful, and sometimes stately. Their hair is black or brown, strong, and frequently curly;' their complexion is a kind of olive. The whole population of the islands is estimated at 150,000, of which 85,000 inhabit Hawaii. It appears that formerly the population was much greater, and that the diminution which it has undergone is to be attributed to the desolating wars which marked the early part of the reign of Tamehameha, the predecessor of Rihoriho, who, it may be remembered, together with his queen, died recently in this country, and who has been succeeded by his younger brother Kauikeoule, about ten years of age, under the protection of Great Britain.

The animal productions of these islands, as may be inferred from the nature of their volcanic composition, are very few. Like the other islands of the Pacific, they are free from noxious and poisonous reptiles, excepting centipedes, which are neither large nor numerous. They have a good supply of fish and vegetables, particularly of yams, or sweet potato, which form the principal subsistence of the natives. Their local situation affords many facilities for commerce, which have become of very considerable importance since the establishment of the new states of Mexico and South America. The people generally seem to be docile, lively in their manners, industrious, hospitable, and fond of their national amusements. At Kairua, the principal village of Hawaii, where the missionaries first assembled, they saw an immense multitude of people collected round a party of musicians and dancers.

The musicians, seven in number, seated themselves on the sand; a curiously carved drum, made by hollowing out a solid piece of wood, and covering the top with shark's skin, was placed before each, which they beat with the palm or fingers of their right hand. A neat little drum, made of the shell of a large cocoa-nut, was also fixed on the knee, by the side of the large drum, and beat all the while with a small stick held in the left hand. When the musicians had arranged themselves in a line across the beach, and a bustling man, who appeared to be master of the ceremonies, had, with a large branch of a cocoa-nut tree, cleared a circle of considerable extent, two interesting little children, (a boy and a girl,) apparently about nine years of age, came forward, habited in the dancing costume of the country, with garlands of flowers on their heads, wreaths around their necks, bracelets on their wrists, and buskins on their ancles. When they had reached the centre of the ring, they commenced their dance to the music of the drums; cantilating all the while, alternately with the musicians, a song in honour of some ancient chief of Hawaii.

The governor of the island was present, accompanied, as it is customary for every chieftain of distinction to be on public occasions, by a retinue of favourite chiefs and attendants. Having almost entirely laid aside the native costume, and adopted that of the foreigners who visit

the islands, he appeared on this occasion in a light European dress, and sat on a Canton-made arm-chair, opposite the dancers, during the whole exhibition. A servant with a light kihei of painted native cloth thrown over his shoulder, stood behind his chair, holding a highly polished portable spittoon, made of the beautifully brown wood of the cordia in one hand, and in the other a handsome kahiri, an elastic rod, three or four feet long, having the shining feathers of the tropic-bird tastefully fastened round the upper end, with which he fanned away the flies from the person of his master.'-pp. 74, 75.

The Missionaries were desirous of addressing the crowd on the subject of religion before they should disperse, and, as was to be expected at such a moment, they failed to attract the least attention. They were, however, in some measure consoled for their disappointment, by an invitation to sup with the governor; and, as in ancient Greece, the entertainment was cheered by the strains of a bard.

Our repast was not accompanied by the gladsome sound of "harp in hall" or 66 aged minstrel's flowing lay," yet it was enlivened by an interesting youthful bard, twelve or fourteen years of age, who was seated on the ground in the large room in which we were assembled, and who, during the supper, sung in a monotonous but pleasing strain the deeds of former chiefs, ancestors of our host. His fingers swept no "classic lyre," but beat, in a manner responsive to his song, a rustic little drum, formed of a calabash *, beautifully stained, and covered at the head with a piece of shark-skin. The governor and his friends were evidently pleased with his lay, and the youth seemed repaid by their approbation.'- pp. 75, 76.

Not in this point alone, but in several others, there is a striking similarity between the manners of the early Grecians and those of the natives of Hawaii. Homer more than once describes his principal female personages as surrounded by their female attendants, all equally employed in weaving linen and cloth for the garments of the family. Thus also we are told of Keoua, the governor's wife, and her female attendants seated under the pleasant shade of the kou-tree, and employed in preparing the materials for the cloth usually worn in that country. These materials indeed differ essentially from those which Helen or Penelope used for the same purpose, being composed simply of the bark which is stripped from sticks of the wauti plant, about ten feet long, and an inch in diameter at the thickest end. The bark is cut the whole length of the stick with a sharp serrated shell, carefully peeled off, rolled into small coils, the inner bark being outside, and in this state it is left until it loses its original circular form, and becomes flat and smooth. The outer bark is next scraped off with a shell, and the inner bark, of which alone the cloth is made, is steeped in water

* A vessel formed of the shell of a large kind of gourd emptied and dried. Rev.

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