THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, March 15, 1849

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 1, Issue 6, 15 March 1849, Page 2

THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, March 15, 1849

In the firt number of the "Maori Messenger" we published an account of the wonderful state of civilization and prosperity whien, in less than thirty years, had been eH'octed in the condition of the natives of tin.' Sandwich Islands. In that lirst number, we said wo should have much to relate concerning the Sandwich Islanders; and the reason that now induces, anil will again and again induce, us to dwell upon the history of that interesting people is simply because their conversion from heathenism to Christianity—their elevation from the lowest depths of ignorance and barbarity, to a degree of intelligence and social importance. lias been the work of the same Christian people, and undertaken almost at the same time, with the civilization that has been sought to be inculcated,and which we are so desirous to establish among yourselves. Man has been truly proclaimed to be mi imitative animal; and to imitation and its natural counterpart—emulation, much or the intelligence and consequent superiority of liurope, is to be attributed. If France, for example, should make any grand discovery in art, in science, or in literature, all the clever men of lingland, of Germany, and of other nations, are sure to entertain an honourable regret that they bad not been so fortunate as to have secured the distinction for themselves and for their country. Thi3 sets tlicm a thinking, and they consider and consider a matter until a first discovery or invention is frequently so much amended and improved, that the improver becomes an inlinitelv more distinguished man, and a far greater benefactor to the human race than the lirst discoverer or inventor. This is, in fact, one of tlio grand characteristics of civilization. Let us show yoti how.

Take, for example, sienm ships, which most of you have, no doubt, seen. Forty years since there was 110 such vessel in existence. liven the engine, or machine, by which steam ships nrc propelled against wind ami tide, and across the most tempestuous seas, was then but in a slate of infancy. The first discoverer of the use of steam in driving llonr and other milis is so little known, that it can scarcely he said by whom the invention was made. It is quite the contrary, however, with him who rendered it the jno3t powerful, tho mo3t useful, and the most obedient instrument to mankind. That gieat and good man was called James Watt, and his name will be held in revccneo and in honour long after those of the greatest warriors and generals may have been forgotten or disregarded, " Steam had been of the utmost importance to man, befote it win attempted to he employed in shipping. Here, again, many clever people claimed tlie merit of the first invention. Wo need not weary you with their disputes. It is sufii.ient that you should be told that in the year 1812, there was only one little steam boat lauin hed on the river Clyde, by a gentleman named Henry Bell, whom the ignorant people of that time mocked and ri'lieiled, calling liim fool and madman ; and, when hU boat succeeded, so obstinate were those peop'e, so infatuated, and so prejydired in favour of their old fashioned customs/that they still prophesied failure—oral least, that theso boats would never venture out of th'" smooth water aiul shelter of rivers. In I SOT there was but one very small steam boat on the river Hudson, in Amurica, and in 18112 another very small ono in Scotland. These were then the only K'eam vessels in the whole world. Now, in 18-19, England, Franc.?, America, and the other nations of the world possess thousands of them; manv of an enormous size, and which scour ths seas in ev.:ry quarter of the glo'.>e with the most extraordinary sp;"ed and safety. We have told you of the steam engine ami the steam boat, t:> show you the effects of civilisation, which creates emu-

lation, nnd in consequence the happiness and. welfare of man. It lias pleased Alt mighty God fhat the northern nations of the world should have attained a state of advanced civilization at a period when those c.f the southern hemisphere were plunged in utter darkness and barbarity, mid irom which darkness anil barbarity they are but now beginning to be rescued. In that state tho great navigator Cook, discovered you, and likewise the Sandwich Islanders, together with many other inhabitants of tho Southern Ocean. . A hundred years since, tho islands now so well known to, and so generally inhabited by Englishmen, were a matter of doubt; their very existence being disbelieved, or considered hut as tales concocted by lying sailors to create a false interest.

Why New Zealand, New Holland, New Caledonia, and other Southern lands should have remained so long in a state of the grossest barbarism is easily to be accounted for. You had no.means of communication with each.other, and if yon had you were all of you so deplorably ignorant that you would have been unable to instruct or to enlighten each other's minds. On the contrary, you were so very fierce and wavlike that you wou'd have been much more eager, could you have met, to have indulged in mutual strife and slaughter. Providence appears, f6r some wise purpose, to have decreed that the islands of the South Sea 3 should bo inhabited by a thin and scattered population. The barbarities inHbted by hostile tribes of savages upon each other caused popula> : tion to diminish instead of to increase. Whilst, in the Northern world, in spite of long and sanguinary wars, and in defiance ' of countless diseases, the numberless blessings of civilization—which not only exalted the mind but improved the body, led to an immense and overpowering increase of population. Shortly after you had been visited by Captain Cook, an English colony was founded at Sydney, nr.d a great revolution took place in France. This revolution plunged every nation of Europe into a tierce and expensive war, which raged with the utmost violence for more than two and twenty years. Little or nothing was then known of the southern world, except from the whaling ships, and persons who had returned to England from the colony at Sydney. The nit of navigation, however, ntul the whole system of management 011 board r.t'ship was then so inferior that it took six and eight months to make the passage between London and Sydney, and the passengers experienced great hardships anil many privations, in a voyage which is now comfortably and easily performed in three and four months. The colony at Sydney had prospered in such an extraordinary manner, and a second coljny nt Mobart Town had likewise been so successful, that the people of England were attracted by the favorable accounts of the increase of sheep, cattle, horses, pig", goats, and all other animals which hod hem sent out from England. The laud, too, was declared to be very good for cultivation : wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, nud the other corn and vegetables essential to man being easily and abundantly grown. Of these lands the native inhabitants made 110 use, except to hunt the; kangaroo, tho emu, and other wi'cl beasts; or to fish upon the coasts. 111 consequence, therefore, of a practice agreed to by civilized nations in their transactions with each other, England having been the first to hoist her flag upon the shores of New Holland and Van Diemen's l.atul, took possession of both as her own property; and the King—George the Third—gavetlie greatest 'encouragement to his people to occupy and to improve the vast and valuable territories which EugWl had so easily acquired. You may, perhap3, be apt to consider this as an unjust deprivation of the natives rights. The generality of mankind argue dift't-reiilly, and in accordance with the law established nud rispected, and called the Liw of Nation?, Kn»Und wa* juitified in taking possesion of a country of which Clio natives made no use beneficial to man. In taking possession of the land, she med no force or cruelty towards tlic iiJtivcs, whom she considered, from that time, as her own people, and protected by her own laws. If an Kpglishmnn killed a native, he was tried and hanged for his murder ; nnd every pains were taken to instruct the native mind, and to elevato lliem to the

same state of civilization as llmt of the people who had come nmong lliem. In countries, like your own, where the natives cultivate the ground and produce food fit for themselves and the rest of mankind, the Laiv of Nations recognizes their right to possess the soil of which they show they know the use. It is in consequence of this, the first step towurds civilization, that you have never been molested in the occupation of your lands, and that other native races in these sens are left to enjoy their own. Your perfect independence was not only acknowledged by England, but it was placed under the protection of the English flag, until of your own free will you surrendered " the shndow of your land"' to Queen Victoria, and became the frieuds and brothers of the English who Otiose to sit down among you. You may, thus, perceive that since the successful establishment of the English colony at Sydney, the islands and counlries of the Southern Ocean have become more perfectly known to the English, the Americans, mid the French ; and, that through them, niul tho blessed Christian Missionaries whom they bave sent to preach the gospel, the light of civilization has begun to spread among you. Imitation and emulation were the grand means of the civilization of Europe. If one, nation surpassed another in knowledge or intelligence, those in the background used every efl'oi t to outstrip llieir rivals, and thus by a constant endeavour to excel tliay raised each other to a pitch of power and glory. The wise and good men of America and England have laboured diligently and successfully to reform and civilize the Saudwieh islanders, until from a horde of brutal savages they have made them a good and prosperous nation. There nre many men ns anxious to elevate you to the same distinguished position, and that you yourselves may imitate nnd emulate those worthy islanders, we shall give yon a faithful narrative of the moans by which they have been raised to wealth and honour. As our narrative, which has been compiled Ironi several unquestionable sources, will occupy many pages of the " Maori Messenger," we shall begin at the beginning, giving a general local description of the islands, their natural and artificial production?, together with a sketch ot their past and present peculiarities. These islands, generally known ns the Sandwich Islands, were so called by Captain C iok, who, at the date of their discovery, gave tlicni that name that lie nrglit do honour to the Earl of Sandwich, then the chief ditcclor •if the movements of the English Navy. Their proper name, however, and that hy which tliev continue to be called by their native inhabitants, is " Hawaii Nei,|' which means .the Hawaiian Inlands—the name of the cluster being derived from that of the largest island, where the king and his successors were born. The situation of the Hawaiian Islands is one of the utmost commercial advantage, their peculiar position in the North Pacific Ocean reudeiing them as it were a port nf call and of refreshment for the ships of all nations. The cluster consists of twelve islands in all, hut three of tliem arcineie rocks, and a fourth is rarely if ever visited. The remaining eight uro more or less largo and fertile ; the largest, Hawaii, containing about four thousand square miles, the smallest, Kahoolawe, only sixty square miles. These islands are situated some sis or seven weeks sail from Auckland, about fourteen or sixteen days from the coast of California, nnd nre, likewise, within easy approach of the north-west coast of America, the Russian territories, Japan, China, and the Phillipine Islands. In short, their mercantile position is an invaluable one, as they offer pood harbours, plentiful supplies, and a healthful climate to the numerous whalers by whom they are frequented, and whose cruising grounds abound in their immediate neighbourhood. The principal port is Honolulu, which is situated on tho south side of the island of Oaliu. Honolulu is the seat of government, and the residence of the king. It has sprung into rapid importance, nnd is described us a remarkably fine city, embellished with many beautiful and spacious buildings, and enjoying an extensive commerce. (To bfi conlinueil.)