smaller pieces of water.

From the partiality of the Sandwich Islanders for a sea-life, and from
their geographical situation, it is probable that, in time, they will
become powerful at sea. Tameamea left to his successor above a dozen
good ships, all manned with natives. They obtain excellent nautical
educations on board the United States' vessels trading between America
and Canton; and the Americans, who are equal to the English as seamen,
bear witness to the abilities of the islanders.

Luxury has made great advances in Wahu. Even among the lowest class of
the people, some article of European clothing is universal. The females
especially set their hearts upon the most fashionable mode of dress:
whatever the Queen wears is their model, which they imitate to the
utmost of their power. The men are importuned to gratify this feminine
vanity; and if their means will not enable them to do so fairly, they
will often have recourse to fraud. The love of foreign wares, and
especially of such as serve for dress and ornament, is by far the most
fertile source of crime. The shopkeepers are emulous to make their
assortment of goods as attractive as possible, and sometimes allow
their customers credit, in which case they never fail to charge double,
though their profits are at all times enormous. I have myself seen young
girls paying two Spanish dollars for a string of common glass-beads
which would scarcely reach round the throat. The tradespeople practise
every species of deception with impunity, for the laws are not yet
sufficiently civilized to meet offences of this description; which
therefore inflict a double injury on their dupe, by robbing him of his
property, and affording him an example of successful fraud, which he
will generally at least endeavour to imitate. On Sunday, the inhabitants
of Wahu make their appearance at church in full dress to be admired; and
if the spectacle on these occasions is not so thoroughly laughable as at
O Tahaiti, it is certainly sufficiently comic.

The domestic utensils, formerly in use here, have entirely disappeared
even from the poorest huts; and Chinese porcelain has superseded the
manufactures from the gourd or the cocoa-nut.

Fourteen days after our arrival, I received a message from Karemaku, who
was still at O Tuai. He assured me that he was rejoiced at my coming,
stated that he had sent orders to Chinau to supply my ship with the best
provisions, and added, that having happily con