per month without food; from which you will see that three dollars per month will buy sufficient poi, beef, and fish to support a native laborer in these islands.  The engagement is entirely voluntary; the men understand what they contract to do, and in all the plantations where they are well treated they re-enlist with great regularity.  The vicious custom of “advances” mentioned above has become a part of the system; it arose, I suppose, from the fact that the natives who shipped as whalemen received advance pay; and thus the plantation laborers demanded it too.  The laborers are commonly housed in detached cottages, and live with their families, the women forming an important, irregular laboring force at seasons when the work is hurried.  But they are not “contract” laborers, but paid by the day.  It has been found the best plan on most of the plantations to feed the people, and food is so cheap that it is supplied without stint.

This system has been vigorously, but, I believe, wrongly, attacked.  The recent census is an uncommonly barren document; but there is strong reason to believe that while there is a general decrease in the population, on the plantations there is but little if any decrease.  In fact, the Hawaiian living in his valley on his kuliana or small holding, leads an extremely irregular life.  He usually sups at midnight, sleeps a good deal during the day, and has much idle time on his hands.  On the plantations he works regularly and not too hard, eats at stated intervals, and sleeps all night.  This regularity conduces to health.  Moreover, he receives prompt and sufficient medical attendance, he lives a more social and interesting life, and he is as well fed, and mostly better lodged.  There are very few instances of abuse or cruelty; indeed, a plantation manager said to me, “If I were to wrong or abuse one of my men, he would persuade a dozen or twenty others not to re-enlist when their terms are out, and would fatally embarrass me;” for it is not easy to get laborers.

There is good reason to believe, therefore, that the plantation laborers are healthier, more prosperous, and just as happy as those who live independently; and it is a fact that on most of the islands the greater part of the younger people are found on the plantations.  Churches are established on or very near all the sugar estates, and the children are rigorously kept at school there as elsewhere.  The people take their newspaper, discuss their affairs, and have usually a leader or two among the foremen.  On one plantation one of the foremen in the field was pointed out to me:  he was a member of the Legislature.

There is a good deal of complaint of a scarcity of labor.  If more plantations were opened it would be necessary to import laborers; but for the present, it seems to me, the supply is not deficient.  Doubtless, however, many planters would extend their operations if they could get workmen readily.  Chinese have been brought over, though not in great numbers; and of late the absurd and cruel persecution of these people in California has driven several hundred to take refuge in the Islands, where they are kindly treated and can live comfortably.