I do not imagine that he was embarrassed at his lack of clothing, and after the first shock of surprise I am quite sure we were more inclined to admire his straight muscular figure and his shining dark skin than to complain of his nakedness.  Presently, however, he slipped away into the bush, and re-appeared in a hat, and a shirt which was so short that even my little girl burst into laughter at this ridiculous and futile effort toward decency; and thus arrayed, and with the kindly and gracious smile which illuminates a Hawaiian’s face when he puts himself to some trouble on your account, this funny guide led us to our horses.

In the evening I related this incident to our host, an old resident, and said, “I suppose this man could read?” “Read!” he replied; “he can read and write as well as you.  I know him very well; he is a prosperous man, and is to be the next justice of the peace in that district.  He doubtless went home and spent the remainder of the afternoon in reading his newspaper.”

Native life in the Islands is full of such contrasts, and I found, on examining the labor contracts on several sugar-plantations, that almost without exception the working people signed their own names.

According to a census taken in December, 1872, the Hawaiian Islands contained 56,897 souls, of whom 51,531 were natives and half-castes, and 5366 were foreigners.  In six years the native population had decreased 7234, and the foreigners had increased 1172.  Since 1866, therefore, the Islands have lost 6062 souls.

Of the foreigners the Chinese are the most numerous, outnumbering all the other foreign nationalities together except the Americans.  Chinese have been brought over here as coolie laborers on the plantations.  They readily intermarry with the native women, and these unions are usually fruitful of healthy and bright children.  It is said that the Chinese insist upon taking better care of their children than the native women, uninstructed, usually give them, and that therefore the Chinese half-caste families are more thrifty than those of the pure blood Hawaiians.  Moreover, the Chinaman takes care of his wife.  He endeavors to form her habits upon the pattern of his own; and requires of her the performance of fixed duties, which add to her happiness and health.  In fact, the number of half-castes of all races has increased thirty per cent. in the last six years.

The native population is admirably cared for by the authorities.  The Islands are divided for various governmental purposes into districts; and in every district where the people are much scattered the government places a physician—­a man of skill and character—­to whom it gives a small salary for attending upon the common people, and he is, I believe, expected to make a tour of his district at stated intervals.  Of course he is allowed to practice besides for pay.  The sugar planters also usually provide medical attendance for their laborers.