M---, whom you will see, will not
confirm my favourable description. It is quite true that the
islands are Americanized, and with the exception of the Finance
Minister, who is a Scotchman, Americans "run" the Government and
fill the Chief Justiceship and other high offices of State. It is,
however, perfectly fair, for Americans have civilized and
Christianized Hawaii-nei, and we have done little except make an
unjust and afterwards disavowed seizure of the islands.
On looking over this letter I find it an olla podrida of tropical
glories, royal festivities, finance matters, and odds and ends in
general. I dare say you will find it dull after my letters from
Hawaii, but there are others who will prefer its prosaic details to
Kilauea and Waimanu; and I confess that, amidst the general
lusciousness of tropical life, I myself enjoy the dryness and
tartness of statistics, and hard uncoloured facts.
I.L.B.
LETTER XIX.
HAWAIIAN HOTEL, HONOLULU.
My latest news of you is five months old, and though I have not the
slightest expectation that I shall hear from you, I go up to the
roof to look out for the "Rolling Moses" with more impatience and
anxiety than those whose business journeys are being delayed by her
non-arrival.
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