The Descent of Man

the natives, and they soon became "the most
civilised of the Pacific Islanders." One of my
informants, Mr. Coan, who was born on the
islands, remarks that the natives have undergone
a greater change in their habits of life in
the course of fifty years than Englishmen during
a thousand years. From information received
from Bishop Staley, it does not appear that
the poorer classes have ever much changed
their diet, although many new kinds of fruit
have been introduced, and the sugar-cane is in
universal use. Owing, however, to their passion
for imitating Europeans, they altered their
manner of dressing at an early period, and the
use of alcoholic drinks became very general.
Although these changes appear inconsiderable,
I can well believe, from what is known with
respect to animals, that they might suffice to
lessen the fertility of the natives. (43. The foregoing
statements are taken chiefly from the
following works: Jarves' 'History of the
Hawaiian Islands,' 1843, pp. 400-407. Cheever,