\\\t -UNIVERS/A AfclOS-AN <$. *-* ^ ^ I/O s sfifl SCENES IS HAWAII. SCENES IN HAWAII OR IUJHE SANDWICH ISLANDS BY M. FORSYTH GRANT. T ( ) R O N T O : HfiRT & COMPANY; 31 & 33 KING ST., WEST. 1888. Entered according to Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight, by HART & COMPANY, in the office of the Minister of Agriculture. J\LL To MY HUSBAND. 213736 PREFACE. As I have been induced by kind friends to give publicity in this form to my notes and observations while on my journey to Hawaii and stay there, I must ask them and others who may care to read them, to be lenient in criticism, and to remem- ber my only wish is to interest by telling them a little of this small Kingdom in the Pacific, generally known only as the most encouraging exemplification of the noble efforts of missionaries to civilize and christianize a savage and voluptuous race. Alas, for this, the finest example of self-sacrificing men and^ women, for the boast is, sad to say only a boast ; and alas, as the group of Islands which Captain Cook discovered in 1776 and on one of which, Hawaii he was murdered on his second visit in 1778, at Kealakekua Bay. On Captain Cook's first visit his large ships and cannon so worked on the natives superstitious minds that they regarded him as a god, he and his crews were given everything they desired. On his visit in 1778, being struck by a stone or spear, he gave a cry of pain which rfot agreeing with the native idea X. PREFACE. of a god, they immediately murdered him. The spot is marked by a granite monument brought by a man-of-war from England. The Hawaiian Kingdom formerly known as the Sandwich Islands, lies between the 2Oth and 22nd degrees of latitude, a group of seven inhabited Islands, viz : Oahu, on which is Honolulu, the Capital and seat of Government ; Hawaii, the largest, on which are active the Volcanoes ; Maui, Lanai, Kauai, Nihau, and Molokai, on which is the leper settlement. It is now of some importance from its position, owing to the anxiety of many nations to possess it as a strong strategetical point, and their consequent jealousies. It is about 2000 miles from San Francisco, and 4000 from Aukland. in the direct route to Australia from North America. Its independence was guaranteed in 1847 by Eng- land and France, and the year following the United States joined them ; as two of these nations regard treaties as binding, the Hawaiian Kingdom is likely to retain its independence, unless war in Europe overthrows the balance of Power, or to the time Seward thought of when he said " The Pacific Ocean is destined to become the theatre of the world's greatest events." PREFACE. xi. The cable between British Columbia and Aus- tralia, for which soundings are now being made, will bring into notice Honolulu, near which is to be a landing station for the cable ; or, perhaps > a rise in sugar may again make prominent her fertile lands. The Government is carried on by King, Lords and Commons Lords and Commons meeting and voting together in one Legislative Hall with a Cabinet of five to advise His Majesty His Majesty had the power, by the Constitution, of vetoing any Bills his faithful Commons sent him, lately much curtailed. When I was in Hawaii the King practically controlled all measures or rather the power behind the throne, for the King, though well educated and intelligent, was credited with the Hawaiian trait of extreme indifference to matters of importance, or matters of any kind, if they in anyway interfered with his own personal comfort. The population is about 80,000, of which the natives number some 35,000, Chinese 20,000, Portugese and Japanese 15,000, the rest British subjects, many of them Canadians ; United States subjects ; German, French, Danish, Swedish and Xli. PREFACE, other nations subjects with a few South Sea Is- landers. The native race is fast dying out. A century ago their number was estimated at 400,000 ; this is due, without doubt to the taste for strong waters given to them by their white friends, as well as the germs of the horrible leprosy which is now so imbued in their blood that all are tainted. In the hope that these few pages which have been reprinted in part from the columns of the " Week," may amuse and interest, I venture to send forth my little book, trusting that it may give something of the pleasure to my readers, that it has given me to write it. M. F. G. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. San Francisco. Chinese. " The Australia." His Hawaiian Majesty. English cricketers The invalid. First glimpse cf Honolulu. Kalakua's reception. Young swimmers. The natives. Tax for residents. Royal Hotel. Mos- quitoes. Persian Powder. Sunday in Honolulu. Flowers. St. Andrew's Cathedral I CHAPTER II. Welcome to the King. Procession in palace grounds. Danc- ing girls. Fire brigade. Concert in opera house. Hawaiian band and Herr Berger. Moonlight in Hono- lulu. Expedition up the Pali. Riding party. Waikiki. Luncheon party at the Kings. Her Majesty Queen Kap- iolani. Leis. Old Wahine with fish. Tabu. Hawaiian curiosities at the palace. Feather robes. Kahilis. Queen Kapiolani's gift to Queen Victoria 14 CHAPTER III. The yacht "Wanderer." Mr. Lamberts' invitation to Queen Emma. Poi. Taro patches. -Method of making poi. --7 Method of eating it. Excellent food. Poi dogs. Taro flour. Chinese making poi 31 XIV CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. Voyage between Honolulu and Ranai. Home at Rapaa. Arrival at Kilawee. " Wailele Hale." Garden there. Different Fruits. Flowers. Trees. Variety of colour in Landscape 37 CHAPTER V. Servants ! Chinese Family. Mary Mahoi. Ah Sam and his Pretty Bride. Portugese. Da Souza. German Servants. Ah See and his Antics. Chinese New Year. " Salt Eggs." Opium Smoking. 11 ing Hoi and his Music ! Sin Fat. Chinese Gamblers. Theives. Scribblings. Decorations. Japanese Servants , 52 CHAPTER VI. Rides and drives about Kilauea. Kalikiwai Valley. Valley of Hanalei. -After glow of Sunset. Swarm of Red Fish. Death of the last of the Kammehamahas Queen Emma. . . 71 CHAPTER VII. Volcano of Mauna Loa. Visit to Crater and Burning Lake. Superstition of Natives. Like-like dies. Superstitions about Deaths. Lomi lomi. Awa Root. Intoxicating Beverages. Old Native. Natives Riding. Breaking Horses. Leprosy. Molokai. Father Damien. Old Leper at Kilauea 82 CHAPTER VIII. ^yrT.n\ita.tion to King Kalakua's Coronation. Drive to Kealia and /\ Kapaa. The Parsonage. Home at Lihue. Honolulu again. Ship in harbour. Flowers. Carriages. Coron- ation Day. Coronation Ceremonies. Coronation Ball. Queen leaving the Palace. Coronation Fireworks. Hookups. Grand Luau. The Dandy and his Dancers. Races at Waikiki. Unveiling of the statute of the great Kammehameha 99 CONTENTS. XV CHAPTER IX. Life on a Plantation. Workjn the Cane Fields. Labourers. Chinese. Portugese. South Sea Islanders. Looking after the Labourers. Holidays on the Plantations. The Doctor's Orders. Chinese with Sickness. Visit of H. B. M. S. " Constance" 140 CHAPTER X. Opening of the Legislature in Honolulu. Ceremony. The Debate. The Wonderful Interpreter. News Flies Fast. My First and ouly Scorpion. Other Insects. Visit to the Market. Cl imate. Amusements. Easter Decorations. Queen Kapiolani gives Teas 155 CHAPTER XL An interesting episode. Johnnie. Kealia House. Pic-nic up the Waialua. Koloa. The Judge's Home. Mrs. Sinclair and Family. Ideal Life. Waimea River. Kekaha. Visit there. Lepers at Waimea. Cane at Kekaha. Old Kahuna. Blue Lake at Kekaha. Barking Sands. Wachiava Ranche. Burial Caves. Hanamaula. Home again at Kilauea 171 SCENES IN HAWAII. CHAPTER I. San Francisco. Chinese. " The Australia." His Hawaiian Majesty. English cricketers The invalid. First glimpse of Honolulu. Kalakua's reception. Young swimmers. The natives, -Tax for residents. Royal Hotel. Mosquitoes. Persian Powder. Sunday in Honolulu. Flowers. St. An- drew's Cathedral. JJ7HE City of San Francisco is said to be the most cosmopolitan city in the world, and to the traveller from Northern Latitudes presents a strange mingling of elements, foreign and other- wise. Irish seemed to predominate, the brogue of of the Emerald Isle being heard in all directions. French, one hears constantly. Color of every degree is met in the passing faces, and the ubiquitous Chinaman pervades the streets, hotels, ferries, and tram cars, or rather did some short time ago, for now, like the Wandering Jew, he is condemned to " move on ! " Almost all the household servants are Chinese, and very smart they look, with their silken coats and white trousers, sometimes profusely embroid- ered, their long queues hanging down their back 2 SCENES IN HAWAII. almost to their heels, (I found out afterwards that the queue is frequently made chiefly of silk or cotton braid, which is introduced into the plaid, the natural hair being scarcely longer than below the shoulders), and invariably with a small, round silk cap on top, which seemed to be the correct finishing touch to their indoor dress. On arriving at the .pier, the Mongolian again appeared, and on board the good ship " Australia," bound for Honolulu, we found them acting in the various capacities of waiters, stewards, sailors, etc., these latter very untidy and dirty in appearance, and always, to me, having a look of surprise on their impassive, yellow faces, owing in part to the fact of their always shaving the hair of the fore- head, except when they wear a fringe over their brows, a sign of being what we call " in mourning." What a Chinaman calls it, I do not know, as outward- ly, he never mourns except at his gambling losses. The sun was shining in a brilliant flood of light through the " Golden Gate," as we left the steep hill of San Francisco in the hazy distance, and set sail for tropical climes : the soft, warm, air, and summer-like arrangement of the ships cabins making one anticipate with delight, the genial atmosphere we were soon to enter. SCENES IN HAWAII. .5 Dark complexioned faces in the dining saloon as well as amongst the crew, shewed the probability of there being native Hawaiians and Portuguese down below, besides the usual complement of white waiters ; they all appeared to work well together, however. The Captain, a big, burly Saxon in appearance, was very kind and pleasant, an immense favourite on the line, and apparently having plenty of spare time to give to his passengers, especially as 'the passage was a fine, though not particularly smooth one. The Pacific disappointed nearly everyone in this respect, as, though not stormy, and the sun shining brightly, the long, steady, continuous roll never ceased for a day. The upper decks were immensely long and large, and in a few days, those of the passengers who could tumble up the companion, managed to do so, and the rows of sea-chairs were soon filled by convalescents enjoying the fine, soft air. There were a number of cabins opening on to the decks, each dpor being arranged with a pretty, cool looking curtain, which blew about in the most refreshing way, a great boon as the nights grew hotter. 4 SCENES IN HAWAII. Now, as to the passenger-list ; first comes Royalty and its surroundings, for we were honoured by the presence of no less a personage, than His Majesty King Kalakua of the Hawaiian Islands, who was returning to Honolulu after a liesurely tour round the world, accompanied by his chamber- lain. Colonel Judd, a fine looking man, son of one of the early American Missionaries to Hawaii, and a suite. The King was a large, tall man, rather too stout for his height, his complexion deep copper-colour, dark curly hair and whiskers, and fine white teeth. The Captain's cabin was beautifully decorated with flowers, for His Majesty's reception, in defer- ence to the Hawaiian fashion, and in it he spent most of the time, rarely appearing except when the gong sonnded in the dinning saloon, probably glad enough to keep quiet after eighteen months of sight-seeing and being seen. For, happening to have been in London during his visit there, I had been witness to the way in which King Kalakua had been hailed as the lion of the hour, and his carriage fairly mobbed whenever he appeared as " the king of the Cannibal Islands." Shortly after leaving San Francisco, I was intro- duced (or presented ! ) to His Majesty, and he was SCENES IN HAWAII. 5 always most kind to us afterwards. His natural dignity of manner was very marked, his voice soft, musical, with a slight foreign accent, and his English, owing to the fact that he was educated chiefly in California, was perfect. He told me that when he was present at an audience given him in Rome by the Pope, he supplied a word in English, at which Cardinal Mazzini hesitated, doubtless thinking that a native of the Pacific Islands might not be a proficient in that language. On the fifth day of the voyage, officers, stewards, anq! the king also, appeared in white linen raiment, and the Chinese steward in a loose coat and short trowsers of shining black calico. This latter in spt'te of his comical appearance, tempted one gentleman to wish that he was " dressed like that Chinaman." Some English professional cricketers were with us also, on their way to Australia, a jolly, good tempered lot, adding much to our enjoyment by their capital singing of choruses, one especially, I remember, called " My little Yorkshire Lass,' in which all joined most heartily, sung in the approved dialect by the stentorian English voices. A sad incident of the voyage was- my casual acquaintance with -a young girl, who, we were told, was dying of some wasting disease. Her father D SCENES IN HAWAII. of high legal standing in Honolulu, was a German, her, mother a native of the Islands. Often in pass- ing her cabin, where she lay always, I used to peep through the chintz curtains hung in the doorway, wish her good morning, and stand to chat with her for a few minutes. Her face was small, thin, and yellow ; her eyes large, dark, and very melancholy. One hand was bound up, and we had heard she had lost the other, also a foot. Some weeks later, when she was wasted almost to a shadow, I saw her again at her invitation. Shortly afterwards she died, and the suspicion arose that for the only time during our stay in the Islands I had seen a person dying of leprosy, that fatal disease which is surely exterminating the Hawaiian race. The bold bluff called Diamond Head, which was the first point of land visible, was perceived early on the morning of the seventh day. Towards the afternoon every one who could do so, was busily engaged in watching for the first glimpse of Honolulu through glasses of every size, but we sailed smoothly enough along the shore for a long time, and were delighted at seeing the grove of cocoa-nut trees which are uutside the town, and whose graceful, towering tops give a tropical look to any scenery. SCENES IN HAWAII. 7 Some little distance from the wharf, the tide was adverse, and the ship had to be towed in by immense ropes, and during this rather ignominious process several people left the ship in small boats> and our attention was drawn by the appearance of numerous officials who were rowed from the shore to meet His Majesty on board, who presently appeared with his suite, all in most fashionably cut London clothes, high hats, etc. He went about among the passengers, saying good-bye in the kindest way, and I should be afraid to tell how many royal autographs were asked for and pre- sented. The officials were clad in the most gorgeous uniforms, all gold lace, cocked hats, swords, etc., something between a diplomatic and full dress naval uniform : and numerous greetings were passed between fhe friends who met perhaps after an absence of many months. A beautiful gig, manned by natives dressed in white, wearing wreathes of flowers and leaves round their necks and hats, and flying the royal Hawaiian standard, was ready for the King, and in it he em- barked, followed by his suite in their different crafts, and in the distance we could hear the strains of a band playing a welcome to their returned monarch. 8 SCENES IN HAWAII. During the time which elapsed before we were able to land, we were amused by the antics of a crowd of youthful savages, who had appeared from the town, and who were swimming all round the ship, and now and then diving for the pieces of silver thrown to them by the passengers, and which seemed all part of the performance to be gone through with when a ship came into harbour. The children looked like so many polly-wogs, and did not seem to mind how far down they had to dive for a sixpence, bringing it up in their mouths, and yell- ing with delight every time a fresh one was thrown. They seemed wonderfully good swimmers. The wharf was crowded with natives of every age ; the women, as a rule, tall, walking with a long, swinging gait, very dark in colour, and all dressed in flowing cotton garments, called by them holokus. They all wore straw hats^ of every shape ; but the sailor shape seemed to be the one most affected, with broad, bright ribbons round them. There seemed to be two modes in the fashion, one to be tilted over the nose, resting on a huge tortoise shell comb ; and the other worn more back from the forehead, and untidy masses of black locks streaming down to the waist. The men, some of them very fine-looking fel- SCENES IN HAWAII. lows, wore blue or white cotton trousers, bright coloured shirts with buttons the size of a shilling, and plenty of them ; straw hats, some very small ; the feet either bare, or clad in high leather riding boots, with immense Mexican spurs, jingling as they walked ; the more noise a native can make with his spurs the much finer man he thinks himSelf. All, men and women, wore leis or wreathes of flowers round their hats and necks ; some of the blossoms being so strongly scented as to be overpowering to the olfactory nerves. The taxes paid, in the shape of a $2 bill, to be given by each person intending to reside in the Island, for the support of the Queen's Hospital, we presently found ourselves at the hotel, a fine, large wooden building, with beautiful grounds about it and huge double verandahs. All the servants were Chinese no women ser- vants to be seen ; the Chinaman being equally good as house-maid, waiter, or cook. The rooms were comfortable, each bed being provided with the inevitable mosquito curtain, made of fine netting, generally hung from the ceil- ing by means of a rope and pulley arrangement, which enables the traveller to raise or lower it according to his requirements. 10 SCENES IN HAWAII. As soon as daylight wanes, in comes a Chinaman to pull down the net all round the bed and tuck it securely between the matrasses, so as to prevent the fast-coming hordes of mosquitoes from pene- trating the folds. Strangers have to get accus- tomed to this piece of daily routine, or, in consequence, the occupant, thinking he has done all that is necessary, will be just dozing off when the fatal sing-sing of the little tormentor will be heard, and then good-bye to a night's rest till the murder is committed. A most valuable addition to one's comfort is a box of the Persian insect powder, which is prepared from the blossom of the yellow pyrethrum, which is brought down from the Pacific Coast in barrels and sold in any quantity. A small quantity of this kept burning in a little tin will deal an immense amount of destruction, the fumes rendering the mosquitoes perfectly help- less, and, if burned long enough, killing them in such numbers that frequently the dustpan will be filled with them the next morning. A small box of this powder can be easily put in a corner of one's portmanteau, and anyone who suffers from the attacks of these pests should never be without it. The next day was Sunday, and a walk about SCENES IN HAWAII. 11 the town shewed it to be quite as pretty in the interior as it appeared from the harbour. Nearly all the streets were shaded by rows of trees on both sides, and the houses, built in every form of archi- tecture brick, adobe, wooden and rough-cast, and all with verandahs, were overgrown with Mexican creepers, honeysuckles, and passion flowers in the loveliest profusion. The hedges of scarlet ger- anium and coleus were wonderful to look upon, and the air was scented with heliotrope and roses of every hue. There is so little change in the seasons that many of these flower: bloom all the year round. The bougainvillier was one mass of purple of every shade, growing in a marvellous state of luxuriance it is a different looking plant altogether from that grown in a conservatory, the colour is so rich and the foliage so thick and massive. The palms in the pretty gardens were a great source of admiration, so large were the glossy leaves, and so imposing in size. Alamandas grew their lovely yellow bells on shrubs and trees ; crotons were six feet high, and the lillies and beautiful red spotted leaves of the cultivated taro or Calladiums were something for northern eyes to wonder at. 12 SCENES IN HAWAII. An effort to find the Anglican Church resulted in our missing the way and finding ourselves in a Methodist house of worship, known as the " Fort Street Church," which was well lighted and most comfortably fitted with cushioned pews. An ex- cellent choir was seated on a large platform, in front of which were the usual arrangements of chairs, desk, etc., for the minister. Sitting there, one could hardly realize the fact that home was so many thousand miles away, but one had to remember that the month was Novem- ber, and the light dresses of the many fair and dark women about seemed to tell us that we were in another atmosphere, much more like June than anything else. Coming back to the hotel we saw a large open gateway, and wandering in we found that the Cathedral of Honolulu was inside a large com- pound, with fine large trees about it and the Rectory, which was close by. Beside the church was a school for natives and whites (girls) presided over by the members of the Anglican sisterhood. We peeped in and saw a large, plain wooden building with a flower-decked altar at the far end, and a surpliced choir on each side of the chancel. SCENES IN HAWAII. 13 Sometime later, a most ambitious building was -begun to take the place of the Old St. Andrew's, and it is still in process of construction. It will be a beautiful church when finished, and the town may well be proud of such a handsome structure. The stone was all sent from England, and the church will be a memento of the untiring exertions of bishop, pastor and congregation. We found there were two native services in the Hawaiian language^ besides the English ones. The rector, the Rev. Alexander Mackintosh generally taking the native services, his many years of residence in Honolulu having made him perfectly familiar with all the dialects of Hawaii. 14 SCENES IN HAWAII. CHAPTER II. Welcome to the King. Procession in palace grounds. Dancing girls. Fire brigade. Concert in opera house. Hawaiian band and Herr Berger.- Moonlight in Honolulu. Expedition up the Pali. Riding party. Waikiki. Luncheon party at the Kings. Her Majesty Queen Kapiolani. Leis. Old Wahine with fish. Tabu. Hawaiian curiosities at the palace. Feather robes. Kahilis. Queen Kapiolani's gift to Queen Victoria. TTTHE next day was ushered in brightly and noisily, the firing of guns and letting off of crackers going on without intermission. The streets were gaily decorated with bunting, and numbers of arches erected, some of them very pretty. The oddest was the Chinese one, which was very large, in the shape of a pagoda, and quite brilliant in its effect at a distance by dint of lan- terns of every shape and form, paper flowers of every hue, and numerous strange looking objects, of which the " reason why " would be known to a Chinaman only. On all sides, in letters of flowers, bunting, etc., appeared the words, " Aloha "- " Aloha nui " which is the general salutation of Hawaiian welcome and greeting. At mid-day we took up a position near the gates opening into the grounds surrounding the King's SCENES IN HAWAII. 15 new palace, which was then in an unfinished state, to watch the procession, which was to be held in honour of the King's return. Presently the strains of the band were heard and the long stream of natives began to pass, clad in every colour of the rainbow, profusely be-ribboned, and carrying large silken banners, gorgeously embroidered and bearing mottoes in English and Hawaiian ; one of these inscriptions roused our curiosity, being " Hail, David," till we found that David was the King's, English name. One old native, bent and gray, carried a lighted torch, made of some hard, yellow nuts called ku-kui, very oily and idflammable, which were bound together at the top of a large staff. The custom of bearing a lighted torch in the day-time is a right belonging only to those who can claim true descent from the High Chiefs, or relationship with the royal family. We saw but the one, so apparently the connection was not a large one ! Without exception, men, women and children wore leis of flowers and leaves. We followed the crowd presently into the meadow-like grounds and sat down on the grass under a tree to watch the curious sight. 16 SCENES IN HAWAII. The sun shone down hotly as though it was June, and the white walls of the palace were quite dazzling. Behind the palace, a little to one side, were the houses of the King and Queen, long, low structures, with wide verandahs, enclosed with pink lattice work. At the top of the steps stood His Majesty, attired in snowy white, with his black head uncovered, and behind him stood several members of the royal family. His appearance was greeted with loud shouts of " Aloha ! Aloha ! " He made a speech in Hawaiian, and ended with a loud " Aloha," and then disappeared, the ladies being seen now and then through the lattice. The crowd dispersed about the grounds, sitting and lying under the trees, some eating and "drinking, and each talking and chattering at the top of their voices, which when raised are anything but musical, but good nature seemed to reign, and the effect of the whole mass was that of jolly, dark faces, flashing eyes, gleaming white teeth, light dresses, and brilliant flowers, making a bright, tropical-like picture never to be forgotten. In the evening, we returned to the palace grounds, where the crowd was more dense than even in the morning, especially in the vicinity of SCENES IN HAWAII. 17 the King's house, the verandahs and surrounding trees being brilliantly lit up. We noticed a group of girls standing together dressed somewhat differently from others. They appeared to have white holokus on, but instead of being long and flowing, these were drawn up through a girdle of sweet-smelling leaves, forming a short, full skirt, their arms .and feet were bare, with curious fur-like anklets, their hair hanging down with wreaths of flowers and leaves amongst it. These were the dancing girls, professional dancers, who were to perform during the evening for the amusement of the King and his friends. There was a procession of some fire engines going on, and they filed in and passed before the King, who is intensely interested in the Honolulu Fire Brigade, rendering great service himself on many occasions. The Chinese have a very good engine amongst others. Later in the week we were asked to go to a concert to be given on the occasion of opening the Royal Opera House, and of course we accepted the invitation gladly. The British vice-consul had kindly given us seats in his box, from which we had an excellent view of the whole house, including the royal box, which was opposite. 18 SCENES IN HAWAII. The concert itself was a good amateur one ; no natives taking part in the programme. One beautiful contralto voice thrilled the audi- ence with the pathetic strains of " Three Fishers," and there was some unusually good playing on the piano. The house is a pretty one, fitted up in bright crimson, and well lighted. Only two boxes, but both very large; in the one opposite was His Majesty, and his sisters, Princesses Lydia Lillio- kalani, and Like-like, both very dark, and in even- ing dress. I could not help recalling the occasion of seeing King Kalakua in Her Brittannic Majesty's box at Covent Garden a few months before, where he had been watched with great interest by a London audience, listening to the great Diva. Honolulu boasts, and rightly, of a most excellent band, composed entirely of natives, led and taught by a German band-master, whose untiring energy has brought out a great deal of musical Hawaiian talent. I always regarded Herr Berger, as the most wonderful man in Hawaii ; when one knows the difficulty of inducing a native to stick to any one duty, one can only marvel at the patience and tact he must have possessed and exercised to attain the result he has. Not knowing the SCENES IN HAWAII. 19 Hawaiian language on arrival, he had not only to learn that well enough to speak it in an ordinary way, but he had, no doubt, to invent words, to make natives understand the use of instruments they had never seen. II err Berger gets out all the new music, and it is indeed most delightful to listen to the strains of the band, mingled now and then with the voices, which take up certain parts, and sing them together. The men's dress was very effective, a combination of white trousers, scarlet tunics faced with black and gold, and white peaked caps, which must have taken their fancy amazingly, as Hawaiians in common with others of a tropical climate, love brightness of colour in every shape. Herr Berger had also composed a national anthem, called " Hawaii Ponoi," which was ex- tremely pretty, and rather stately, and was played at the royal entrance, and at the conclusion of a programme. Every Saturday aftei noon the band played in the pretty gradens of Emma Square, so named after the well known and well loved Queen Dowager ; and sometimes moonlight nights would be render- ed even more lovely in the Hotel grounds, by the band playing in a pavillion erected for them there 20 SCENES IN HAWAII. Honolulu by moonlight is indeed a ' dream of beauty," sitting on the verandah of the hotel with the palms, ferns, flowering shrubs, and tall, feathery trees all silvered over, and the mountain throwing uncertain shadows, one felt that to be in a tropical country was a very charming experience. This mountain seemed to rise almost immedi- ately behind the town, and the lights and shadows were ever varying, now deep purple in the morning, growing brighter as the day wore on, until the setting sun made the peaks glow with roseate hues, and then fading with the rapidly descending, tropical twilight, and again bursting out with a new, soft beauty in the brilliant moonlight. The excursion up this Pali or mountain was a very beautiful one ; we were invited to join a large party going up to the point of view, and one fine morning had a delightful expedition. Many of the young people were on horseback, and to witness perfect enjoyment, one has to see a Honolulu riding party; how they enjoy it? and how, oh how, they scamper ! up hill, and down hill, anywhere and everywhere at full canter, with the reins held in a fashion mainly peculiar to themselves, very far out to one side, whips going SCENES IN HAWAII. 21 spur often too. It was our first sight of a young lady riding astride like the natives ; I got used to it by seeing it so often afterwards, but never could like it I think it is too ungraceful a position for a white woman ever to become it, though we saw many excellent riders. We mounted up, up, slowly enough at the last, until apparently not very far from the top, got out of the carriages, the young folks dismounting and tying up their horses, turned a corner of the road, and then, what a view from the bend of the hill before the path descended into the valley, lay before us. The sea was rolling calm and blue beyond, and between, were rice plantations with their tender green showing against the darker foliage of trees surrounding the white houses gleaming in the sunlight. The coast-line bounded all this colour, and the dark, rugged background of the Pali made a beau- tiful picture, especially favoured as we were with a day of glorious sunshine and cool breezes. Shortly after our arrival in the capital we were bidden to a luncheon party at Waikiki, a suburb about two miles from Honolulu, where King Kala- kua has a pretty little country house, to which he 22 SCENES IN HAWAII. was very fond of resorting for a change from the affairs of state, and we were very much pleased to accept the kind invitation. It was a lovely summer-like day as we drove down with Her Brittanic Majesty's Commissioner, who was always a most kind friend to us, and who was going to the luncheon also. The drive itself was most enjoyable ; out of the town, past beautiful palm groves, houses fairly em- bowered (I never realized the real meaning of that word till I saw Honolulu) in flowering shrubs and luxuriant creepers of all kinds, then through a rice plantation, along the sea-shore, with a magnificent grove of cocoa-nut palms towering their graceful heights on the other side of us, and finally turning in through a garden, we found ourselves in front of a pretty wooden house, painted white, with upper and lower green verandahs. On the steps stood the King to receive us, attired as usual in snowy white, with a big lei of yellow blossoms round his straw hat and another about his neck. His Majesty welcomed us most kindly, and then we were taken into a pretty drawing room and pre- sented to Queen Kapiolani, a large, rather stout, woman, with a fine mass of jet black hair, dressed 8CENKS IN HA WAIT. 23 in a hands nne dress of fa\\ - n coloured silk with-a long train. The Queen did not speak English at all, but understood it fairly well, and, at all events made up for that by her cheery smile of welcome, shake of the hand, and most hearty " Aloha." She held a number of leis of sweet smelling flowers in her hand, which she presently gave to us, and we were each finally decorated with these indispensable additions to a native feast or party. The flowers are nearly always pulled off the stalk close to the head' and strung together on some fine grass, the long ends of which are left to tie the lei on ; if the blossoms are small, several strings are put together, thus, mine on that occasion was made of the unopen- ed buds of the white jessmine and the six or eight threads of the blossoms made up a lovely mass of odorous ivory beads ; others were of the yellow ginger, roses, marigolds, etc. The custom is a graceful pretty one, and with the ladies' light summer dresses they always looked well, but with a gentleman's conventional attire of morning dress they looked out of keeping, and those unfortunates who disliked the strong perfume, generally con- trived to get rid of the leis as soon as possible. The dining-room was a good-sized room, exceed- ingly pretty, with walls and ceilings painted white 24 SCENES IN TBAWAII. and pink, the latter being made something like the roof of a tent ; matting on the floors, cane furniture and lace curtains, made up a " harmonious whole." The luncheon table was covered with flowers, and everything was most tastefully prepared. Curry, made of shrimps, which abound among the rocks, and flavoured with cocoa-nut, was served in the middle of the menu, and the rice, limes and chutney of mangoes, served separately, as the proper accom- paniments. The curry, by the way, was pro nounced by one of the guests as being the bes't he had ever tasted out of India. Another dish which seemed to find favour with the gentlemen, was com- posed of caviare spread on small delicate biscuits, and on the top of each, a fresh raddish nicely pre- pared. Ices were served in small bowls of Japanese lacquer work, and magnificent fruits concluded the repast. Afterwards we all adjourned to the garden, where, while sitting under the cocoa palms, with the rolling of the Pacific heard close to us, coffee and cigarettes were brought. The lovely warmth of the day, and the soft air made it very hard to realize that it was the middle of November. Truly, life in the tropics has charms of its own, when one thinks of the cold north-east blasts in contrast. Amongst the friends gathered at lun- SCENES IN HAWAII. 25 cheon that day were Mr. and Mrs. Lambert, whose splendid steam yacht was then in harbour, I believe then the largest afloat, and which naturally created great interest, though the " Sunbeam " had been a former visitor to Honolulu some years previously. Mr. Lambert's anecdotes were always amusing, and while listening to some of his stories, we were sud- denly aware of the presence of an old native woman crawling across the grass on her knees, holding a dish of freshly-caught fish of the most extra- ordinarily brilliant colours. They reminded me of some I had once seen in Bermuda, but these were even more wonderful in their opaline hues. The wizzened old creature held up the dish in front of the King, still crouching at his feet, and we all admired with the genuine admiration of strangers. At a nod from His Majesty, she fell almost flat on her chest and writhed (there is no other word to express her motions) out of the garden laughing and chattering to herself. The servants were all natives, and probably friends, who would see that the old woman did not go away unrewarded. In old times no one could approach a high chief except by crawling, and in addition, had to take the risk of finding him in good humour. If in a bad temper and the chief chose to move so 26 SCENES IN HAWAII, that his shadow fell on the person approaching, that person, be it he or she, became tabu, which signifies more than our word taboo, for once falling under tabu meant not only being shunned, but not allowed to touch anything belonging to others, and to live how they could, on what they could, apart from all. If the chief happened to be in a very bad humour he would order the tabued creature to be killed. Instant death followed such an order. Mr. Lambert had an artist friend with him on board the yacht who had wished to sketch some of these rainbow-colored fish, but I imagine the vivid hues would have faded before they could have been transferred to canvas. On taking our leave, the King said he was then going into the town to shew Mr. and Mrs. Lambert some ancient Hawaiian curiosities which were at the palace, and most kindly invited us to accom- pany them. We considered ourselves most fortunate, as now-a-days, unless in the houses of the high chiefs, one cannot see any good native work. Accordingly we drove back to the town behind His Majesty's carnage, and in a short time drew up in front of the lattice-worked verandah which we had seen on the day of the procession. The door, SCENES IN HAWAII. 27 as usual, opened at once into the drawing-room, and here were the cabinets containing the interesting relics of ancient Hawaii, and there was a goodly show indeed. Rolls of the finest tapa cloth, of which the dresses of both men and women used to be made, were unfolded for inspection This tapa is made by beating the fibres of certain bark into a pulp, by means of a heavy mallet of wood or stone on a large flat log, and when pulled and stretched to the desired thickness and width, the pulp is left to dry in the sun, and when in condition for it, is dyed various colours and patterns, some of which are most ingenious. Sometimes Grecian borders; wedge shaped figures ; round, square and triangular figures ; dots, crosses, fine lines and coarse ones ; red, black, fawn and yellow, were the favourite colours, which, no doubt were made from herbs and plants. The tapa is seldom or never made now, though in old days, the malos of the men, and skirts for the women were made of many folds of the cloth, as well as coverings of all kinds ; but that industry has passed away with the arrival of American and English prints and calicoes ; and the valleys resound no more to the tap-tap of the tapa mallet. We saw beautiful calab ishes ; bowls of elaborately carved cocoa-nut, shining like ebony, quantities of fragrant 28 SCENES IN HAWAII. sandal-wood. A perfect model of a native grass hut quite small, but most exact in each detail, was much admired, as were also the immense strings of tiny white shells, only found on Niihau, and which formed a lei to be worn by royalty. Massed together, these shells have a curious appearance, and we were told that when Queen Emma was presented to Her Brittannic Majesty, her enormous necklace of Niihau shells created quite a sensation. The great feather robe was also produced ; and it was indeed a wonder, as large as a counterpane, and made of millions of tiny gold coloured feathers, taken from a small black bird, called the Ooo, under the wings of which are found only two small yellow feathers. These feathers are woven into a fine kind of twine or fibrous lace work, one feather laid over the other, each feather only one inch long, and of the most brilliant gold colour imaginable. This robe had a broad border of sapphire blue satin, which threw the gold colour into high relief, the peculiar lustre being shown to great advantage. It was a most beautiful and wonderful piece of work > and no doubt took years to accomplish. The very, ancient cloak only worn by the Kammchame has SCENES IN HAWAII. 29 by the wish of the Queen Dowager been buried with the last king of direct descent from that line of chiefs. The value of this cloak is of course not estimable in money, as probably the secret of making them will be lost in years to come, and besides this, the little bird which used to be in such myriads in Hawaii, is fast disappearing before the ruthless gun of the sportsman. Another ornament of feathers was also interesting, though perhaps in another way ! This was a strip of the fibrous canvas of about two yards in length and perhaps eight inches wide, also covered with the gold feathers, but with a double border of bright crimson feathers ; and laid across the strip at regular intervals, were rows of shining human teeth ! It gave one an uncanny kind of shiver ! His Majesty hastened to tell us of the old custom of which this is a relic, of extracting the teeth from any chief after death on the battle-field, and thus preserving them as a sign of prowess, for posterity to gaze and wonder at. Perhaps for more reasons than one, as the teeth themselves were magnificent, as nearly all Hawaiian teeth are. 30 SCENES IN HAWAII. The tall Kahilis, or rods of white feathers with long handles of tortoiseshell, to be borne before the monarch on occasions of state, also were shown to us and after conveying our warmest thanks to Their Majesties for the kindness extended to us, we left the palace with a bright remembrance of one of the happiest days spent in Honolulu. I have before me now, a picture of the jubilee gift of the Queen of Hawaii, to Queen Victoria. It is a royal monogram of large size, formed of the lovely gold feathers of the Oo.>, surrounded by a wreath or border of gold and crimson feathers, the work of Queen Kapiolani's own hands. The monogram is mounted on royal blue plush, set in a frame of gold, with the Royal arms, and the arms of the Queen of Hawaii on either side. The outer border of blue is set with golden stars of eight points, representing the eight islands of the Sandwich group Above is the Royal Crown and cushion set with diamonds. Thousands of feathers were used in the manufacture of this gift ; which must have been interesting, even amongst that marvellous display witnessed by so many of Her Majesty's subjects during the jubilee exhibition. SCENES IX HAWAII. 31 CHAPTER III. The yacht " Wanderer." Mr. I amherts' invitation to Queen Kniina. Poi. Taro patches. Method of making poi. Method of eating it. Excellent food. Poi dogs. Taro flour. Chinese making poi. TT7HE visit of the steam yacht "Wanderer" was a source of great pleasure to the people of Honolulu. Mr. and Mrs. Lambert were most kind and hospitable in their invitations, one of which we were delighted to avail ourselves. To my inexper- ienced eyes, it was as much unlike a " yacht " as anything could well be ; everything in such stately order, and room for everything and everybody. We greatly admired the beauty and convenience of all the arrangements. The cabins were most charming little bedrooms, the saloon a most comfortable diningroom, while the upper saloon was like a veritable museum, on account of all the curiosities which had been collected from all quarters of the globe, and suspended at every angle conceivable from the walls and ceilings ; delightful seats every- where, and afternoon tea, made us feel very much at home indeed. The " Wanderer " was said at that time to be the largest steam yacht afloat, but even her capacities were overtaxed, when, on Mr. 32 SCENES IN HAWAII. Lambert kindly offering to convey Queen Emma to Hilo on Hawaii, Her Majesty graciously ac- cepting the courtesy, she sent word that she must bring a few attendants, and made her appearance with no less then eighteen followers in her suite ! However, a native can sleep anywhere, with no other provisions than a mat and a calabash of poi. This poi (pronounced with a short, sharp accent, indescribable to those who have not heard Hawaiian) is the staple food of the native, made from the root of the taro, I believe, a species of caladium, and which is grown in great quatities on all the islands. Anyone can see " patches " as they are always called, during a ride along the banks of any stream, or skirting a valley wherein the native loved to make his home. I say loved, for the once fertile valleys are now deserted, with only the traces of the terraces where, in the old days, the taro flourished in profusion. These terraces are often carried down the slope of a hill, so that a stream of water can, by an ingenious system of canals, be easily diverted from one to another, without any great exertion, a thing which the Hawaiian abhors with a holy horror. The root is planted from the stems with the young leaves, which are first put in mounds of rich, bog-like earth, and when the root has SCENES IN HAWAII. 33 formed, are transplanted into rows some inches apart, the water is then turned into the irrigating ditches, and the plants left till fit for use. A hill side covered with a succession of these taro patches is a fresh cool thing to look at, each patch being outlined by banks of grass, on which one can walk from one terrace to another. When ready for use the roots are pulled up bodily with the stems and leaves adhering, the young stalks being boiled as a vegetable called luau, and the old leaves form a nourishing food for the dearly beloved pig, which animal plays as important a part in a native household, as in that of a Paddy ! The taro root is boiled over the fire which, as a rule is made in a hole in the ground outside the house, and when soft enough to have the tough, fibrous skin pulled off is placed in a large wooden bowl, almost flat very like an ordinary mincing board ; generally hollowed out of one piece of wood. The natives, sometimes women, sometimes men, then take up their position on either side of the board, sitting a la Turque, each with a heavy stone mallet, and break up the smoking pile of roots into a thick, heavy paste, in which condition it is called pai-ai. Before it is to be eaten, it is stirred with the addition of cold water to the consistence of thick 34 SCENES IN HAWAII. sago, left to ferment for a few days, until it gets the sour taste supposed to be correct, and then put into calabashes, (perhaps one for the general table) and the whole family assemble to enjoy it. One often sees a circle seated on the ground near a hut, at all hours of the day, with a huge calabash of poi in the middle. Each native, man, woman or child, dips two fingers, (the more grimy the better) into the glutinous mass, and with a kind of double twist gather as much as possible, and throwing back the he d, the fingers are placed in the mouth, and the food sucked off them with immense gusto. I was anxious when I first went to the islands to witness the performance of eat- ing poi, but having once seen it, never cared to repeat the experiment. It was a horrible sight to strange eyes, though one must admit that the rapidity with which the whole thing is done, is indeed astounding. Poi has all the elements necessary to nourishment, and is often ordered to invalids as being remarkably easy of digestion. Many white people like it much, especially with salt fish or meat, but they, I need scarcely mention, eat it in a different manner to the native. Children consume quantities of poi mixed with milk and sugar. There is a kind of taro which is pink in SCEMES IN HAWAII. 35 colour, but which is kept for the king or high chief's use ; and a friend who travelled much on Hawaii with His Majesty, told us the poi produced from it was particularly delicate and good. The Hawaiians have also what are called Poi dogs, which are in appearence very much the same as small white French poodles, these are greatly petted, fed on nothing but poi, until they are of the desired age, and then horrible thought ! are eaten as a special delicacy, but I must say I never heard of one English visitor being induced to taste poi dog, unless mayhap, under false pretences ! There is now a manufactory for making flour from the taro, which it is claimed will make ex- cellent poi, as well as cake, bread and blanc-mange, but it is not so satisfying or nourishing as the food made from the root itself. Poi is made by the Chinese, and sold in all stages by them, a common sight in the streets of Honolulu being a Chinaman, in his queer, loose blue garments, legs bare from the knees, and a big straw hat, bearing on his shoulders a pole at either end of which, is suspended a five gallon kerosene tin can, filled with pai-ai or poi. which is retailed to the native who is too lazy to make his own food. Passing along the Chinese 36 SCENES IN HAWAII. quarters one day, I peeped in an open door, and there beheld two Chinamen, one'on either side of a huge tin bath, pounding away with all their might at poi, their yellow skins shining with the exer- tion, and very little clothing on ; the day was hot, and the little shop was hotter still, I shuddered, notwithstanding the heat, and did not envy the consumers of that poi ! .. One small taro patch will almost keep a native in food, the poi being generally made once a week ; the root is very good boiled or baked, and broken in pieces, is a mottled purple colour, and is a standard vegetable at almost every table in the islands. SCENES IN HAWAII. 37 CHAPTER IV. Voyage between Honolulu and Jlanai. Home at Rapaa. Arrival at Kilawee. " Wailele Hale." Garden there. -- Different Fruits. Mowers. Trees. Variety of colour in Landscape. after the festivities in honour of King Kalakua's return were over, we de- parted for Kauai, " The Garden Island," as it is called, where our plantation home was. The small, and then, most uncomfortable inter-island steamer left at about five in the afternoon, and we were on board the tossing little boat in good time to watch the curious scene about us. Any steamer leaving the wharf at Honolulu is a source of immense interest always to the natives ; they are very iond of travelling from one island to another, and invariably accompany their friends for a final leave-taking. The chattering and laughing is also mingled often with the shedding of tears and wailing, in both of which accomplishments the Hawaiian excels. They can command tears with- out any provocation, and it is a most curious sight to see two old women meet on a wharf, not having 213736 38 SCENES IN HAWAII. seen each other for some time. They will cry " Aloha " embrace in the fondest manner, and with a jerk of their Holokus (peculiar to them- selves, and not to be described in words alone), sit^ down in the dust a la Turque, throw their arms around each other's portly form, and forth- with begin a swaying motion, the tears pouring down their brown faces, with hats on the back of their heads from which the black hair streams, and wailing at intervals, with a long cry, low at the beginning, and getting louder and louder, till it finally sinks away to silence, only to be raised again immediately, in precisely' the same manner. After several minutes' duration the wailing would stop as suddenly as it had begun ; the tears dry up, and the much loved pipe, black, short and very dirty would make its appearauce. One of the friends would produce the rank, strong tobarco which is grown plentifully on the islands, fill and light up, take a whiff or two, and present it to the other, who would follow suit ; their countenances clear as if by magic, and presently the old ladies would rise, take each other by the hand, and march off together to see some mutual acquaintance, where in all probability the whole performance would be repeated. In travelling, they always take SCENES IN HAWAII. 39 their mats with them, and generally some gourds of poi. With these they are quite independent, and on getting on board they at once disappear behind the curtain of matting, which is supposed to divide the steerage from the cabin. If the weather be smooth, they will laugh, talk and chatter most of the night, in all likelihood playing cards, of which they are passionately fond. But, generally speak- ing, the passage is a rough one ; and being bad sailors, as a rule, the results are not, strictly speak- ing, pleasant. Cabin passengers are each given a narrow, clean mattress, and two pillows, to be placed on deck and one has to make the best of this scanty accommodation. Meals are served in the dark, musty little saloon below, but I never de- scended, even to explore these regions. One could take fruit, biscuits, etc., and thus be tolerably com- fortable. Very early the next morning we anchored some distance from the low shore, and between the steamer and wharf there appeared to me to be a very angry looking stretch of sea. Presently a large boat was brought to the side of the steamer, rowed by natives, and a little gangway was let down for the passengers to descend by. The Captain jumped in first, and as I grasped the ropes, 40 SCENES IN HAWAII. wondering if I should not drop into the sea instead of the boat, which was bobbing about far beneath me in a most uncomfortable, wobbling kind of fashion, I felt two strong arms seize me, and a voice saying, in a strong American accent, "Just leave yourself to me, and let go ! " which I immedi- ately did, and was deposited at once on a very rough wooden seat, with my feet far from the ground ! If one can use such an expression with regard to a boat ! The Captain remarked in a tone of satisfac- tion, " If the lady who sprained her foot last week in trying to help herself had done what you did and ' let go,' she would have been all right now." So my advice to unwary lady travellers is to " let go " when you are told. An old, rather stout lady, who had come on another occasion by the same steamer, happened to tell me that when she was hanging mid-way between the sea and boat, that the Captain remarked cheerfully, " Now, ma'am, you just leave go and skip ! " " But, Captain," she cried, "my skipping days are over." " Never mind, ma'am, you just skip, and I'll fix you ! " We danced over the surf into smooth water, and on landing found that a large rockaway with a pair of mules had been most kindly and thoughtfully sent to meet us by a friend, to convey us over SCENES IN HAWAII. 41 the fifteen miles which lay between us and our destination. But first we availed ourselves of a most hos- pitable invitation to take breakfast with Mrs. Dole, wife of the manager of Kapaa plantation, on which we now were. Their pretty home stood on a high hill, visible for miles about, and from the plateau in front of the house could be seen one of the finest views on the island. Mr. Dole, who had come with us from Honolulu, preceded us by a short cut, a bridle path, up which he rode, and we followed more slowly by a road which wound gradually up to the house itself, and at the door stood Mrs. Dole to welcome us. Such a bonnie sweet face, with the loveliest golden brown hair and fair complexion, which shewed no traces of the hot sun and salt winds, to which she had been accustomed all her life. The house was a large one with a huge verandah running round three sides, one big sitting room the width of the house, opening at once at both ends on the verandah, and a dining room in the same way ; beyond the sitting rooms were bed- rooms, some opening only on to the verandah ; the kitchens were a little beyond the house, as is the case almost universally ; and a few hundred yards away were a couple of tiny cottages, each with one 42 SCENES IN HAWAII. room a dressing room and a verandah. These cottage rooms are generally kept for visitors, and a most sensible fashion, (when so many houses are built on one floor), thus ensuring peaceful solitude, if wished, for one's island friends. Mr. Dole's hospitable table was a picture to be remembered ; the fine, stalwart figure and kind face of the master of the house, the sweet, fresh looks of the wife, and no less than eight blooming young faces gathered round. We were very hungry and did full justice to the good fare, with appetites sharpened by the see breezes, and in less than an hour afterwards we had said good-bye to our friends and were on our way to Kilauea. But many a pleasant day did I spend afterwards with them. Nothing could exceed the true kindness with which we were treated at that house, and I think we all felt a bitter pang when we finally said farewell. The drive from Kapaa was a very beautiful one, though very tiring, from the number of hills to be surmounted, or, as they say in Hawaii, " gulches crossed." The mules galloped up and down hill and walked on the level, a mode of travel remark- able to my unused eyes. Fording was another SCENES IN HAWAII. 43 experience, not pleasant ; the water apparently going one way and you striving for another is not the most delightful sensation ; however, we con- quered all obstacles, and the day was still young when we turned in at a wooden gate, which was surmounted by an arch of evergreens as a welcome. I saw several flags flying from different par^ of the plantation, also in our honour, and in a few minutes we passed under another arch and drew up in front of " Wailele Cottage," or " Wailele Hale," as the natives called it, meaning "House by the Water- fall." The house was most beautifully situated, almost on the brink overlooking the Kilauea River, which rushed down from the lovely fall just above the house. The river was very wide just opposite the side verandah, and looking down the high bank the ferns and foliage were in lovely profusion. In the marshy land across the river, at the foot of the bank was a splendid grove of bannanas, of an especially good kind, and many a feast did we have fPom them. The verandahs were soon covered with creepers ; passion flowers of a deep purple colour grew in wild 44 SCENES IN HAWAII. luxuriance, as also honey suckle and begonia. vanus- ta, the last a most gorgeous climber, bearing blos- soms of a deep gold colour. A hedge of scented ge- ranium ran up on each side of the pathway to the gate ; double scarlet geraniums with enormous blossoms, pink begonias, oleanders all flourished ; a bed of variegated caladium marked a damp corner ; shrubs of scarlet hibiscus, and clumps of the Australian castor oil trees made bits of colour, and handsome stalks of sunflowers stood up in all their glory. Tuberoses grew beautifully, mari- golds of every shade of yellow ; and balsams, which were unwittingly planted, grew in such pro- lific quantities that we had to have a periodical rooting up ; also vincas ; some cocoa palms from Tahiti, the nuts given to us by a friend, and a tiny grove of orange trees soon promised well. A large tree of mangoes gave delicious fruit, and a huge grove of Oheas gave us the cool juicy moun- tain apples. At a distance of about two miles was a capital grove of lime trees, and one of the favourite expe- ditions was a visit to the grove, on horseback, well armed with saddle-bags. Arrived there, or rather as close to the valley, in SCENES IN HAWAII. 45 which the grove was, as we could get, we would dismount, scramble down the hill, whereon grew several fine bread-fruit trees, and after many struggles with the thorn-covered branches of the lime trees, we would emerge, victorious, and laden with the green and golden spoil. The limes were quite as good as lemons, and if they had been left to attain full growth would, no doubt, have been as large, but the Portuguese labourers liked them as well as we did, with the lamentable result that after a fine Sunday or public holiday (of which there were many) we would find that our favourite grove had been well ransacked. Guavas grew in quantities also close to our home ; they are a lovely fruit to look at with their golden skin, and when opened disclose a brilliant pink colour with dozens of seeds packed close together. There are different varieties, some soft and sweet, some sharply acid, and again others, called the strawberry guava, from its resemblance in flavour to that fruit. The guava grows on a shrub of varying height, bearing fruit when very small ; the leaf not unlike a birch; and the blossom white, with a scent and appearance akin to the syringa. 46 SCENES IN HAWAII. Excellent jelly And marmalade arc made from guavas, as well as other dishes. I well remember a good planter of Mauai telling me his wife had sent one hundred pounds of guava jelly, of her own making, to her people in Norway as a Christmas present, not a cheap one either, as the express, etc., was $1.00 a pound. The papaia tree is another well-known in Kauai, and we had a number of our own planting. This tree has several good qualities to recommend it in a tropical climate. It grows with astonishing rapi- dity, a plant from seed shooting up in a few months to a full-grown tree ; the leaves which are long, with curiously cut-out edges, grow from the tops, gathering themselves together and springing out in form not unlike an umbrella tree, with the fruit hanging in a great clump immediately beneath. The latter vary in size, the largest being that of an ordinary melon, with a smooth hard skin, and slightly pear-shaped. As the fruit gets a slightly yellow colour, it is picked and in a few days is fit for use. When cut open in the middle, the two halves are found full of small round seeds, which are carefully removed, leaving about an inch of the yellow flesh, and when these hollows SCENES IN HAWAII. 47 are filled with sugar and lime juice, and baked, the dish is a most appetizing one, and one which never failed to find favour with our friends. The toughest meat if wrapped in the papaia leaves will become tender after such treatment, and a valuable medicine is made from the fruit itself, which alone has an anti-scorbutic effect. Aligator pears have a great attraction for many, these have a tough greenish brown skin, and the soft white meat is taken out and spread on bread, eaten with salt and pepper. Hawaiian oranges are delicious, and a kind German having given us permission to invade his kuliana, or vegetable and fruit garden, we drove over to it, to find orange trees of enormous height, with their golden fruit lying in heaps which we les- sened considerably ; they grow wild in many parts of the islands and bear in profusion. And, can anyone imagine anything much more poetic in idea, or delicious in flavour, than honey made from orange blossoms ? A friend told me that at certain times of the year, the bees used to gather their material from the orange groves on her father's ranche, and that honey was always known as the " orange-blossom honey," most idyllic, that ! The 48 . SCENES IN HAWAII. bread fruit tree ( I wonder why bread fruit ? As unlike that staple production of northern climes as anything can well be!) is a very fine, handsome tree, with large irregular leaves growing in bunches, and the round, knotty fruit growing singly. It must be picked in a certain condition of ripeness to "be eaten, as if left until it is yellow, it falls to the ground to be found quite decayed. So when it is desired for the table, a native or South Sea Islander is sent on a climbing expedition, and soon discovers one with the proper greenish yellow hue, a hole is cut in the rind to the required depth, and filled with salt ; it is then baked, in the coals if possible, and broken into rough pieces when dished. To my taste it was anything but nice, and in fact I thought I had by mistake got on my plate some bad sweet potatoes once, when dining at a friends, and naturally said nothing of it, when I heard my neighbor remark to our hostess, " Well ! I do think that is the very nicest bread fruit I ever tasted ! " All my ideas anent the bread fruit in the " Swiss Family Robinson," were im- mediately put to flight, and I never cared to repeat the experiment. SCENES IN HAWAII. 49 Everything nearly grows almost without care and culture, and a small amount of trouble will repay the flower and fern lover in a marvellous fashion. A few tea boxes filled with fern roots made a lovely window garden, and for months they flourished, throwing out fresh fronds as the old ones decayed. The tree ferns in the damp depths of the mountain forest were a wonderful sight, the golden brown vicing with the brilliant green of the great drooping fronds ; and one day a Chinaman brought me a most curious plant, which grows parasite- fashion around the forest trees. The stalk was long with rings around it. A huge scarlet cup of a very brillant colour, had long drooping edges, which seemed to fade off into a pale green, the tips being quite eighteen inches in length, inside the cup were three enormous brown stamen, as large as the very biggest cigar, and much the same in appearance ; it was a very curious and beauti- ful plant. A native told me it was called the ii (ee-ee), and only grew in warm, damp places. The only tree which to me had a familiar look, were some tall, thin tapering yews, or what were very like them ; at the foot of a steep bank close 50 SCENES IN HAWAII. to Wailele were three of these trees planted close together, by an early settler, and their churchyard appearance was more evident, when I discoveerd that there were in olden days two graves on that spot. Certainly the luxuriance and variety of vege- tation is forcibly suggested by the varying tints of green in a Hawaiian view. I remember Miss Bird speaking of this in her " Six months in the Sandwich Islands," and fully agree with all she says as to the extreme beauty of the foliage there, though perhaps no colour but green may be seen for miles. The ragged always ragged leaves of the banana have a deep green, slightly yellowish tint; the cocoanut palm has even more yellow in its feathery tops; the Ohia, or mountain apple, has the rich green of an oak, the maille> mangoe, and lime trees the same ; while the kukui is a light, almost pea-green colour. The pauhala or cauJiala (co-ha-la) is, while a sapling very like a young aloe, the leaves being long, pointed, and of two shades of green ; in growing it assumes a curious shape, the main trunk throwing out strag- gling branches and clumps of leaves, each clump, like a separate plant, growing at the ends of these strange-looking arms ; at a distance they are very SCENES IN HAWAII. 51 tropical in appearance. The koa is an ugly tree, but the wood is beautiful in appearance, and is much prized for furniture. At one time sandal wood was found in great quantities in the Islands, but from sheer carelessness the tree has almost disappeared. The magnolia is especially admired from its lovely white blossoms, set like ivory jars among the thick glossy leaves of deep shining green. 52 SCENES IN HAWAII. CHAPTER V. Servants ! Chinese Family. Mary Mahoi. Ah Sam and his Pretty Bride. Portugese. Da Souza. German Servants. Ah See and his Antics. Chinese New Year. " Salt Eggs."- Opium Smoking. Hing Hoi and his Music ! Sin Fat. Chinese Gamblers. Theives. Scribblings Decorations. Japanese Servants. T")O question now-a-days raises much more inter- est in a household than that of Servants ! Even in the most civilized countries one has to confront this, to the mistress of the house, important problem and consider the best way of solving it. How much more then must the stranger, accus- tomed to the comfort of the modern " Registry Office for Servants," feel the weight of this ques- tion on arriving in a far off land like Hawaii ! where, except in the capital, Honolulu, one must take what is presented, and be thankful if patience and temper will alike hold out during the weary work of training a new : ' harid " or " help " as the servants were often called ; ignorant of each other's language even ; and the knowledge that the mere necessaries of every day comfort must seem to those SCENES IN HAWAII. 53 to be taught, the most uncalled for and absurd superfluities of existence. The large number of Chinese in the Islands, and the almost impossibility of making the natives into the most ordinary domestics, render it generally the best thing to do, to employ Chinamen alto- gether, inside and outside the house. On my first arrival at our house I found a family of Chinese Christians had been provided for my comfort ; they were considered a wonderfully lucky chance, and had been living in a very small bachelor household for some months in the hope of proving thoroughly competent servants, which hope, however, was soon dashed to the ground. The family consisted of one old woman, who was supposed to look after the poultry, her daughter, engaged as genaral indoor servant, and her hus- band, who was cook, also their two small children. They all lived in two rooms outside the house, and thought a great deal of themselves, as they were " Christians," the younger woman having been brought up by the family of the Anglican Bishop of Demerara, from whence they had come to Hawaii. Ting was the name of the man, Emily that of 54 SCENKS IN HAWAII. his wife, and I never heard what name the old woman went by ; Ting appeared delighted to see me, laughing and nodding a great deal ; Emily likewise beamed on me, and the grandmother kept in the distance with the two children clinging to her, grinning a friendly welcome. The two women were clad in the short full trousers and long jacket made of dark blue linen, fastened with tiny round buttons, common to all ordinary classes of Chinese women ; the old woman had a blue cloth covering disposed in folds on her head and falling about her face, but Emily's black locks were arranged in a most complicated coiffure, held together by long silver pins and a big comb. Both women had bare feet and wore silver or metal bangles on their arms. Ting was an excellent cook like many of his race, and could make most appetizing dishes out of almost nothing, but his kitchen was best beheld from a distance ! Emily was both lazy and im- pertinent, flatly refusing to do any work at all after two o'clock, and in a few days we found out that they had been merely making use of the house given to them, and had been making their own arrangements to go off as soon as they found they SCENES IN HAWAII. 55 could not do exactly as they liked ; so we parted with no very kind feelings, and so ended our one experience of Christian Chinese, Christian only in name, I fear. I had profuse offers of help from the daughter of the native minister, Mary Mahoi by name, a tall, stout girl with a very black face and quantities of frizzy black hair ; she bore a good character, and I thought I would try and make a servant out of her ; so I tried and, like many others, failed in the attempt. She agreed to come at eight o'clock every morning and stay as long as I wanted her. At the first visit to arrange matters, Mary sat, I should say, for quite two hours looking at me, and saying at intervals in a funny kind of " coaxing way," " I'm awful glad to come and help you ; " my ignorance of the custom of being often obliged to tell a native visitor that it was time to go, pre- venting me from doing what I thought might hurt the girl's feelings, and I was only relieved from my post by the entrance of some one who was more familiar with Hawaiian etiquette. For the first three days Mary appeared punctually, and my hopes ran high ; the fourth morning she did not come till ten o'clock ; the fifth her mother sent for 56 SCENES IN HAWAII. her long before her work was done, and after that, the novelty of her situation having worn . off, her days were scattered over broad intervals, and I was obliged to own that native " help " was beyond me ! Mary would go off to a wood close by and make long wreathes of ferns and flowers and I would find them disposed gracefully about the table and over the toilet glass. One day when I was in what is called in Island parlance a " great pilikia," meaning trouble of any description, the Chinese cook having run off, Mary promised, in answer to my pathetic appeals, that she would come without fail ; but not a bit of it ; she never appeared until three days afterwards, when I saw her in a dirty holoku and bare feet, coming in the back verandah looking very sheepish, and on my asking her the reason of her non-appearance, she replied her " mother had company ; " evidently their com- pany was of infinitely more importance than my wishes, so I gave up the idea for ever of being able to implant the word "duty " in that direction, though Mary and I were always great friends, and she wept freely when I told her we were going away. I took great interest in her, giving her books to read and neat articles of attire to put on her fat person, with- out much effect, however, as all her pocket money SCENES IN HAWAII. 57 went in silver bangles, rings, etc., which she always brought to shew me. One day I met her walking up the plantation holding a large parasol over her head, which was extremely funny, as the sun does not exist that a native cannot enjoy with impunity. Every few months Mary used to bring one or two hats for the gentlemen, made by herself from the tassel of the sugar cane, and very light and nice they were. She had two sisters married to white men, mechanics, and was very anxious to be the bride of another herself, but I fear her wish was never realized. Many native women do marry white men, but the custom is not so frequent now as it was some time ago. Chinamen also marry native wives, and are generally very good to them, giving them ser- vants, horses and all necessaries of comfort to Hawaiians, poi, fish, etc. A Chinaman who had a large " store " a few miles from Kilauea, wherein he did a large trade in the dearly loved forbidden fruit of the native, viz., whiskey and gin, married an extremely pretty half-white girl who was known as " Carry," and Mary came one day to tell me of the festivities which were to celebrate the wedding. The young lady was to be married at her future 58 SCENES IN HAWAII. home, and the bridegroom was to give a right royal feast, for which the most extensive prepara- tions were being made ; a pavilion, or lanai as it is called, was erected for the ceremony, and vast quantities of roast pig, fish, cooked and uncooked, sweet potatoes, poi, all the delicacies known were to be displayed. Mary's father was to officiate in the Hawaiian language, as Chinese nearly all speak that tongue as well as their own lingo. " And what will Carry wear, Mary ? " " Oh, a beautiful white satin holoku trimmed with white lace, and a long train, all tied back like the Alii's (white chief's) dress." " Dear me," I said, knowing the high prices asked for the simplest, dress, " and how much will she pay for it ? " " Eighty dollars, ma'am," said Mary, "and Carry has got a black silk holoku and a red one." " Why, a regular trousseau," I said. " Has Carry got a lot of money ? " " No, ma'am," said Mary, grinning to shew all her big white teeth ; " Ah Sam (the Chinaman) he give it all." " What, before he marries," I cried. " Yes, ma'am," said Mary, chuckling greatly at my aston- ishment, " and Ah Sam he give all the luau too, and he have Carry's father and mother to live with him, SCENES IN HAWAII. 59 too." An accommodating husband, I thought ; for I had seen Carry's mamma, who was a huge, fine- looking native, not one who would be very likely to do very much for herself or anyone else. Carry was quite a picture, as we would meet her riding in a deep Mexican saddle, wearing a bright crimson holoku, a straw hat wreathed with flowers, perched on the top of a small, well shaped head, and a big lei of leaves round her shoulders. She was a very haughty looking damsel, and very rarely vouch- safed a smile in return for our aloha. Ah Sam was not an ideal bridegroom in his appearance, being fat and greasy, wearing his hair cut in a fringe on his forehead and a long queue. He sent me a present of some chickens at the time of the wedding (probably repaying himself' from my poultry yard.) Mary having failed us so lamentably, I was obliged to revert to the services of Chinese, and many odd experiences we had. Portuguese make good servants when trained, but there are not enough of them, and they were good labourers in the field, so my trials of that nation were few. A man called Manuel da Souza, and his wife Jivita were bright examples of thrift, honesty and cleanliness. I taught Souza easily so that he 60 SCENES IN HAWAII. became a most excellent, faithful servitor to the time of our departure, filling up the gaps left by the many Chinamen, (who would run away at a moment's notice) with the utmost cheerfulness. Victorina was a Portuguese of immense size and strength, and would come and help me when- ever asked, and has often sent messages through Souza, (from whom we have heard more than once) to the " Signora." Again, a German woman, Dorotea, was a capital servant, and she was very loth to leave us, but her husband was determined to try his fortune in New Zealand, so with many tears on Dorotea's part she had to go with him. After Ting and his 'family had departed, our next experiment was " Charlie," a raw hand out of the fields, but he wished to go back to the field work soon He spoke very broken English, and when he had to go off to the baker on the planta- tion, would always tell me he " was going to get bled ! " Ah See followed him, and was with us nearly a year. A most excellent servant was Ah See, a funny-looking little fellow, very quick and active SCENES IN HAWAII. 61 and cooking the plain food attainable, in such a way as to be really delicious at times. He had a keen sense of the ridiculous, and I was always in doubt as to whether the mistake he made in his cooking one evening was done on pur- pose, or as a bit of fun on his part to provoke us. We were expecting two strangers to dine with us, and as on these occasions, one has frequently to depend on what Americans call " canned goods," I told Ah See to open a tin of curried fowl and serve it with the rice, which only a Chinaman can cook properly. These curries were always in tins covered with green paper, and Ah See knew their appearance perfectly. In the storeroom on another shelf I had put away some half dozen of " cherry tooth paste" which compound was much affected by one of the members of our household. These were white china pots, as unlike the tins of curry as could well be imagined. Our friends arrived, and the inevitable beef hav- ing been removed, I was thinking the curry would be an agreeable change, and was pleased at the appearance it presented, when Ah See brought the dish in, with the limes and chutney all de rigueur, and put it down with a grand flourish, and then 62 SCENES IN HAWAII. stood beside his master's chair, with his usual demure look of attention. I was talking at the time the plate was put before me, and at first did not notice anything peculiar, but on tasting, oh, horrors ! the first mouthful, it was evident some- thing was wrong. I turned the mass over, and looked at it again and suddenly found what ? " Cherry tooth paste ! " I said with a gasp, " Ah See, what did you take the curry out of?" He made a kind of jump to the door, which opened on the verandah, rushed into the kitchen, and brought back the empty china pot ! "Yes Missee, yes Missee, you see cully all the same " his face distorted by the true Chinese grin, quite charmed at his own handiwork. We felt sure Ah See meant the whole thing as a delightful practical joke, though he would not allow it, but the expression of his face I shall never for- get. There was nothing to do, of course, but to scold and laugh our friends joining in heartily. New Year is the great Chinese festival. It begins with the first moon in January, and every one who employs Chinese is obliged to give in to the universal custom, and allow their servants to go off for three days at least. SCENES IN HAWAII. 63 One day, the first of the festival, Ah See made his appearance dressed in the most ultra fashion- able way. Someone had given him a white linen waistcoat which he had carefully buttoned over the white full coat usually worn by Chinamen ; on top of this he had a wadded garment of blue silk with large sleeves ; white trousers much too long for him, were turned up in several folds above his ankles, displaying the heavy shoes of embroidered felt ; his head well shaved, and his queue \vrapped neatly round it. But to crown the toilet he had got somewhere a very high stiff collar which he was endeavouring to fasten on a refractory button ; having at last succeeded, he displayed himself with pride, shewing also a large silver locket which dangled at a long chain, at his waistcoat, and strutting round like a small bantam, he assured me he was, " Alice same as Melican man ! J' and went off beaming with complacency. One day he brought me a small lacquer work-bo* containing some eggs which had a very queer look, almost blue white, and on taking one up I found it quite solid. Ah See said they were " Salt eggs," and " welly good." I gave them back, and that even- ing the whole house was pervaded with a most awful odour, horrible ! Ah See had been eating 64 SCENES IN HAWAII. these salt eggs, which were nothing more or less than putrid ! The rest of the offensive articles were confiscated and thrown into the river at once, amidst waitings and tears from the little wretch. , We found that Ah See was gradually be- coming an opium smoker, and one night finding him trucked up in bed smoking inside his mos- quito curtains his master took possession of the long wooden pipe and tin of opium ; he entreated to have the pipe returned, saying, " He was welly much flight one Chinaman killee him if he no give pipe back," and finally, finding his lamenta- tions of no effect, he brought me three silver dollars and begged me to take them, buy some cigars for the master as a bribe, and, " Then, Missee, you give him cigars, he give me back pipe 1 " At last, however, Ah See became such a victim to the opium, that we were obliged to have him sent to prison, but, on his trial by the native judge, was acquitted, as he bribed both Judge and lawyer alike, though the pipe was produced in- Court as it had been found in his possession. Opium is the great curse of the Chinese they SCENES IN HAWAII. 65 lose their health, are unable to attend to their work or business, but still the drug has such a fascination for them that they cannot give it up. I have seen them with their faces the colour and appearance of parchment, their eyes heavy and dull, their hands trembling, and yet the perni- cious habit is so strong that they are unable to avoid it. The opium in the smoking state is like a thick black paste, with a heavy, sickly smell. This is lighted in a huge wooden pipe with a long stem and deep bowl ; a few whiffs are enough to pro- duce the stupor neccessary to the smoker's enjoy- ment. Ah See, was, apparently, something of a fire-wor- shipper, as one morning, when a Chinese feast was in progress on the plantation, we heard a tremen- dous cracking and fizzing, and on going out to enquire into the cause of the noise we found he had lighted two bundles of fire-crackers, which were going off in every direction, and Ah See, with his hands up to his forehead, was bowing and grim- macing to the crackers, as though they were so many spirits, and muttering what I supposed were charms against evil. 5 ' 66 SCENES IN HAWAII. One servant we had, Hing Hoy by name, used to employ all his leisure moments twanging on a musical instrument with absolutely no tune what- ever in it, but that appeared to make no difference to his enjoyment. The last one was Sin Fat, a most excellent, clever servant, but a great thief, and with no regard whatever for the truth. He ran away one night, having bundled up all his belongings while we were at dinner, and, throwing them out of the window, he walked off and no policeman or sheriff, white man or native, could be induced to take the trouble to arrest him, though we knew he was on the plan- tation ; so we came to the conclusion, unwillingly, that his bribes had been especially tempting. With Chinese servants one has to conform to the custom of letting them have at least two or three hours to themselves every day, and these recreations are frequently employed in gambling. Chinamen are inveterate gamblers, and coming through the quarters on a pay day the clink of silver dollars can be heard all over, with the inces- sant cackle of the voices, as Chinamen always talk together ; they will gamble anything, clothes, trinkets, wages anything they can get hold of. SCENES IN 11AWAII. 67 They are also great thieves, anything in the shape of gold or diver is quite irresistible to them. Sin Fat was left in charge once during our absence of some weeks, and everything was found in perfect order on our return ; but a day or two afterwards a lamp, clock, and mincing machine disappeared out of the kitchen ; Sin Fat declaring that '* Some man, he come at night, and stealee him," and always thereafter, made a great show of locking the kitchen door, which was a precaution hitherto deemed quite unnecessary. We always put Sin Fat himself down as the thief, as he imagined himself free from suspicion ; but, I fear it was a case literally, of locking the stable after the horse had gone. A friend of ours had a Chinaman called Tarn, whom he thought all the world of, but he was sent away for opium smoking, and coming back one day when he knew the family were at dinner, he broke open a desk and stole a number of bank notes. Tarn was arrested and searched, but nothing found, till his master noticing a look of anxiety in his face when they took up an under garment to shake again, said, " rip it open," which was accord- ingly done, and the money found neatly sewn into 68 SCENES IN HAWAII. the folds of the waistcoat, so Tarn was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. They have a curious custom when leaving a place, to write in their queer hieroglyphics on a door, or perhaps the wall, any hints with regard to the habits of the family, they think may be of use to their successors ; and it is as well to look well about before engaging a new servant, for these treacherous scribblings. During the New Year they have processions to honour their saints, and on the plantation their joss houses are trimmed up with long lines of small flags of every hue hung on top of the roofs ; the smell of pork cooking is savoury on the air, and the shop keepers have open houses for the three days. Those with whom you deal invariably bring offer- ings of the best they have ; thus, the Chinaman who had the plantation u store," Kong Lung by name, sent us always a ham, a big box of licJies (a kind of soft nut very sweet and nice), a bottle of vile brandy, jars of ginger, sometimes a caddy of tea, silk handkerchiefs and quantities of dried fruits. They also grow plants of narcissus so as to have them in bloom at that time, and the china pots and S( KNKS IN HAWAII. 69 dishes full of the yellow and white flowers, look very sweet and fresh. Cards arc exchanged then, too, being in the form of extraordinary black signs on slips of pink paper, which are sometimes pasted on the doors as well. Huge coloured lanterns, several feet in circum fcrence, hang in their verandahs, and all day, and sometimes all night, will be heard the twang of their favourite musical instrument, a cross between a banjo and a guitar, which has literally no music in it, but which seems to furnish an unending source of amusement. Woe to the unlucky ones who have the pleasure of owning a poultry yard, as for weeks before the New Year they are infested with human foxes in the shape of Chinamen, who do their best to denude the roosts, to furnish their tables with good cheer for their festival. Japanese have made their way well in Hawaii lately, and are extremely liked as domestic ser- vants. The women look very grotesque walking on their high clogs ; dressed in queer, bunched up, 70 SCENES IN HAWAII. narrow garments, wrapped tightly round them, and most awkward for moving about in ; but they are very clean, very clever, and most courteous in their manner, always doffing their caps when they meet a stranger, with a beaming smile. Their living rooms always contain a large platform about eight inches in height, and on these they sleep, eat, and sit. Enormous pots of hot water are always seen near their houses, for their daily ablutions, which they do not mind in the least, performing in public. SCENES IN HAWAII. 71 CHAPTER VI. Rides and drives about Kilauea. Kalikiwai Valley. Valley of Hanalei. - After glow of Sunset. Swarm of Red Fish. Death of the last of the Kanimehamahas Queen Emma. CTOME of the rides and drives about our planta- tion home on the Island of Kauai (Kow-why), which was about one hundred miles by sea from Honolulu, were beautiful in the extreme, so diverse in their beauty that we never got tired of them, but always found fresh loveliness to look on and to remember. Two especially were always attractive for ourselves and visitors, and many a delightful day we had taking our friends to the valleys of Kalihiwai (Kalee-hee-why)and Hanalei (Hannalay). In the first named valley lived our Chinese friend, Ah Sam, who had married the half-white Carry, and who proved such an extremely generous husband. His house was quite down in the valley, through which ran a river, meandering quietly to the sea ; it was deep at its mouth, but at certain times was fordable just before it. curved down to the ocean. Ah Sam's house was close to the river, 72 SCENES IN HAWAII. and on the opposite bank another Celestial had taken up his abode (both kept illicit grgg shops), also with the intention of sellirig spirits, and it was said that signals could be given and returned if by any chance the sheriff and his officers were seen coming one way or the other ; and thus prevent trouble, as, of course, neither of these charming law-breakers had a license to sell anything like whiskey or gin, in which latter beverage truly the soul of the native delighteth. The road down which we wended our way, per- haps on horseback, perhaps in a pony phaeton drawn by a stout little mule, most sure-footed of animals, was very steep, cut out of the side of a high hill, a bank of rock covered with ferns and moss, and streams babbling down like miniature falls, on one hand, and on the other, the sea rolling into a curved sandy beach, which formed the mouth of the valley. At the foot of the road was a stretch of green turf, of a thick, soft, reed-like grass, called Mainanea, which grew most luxuriantly near the sea, and was capital pasture for horses and cattle, extending a short distance with a few native houses scattered about, each almost buried in creepers and mango groves. Having passed these, the ford was SCENES IN HAWAII. 73 reached, and a dilapidated old ferry was supposed to be in readiness for passengers, though I can safely say, I never knew it to be on the side one wished. At times the river was easy enough to cross on horseback, but at others the current was very stiff to encounter, and the water deep. I have often watched natives urge their horses in, and have seen them sink deeper and deeper, till at length the horse would be swimming, with the man or woman rest- ing their feet on the horse's neck, finally getting them as high as the animal's ears, sitting perfectly at ease, and probably urging the poor creature into a canter immediately on landing. When we drove to the ferry, the natives were intensely interested in helping to unharness the mule, and roll the carriage by means of two boards laid for the wheels, from the edge of the shore to the ferry, laughing and chatting at the top of their voices, probably accompanying us to the opposite bank, where the performance was repeated. Our little Canadian-built phaeton, four-wheeled and without a covered top, was always a source of curiosity to the natives, and great was their astonish- ment, as was that of our white friends, when we afterwards made the tour of Kauai in it, up hill, down almost precipices, along the rocky sea-shore, 74 SCENES IN HAWAII. 1 20 miles in all a most delightful experience Kalihiwai, bathed in sunshine, was a lovely picture, the mountains throwing their shadows of purple and blue down the valley, and bringing out the delicate tints of the rice patches grown by the China- men, and finally ending in a glittering water-fall, like a stream of silver, which came rushing down the rocks at the extreme head of the valley, making a vista for the eye to rest upon never to be forgot- ten, the wonderful tints of green in the thick foliage contrasting with a creeper of surpassing beauty, which bore an enormous white bell-like flower, the sweet heavy scent of which filled the air for some distance Mounting a steep hill, which rose abruptly out of the valley, a little way from the river (always a very hot part of the expedition), one can see the lovely little valley at one's feet, with the sea beyond, glow- ing in the sun ; and when at the top of the hill, the salt breeze comes cool and refreshing. The road was very good, and one could canter, or trot on quickly, with the sea on one hand, and the glorious mountains on the other, across level plains, with herds of cattle grazing quietly, only lifting their heads and staring, apparently, in astonishment at SCENES IN HAWAII. 75 the strange-looking vehicle passing. In one place the road made a dip into a hollow, going over a river, which rushed down there into a quiet, deep pool, fringed with ferns and ohia trees, and after- wards found its way into Kalihiwai. Soon, the plains began to show signs of life, .with a glimpse of sugar-cane fields, and presently we were on the edge of the Valley of Hanalei. The natives have a saying, to express the beauty of the far-famed valley, "See Hanalei, and die;" and one cannot wonder at their admiration of such a lovely spot. We left the road, and walked a few steps beyond, where there is a rough sign board nailed on an old tree stump, and painted in rude letters, " Crow's Nest," attached to which there is a melancholy interest from the fact that Lady Franklin used to spend hours sitting there, looking with, doubtless, sad and wistful eyes for the arrival of the then numerous whaling ships which she hoped might bring tidings from the far North of her gallant and ill-fated husband. Lady Franklin wished much to have a native Anglican Church built on this very plateau, and, I believe, bought the ground and gave it for that purpose, but the church was never built ; still the interest of the story remains, and it must always be a true one. 76 SCENES IN HAWAII. A small plateau ran out a little further, and from there we gazed on the picture before us. A very large valley lay at our feet, with a broad river wind- ing through it down to the sea. On the left, or Mauka side, the grand mountains, lifting -their heights up till lost in the clouds of mist which rest- ed like snow-wreaths on their deep shadows ; the rice plantations, with tender green, below us, min- gled with the purple tassels of the sugar-cane ; the picturesque white and green houses, with broad verandahs and roofs all in one ; the barges drifting slowly down the river, laden with the cane to get ready for the mill, which stood almost in the centre of the valley ; the brilliant sunshine, bathing the masses of foliage on either side of the river in light ; the planter's homestead, half-way down the hill, almost buried in flowers and shrubs of every hue; and the broad Pacific beyond all, made up the most wonderfully beautiful view imaginable, scarcely perhaps to be excelled. Unlike Kalihiwai, which is seen first from its mouth, Hanalei is approached from the head, making the effect perhaps more intense by one's being able to see it more suddenly. On a bright day, when the mists had lifted, countless streams could be seen, like silver threads, on the purple sides of the mountains, which added SCENES IN HAWAII. 77 much to the beauty of the view. After gazing for a long time at the picture before us, we drove for a short distance on the level, and then were able to descend to the river by a broad road, where we could drive for a long distance, and crossing a hand- some bridge, could see the fine cane, which in all stages of its growth is a singularly beautiful crop. Down in the damp warmth of the valley it was most luxuriant, as the high trade winds which at times laid the fields of cane on the plains low in the red dust, which forms such a feature in Kauai landscape, were unable to reach the deep shelter of the valley. A great deal of rice also was grown by China- men in the valley, and when the grain was almost ready to gather in, it was of a deep golden colour, and the noise made by the owners to drive the little rice-birds away from their favourite food was deafening. Tin cans tied to a revolving pole, bang- ing unceasingly in the breeze, was considered a valuable mode of warfare ; added to this, guns were fired incessantly, and loud cries uttered by the watchful Chinamen, who began their work at dawn and carried it on without intermission till the sun went down, when for a few short hours they were 78 SCENES IN HAWAII. able to sleep without fear of the rapacious little destroyer undoing their labour of months. A sunset at Hanalei was wonderfully beautiful, as it sank gradually into the depths of the ocean, the valley's mouth being due west ; and at the time of the Java eruption the after-glow extended for miles over the country. The first time we saw it we were six miles away from Hanalei, and could see only the ridge of mountains which hid it from our view. We thought the deep red glare must mean that there was some terrible conflagration on the plantation, and were immensely relieved to find that that terror of the planter, fire, was not the cause; but our friends told us that as they watched the crimson glow flooding the sea and mountains with colour, they were equally sure that Honolulu itself must be entirely in flames. It lasted for days, almost weeks, and the natives were terror-stricken, believing that some terrible judgment must be coming on them ; but as days went on, and no harm did approach, they, with characteristic indifference, forgot all about the freak of nature. The native superstition is very great, as no doubt all aboriginal superstition must be; but there is one thing which one must say so from personal SCENES IN HAWAII. 79 experience on our own part is most extraordinary, and I can imagine that some of my readers will scarcely credit what I have to tell. As the death of a high chief approaches, a swarm of tiny red fish invariably come about the harbour of Honolulu or his birthplace. At no other time do they appear. During our stay in the islands the three last great chiefs of the line of Kamehameha died, and each time, just before their death, did the swarm of fish come, reddening the waters till they looked like blood. The first to die was Princess Ruth (Keeliko- lani), a woman of enormous stature, and extraordin- ary plainness of appearance. She had been ill for some time, and had been under the influence of her native Kahunas, or praying doctors, to such an extent that she had made a journey to the foot of Mauna Loa,on Hawaii intending to be carried up the mount- ain to sacrifice white chickens and pigs to the burn- ing lake, thereby hoping to appease the wrath of the Goddess Pel, who is supposed even yet to be the presiding Deity of the Volcano. On arriving at the mountain, however, it was found that Her Royal* Highness' enormous bulk quite precluded the hope of getting up herself, so she was obliged to have the sacrifice made by proxy, sending some of her numerous retinue to perform the rites; but 80 SCENES IN HAWAII. of no avail, as some time later she died. Mrs. Pan- hahi Bishop was the next to follow ; she was a half- white, but on her mother's side was a direct descend- ant of Kamehameha I. She was a very handsome woman, and of great wealth, holding large properties in the islands. She had married a Mr. Bishop, an Englishman and a banker. Their home in Hono- lulu was a very beautiful one, with lovely gardens, and the house itself a perfect museum of Hawaiian curiosities. Mrs. Bishop's death was almost unex- pected, but the deadly swarm of red fish came into the harbour, again the herald of disaster. The last death was indeed a grievous calamity, for with Queen Emma expired the last of her race ; she was the last lineal descendent of Kamehameha I., her own son dying at an early age. Queen Emma was adored by the natives, and she might well be, tor she made herself almost poor by her constant charities among them ; and she supported many of them entirely herself. She also had a lovely house and grounds in Honolulu, but spent most of her time at a country home down by Pearl River, some miles east of the town. The queen was a sweet-faced woman, with a low musical voice, and great dignity of manner. She died very suddenly, indeed with- SCENES IN HAWAII. 81 out warning almost, and this time the red fish made their appearance at Kona on Hawaii, where much of Queen Emma's early youth was spent; the natives there being terribly frigthened, not know- ing what had befallen, until the mail from Hono- lulu brought the sad news. Her funeral was, of course, accompanied by all the rite and customs of Hawaiian royality. Natives came in from all the islands to attend it, and the wailings were heard without intermission from the boats as they ap- proached Honolulu. Her body was taken at night (after being embalmed) to the old native church and lay in state for a week, with the fea- ther Kahilis waving continually, the bearers cha- nging every two hours six walking up the aisle in step, and changing the Kahilis, so that there was no intermission even for a moment, and the native melees, or chants of praise, were sung by the different choirs and musical societies ; the scent of the leis and wreaths of flowers was overpowering. The procession was enormous, and took two hours to pass a given point nearly all the natives on foot and so passed to the tomb of her fathers a gentle Christian woman and a good queen. 82 SCENES IN HAWAII. CHAPTER VII. Volcano of Mauna Loa. Visit to Crater and Burning Lake. Superstition of Natives. Like-like dies. Superstitions about Deaths. Lomi-lomi. Awa Root. Intoxicating Beverages. Old Native. Natives Riding. Breaking Horses. Leprosy. Molokai.- Father Damien. Old Leper at Kilauea. A MONGST the many places to be visited on * the Hawaiian Islands, the volcano of Mauna Loa, and the lake of fire at Kilauea on Hawaii are, perhaps, the most interesting to those who do not mind a rough voyage between the islands, and an equally rough journey by land. The inter- island steamers vary much in their degrees of comfort, but perhaps the largest and best are those which convey the tourist to the port of Hilo, from where one must take horse for a long, steady ride up hill to the Volcano house, as the stopping place for visitors to the far-famed volcano is called. Hilo is the port next in importance to Honolulu, and there travellers make arrangements for the ride up the grfcat Crater of Kilauea. A mule purchased in Honolulu for $150 turned out a valuable animal ; for, besides being stronger SCENES IN HAWAII. 83 and more sure-footed than a horse, he was sold for $25 advance in price at the end of the expedition, having carried his rider well and thus having cost nothing. The ride is a long one thirty miles and very lonely and quiet, the road lying partly through forests of ohia and ku-kui trees principally, nearly all covered with a species of creeper, which, as it grows, throws out branches which have tops like palm trees, only with smaller leaves. The tree ferns in this forest were very high; quite twenty feet or more, most luxuriant in growth, some green, some brown, others a deep red, and with those half dead or quite decayed, gave colouring to the mass of jungle. During the twenty miles one was supposed to get some refreshment at two " half-way " houses, but the houses were apparently deserted and nothing to be seen but a pail of water and a tin cup hang- ing beside ; a veritable drinking fountain, of which both mule and rider were glad to take advantage. The Volcano House was reached in due time, a comfortable enough hotel, not far from the crater, which is obliging enough to provide travellers with excellent sulphur baths, which soon remove all stiffness incurred from the long ride. The dinner consisted of shoulder of wild goat, excellent pota- 84 SCENES IN HAWAII. toes and Indian corn. Wild goats are plentiful and good game ; the meat when young is tender and very palatable to the hungry visitor. From the verandah of the hotel the red glare of the crater was seen very distinctly through the deep tropical darkness, and though undoubtedly the best time for seeing the lake of fire, the guide refused to take us at night, so a good rest after the fatigues of travelling was most acceptable. The next morning, after breakfast, the guide accompanying us, we started for the crater, walking at first through a jungle of small ohia trees, then in full blossom, bright crimson in colour, mingled with a shrub called by the natives turkey wings, bearing red berries, which the guide declared good to eat ; they were much the same in appearance as small cherries. The jungle sloped down, and at the foot of the bank we came on the bed of cooled lava, and walked over it to within a hundred yards of the burning lake of lava, called by the natives' Ha- lemau-mau, a truly grand sight. About fifty feet off was a hill, or crest of lava, on which the guide would not let us go, as he said it probably would give way at any moment, for the lava on which we were then standing was quite hot. SCENES IN HAWAII. 85 For more than two miles we had walked on lava, merely a thin crust over the fires, and liable at any moment to burst out with fresh force. About a hundred and fifty yards from where we stood the guide shewed us a dark-looking hole from which a fortnight before, an immense quantity of lava had issued, and only six months before, the lava had flowed up to the very edge of the bank which we had come down. The lake itself, about four hundred feet by one hundred, was of an iron gray colour and here and there we could see the red hot lava flowing along the surface ; then a wave would cross, the sun shining so brightly on it, one might fancy it a wave of the sea, topped by a red crest instead of a " white horse." The edge of the lake was all fire, and on the side nearest to us, at short intervals, the red lava would be thrown up twenty to thirty feet. Often it is thrown as high as one hundred feet, we were told. For a few seconds all would be appa- rently quiet, and then a rolling wave would cross and burst into a myriad of leaping fires, shewing a constant terrible force at work below the earth's surface. The lake and its surroundings are con- stantly changing immediately below us, and on 86 SCENES IN HAWAII. our right, the lava was quite still, and only three days ago it was a heaving mass, flowing and molten. The guide then volunteered to take us to where he said only three visitors had gone ; so off we set, and soon stood on the western side within eight feet of the very edge of the lake itself, so close that the lava broke off, so brittle and hot was it, with a slight blow of the pole we each carried. Watch- ing the gray, sullen mass before us, broken every few seconds by the leaping flames, thrown in some instances far above us, one could only feel in the presence of some terrible invisible power working quite independently of human agencies. Only a short time could we stand so close to this " fire fountain," as Miss Gordon Gumming calls it, as the fumes of the sulphur threatened to suffocate us. As it was, we were not free from headache in con- sequence of our venture. The bed of lava in the crater is quite four miles in extent, probably more, and specimens very beautiful in shape and colour can be picked up in many directions and some curious material, like spun glass, brittle and shining, very fine in sub- stance. It is known as " Pele's Hair," Pele being the presiding goddess of the volcano, and to this SCENES IN HAWAJI. . 87 day the natives sacrifice to her by throwing silver, or white pigs or hens into the fires, thinking to pro- pitiate her, and perhaps avert the calamity of an overflow of lava, which superstition has a curious resemblance to the offering made by the Scottish peasants to their holy wells of olden fame, into which are thrown pennies and sixpences ; formerly the killing of a red cock was considered a necessary rite to appease the wrath of the earth spirits. When any unusual eruption of the volcano takes place the natives are terror-stricken, believing that some fresh sacrifice is demanded of the people to ap- pease Pele's wrath, and in the days of the autocra- tic government by the great chiefs human lives were offered for that purpose, and such is the supersti- tion of the Hawaiian of to-day that a few months ago the sister of the present monarch, Princess Like-Like, who had been ill for some time, but who was recovering, hearing of the sudden stoppage of the fires of the crater, which then threatened to burst forth in a terrible overflow of lava, hurling destruction on all villages between it and the sea, and believing that by giving her life she could pre- vent such a calamity, literally turned her face to the wall and died from sheer inanition, refusing all 88 SCENES IN HAWAII. nourishment for three days, and disregarding all appeals from her physician ; probably her own native Kahunas had induced her to believe that her life was a necessary sacrifice. What has Christi- anity done for these poor people when such things can be ? The missionaries and church people have worked hard, but apparently to little effect, when one of their highest chiefs can think of nothing better than to yield to one of their oldest super- stitions. Hanamau-mau signifies " House of Ever- lastyig Burning. The native superstition is something extraordin- ary to this day. If any member of a family dies in the house, it is soon deserted, as they believe that the spirit of the departed, no doubt in company with "kindred spirits" will take possession of the hut, making it uncomfortable for those left behind in this world of woe. My friend Mary astonished me very much one day, with the account she gave me -of a luau, or feast which had been held at the house of a neigh- bour; it appeared that an old man, a grandfather of the flock, fell ill, and, as apparently he could not be cured, the Kahuna ordered. a luau to be arranged in a piece of ground close by. This was done, a SCENES IN HAWAII. 89 lanai being hastily constructed of young saplings tied together, bananna leaves thrown across for a roof, and the inevitable pig being baked in a hole in the ground, poi and fish produced, the poor old native, in a dying condition, was placed on his mat in the middle of the feast, so that one fears that his end was not peace. Lizards, of which there are many varieties in the islands, are held in great fear by the superstitious Hawaiian, and the appearance of one in a home is regarded as an omen of evil. A strange coincidence of ancient Hawaiian customs with modern medical treatment is that of lomi-lomi as compared with the massage of the present day. The high chiefs always had some natives in their retinue whose duty it was to perform this lomi-lomi when required. After a long ride, or fatigue of an undue kind, such as the expedition to the volcano, it is said to be most refreshing in its effect. The compressing of the muscles, rubbing of the skin, pulling of joints, all being almost precisely the same as massage. Also, after a feast which might be continued for some days, the lomi-lomi was called in to help to disperse the effects of dissipation. Medical men frequently ordei the lomi-lomi for cases of acute rehumatism with excellent results, 90 SCENES IN HAWAII. and I have seen a sufferer from sick headache having her head lomi-lomied, hoping to get relief from the distressing pain. When the chiefs went on one of their frequent inter-island expeditions, they had native girls whose duty it was to prepare the drink made from the awa root; the root is chewed into a slimy pulp (a most revolting idea) by these female retainers, then put into bowls, and left to ferment. It is very intoxi- cating, but it is still used in large quantities ; and commands a high price. A kind of whiskey is made in Hawaii from the ti root, and also a liquor from the sweet potatoe. A native will however get tipsy on anything almost. A native boy we had for a long time, had a great orgie on eau de cologne once. Perry Davis's pain killer is a favourite stimulant, and even Worcester sauce if they can get enough of it. The old natives had excellent manners, which have sadly degenerated in those of the present day. A very old man called Pihi (fish) used to give us a bow worthy of a courtier, sweeping his hands towards us with a most eloquent gesture expressive of greet- ing in answer to our aloha. He was one of the very few who did not ride, we would meet him trudging along, up and down the many gulches which were SCENES IN HAWAII. 91 so frequent between the plantation church and his home, generally carrying a huge blue umbrella, his white hair shewing out against his copper hued face, and bearing the weight of years with remark- able rigour ; while it is said of the Hawaiian of the present time that he will walk for half an hour to catch his horse to ride twenty minutes. They are capital riders, being inured to the saddle from baby-hood, literally, as babies are frequently carried on pillows in front of their mothers. The women ride astride, with the stirrup held between the toes, and as a rule have firm easy seats, and attired on gala days present a fine appearance with long flowing garments, flying back from their knees along the horse's flanks, of some brilliant colour, this latter addition being called a pua, form- erly nearly always worn by a Hawaiian equestrienne, but now only affected on great occasions. A crowd of Hawaiians on horseback coming back from any holiday rejoicing is a thing to be avoided, for they ride at a reckless pace, and scatter themselves in all directions. Nearly all use the deep Mexican saddle, with the enormous wooden and leather stirrups, and their bridles are often works of art. The natives admire good riding immensely, and my husbnnd 92 SCENES IN HAWAII. was presented once with a leather bridle made of round twisted hide, ornamented at intervals with tufts of Horse-hair, a very smart affair, made by a native friend, and given by him with a word of approbation as to some'feat of horsemanship which had probably attracted his notice. They value these bridles rather highly themselves, and we heard that a substantial offer Jiad been made for the possession of this special one to the maker, so when it was given, we were delighted to have such a trophy to bring away. Hawaiian horses rarely are allowed to trot, they have a kind of rocking canter, which they will keep up for miles at a stretch. Some would make capital jumpers if they were encouraged, but un- fortunately their spirit is broken before they are in fit condition to ride. A native's idea of breaking in a horse is to tie a handkerchief over the animal's eyes, have himself tied on to the bare back, and then tear up and down the road as hard as Tarn O'Shanter of bye-gone fame, till the poor creature, trembling from fear and exhaustion, bathed in sweat, and rejoicing to get rid of his most unwelcome burden, is ready to acknowledge in his dumb fashion that man is indeed his master. SCKNKS IN HAWAII. 93 The native, pure and simple is really dying out, and the chief cause is that dread disease of leprosy which, without doubt has exterminated whole . generations of Hawaiian families. It is very loath- some and repulsive to onlookers, but to white peo- ple, the incomprehensible thing is, the indifference of the native to the most ordinary precautions against infection. For instance, not far from our home, close to a fordable river, there was a large grass hut, in which dwelt several members of a family, one of which a young lad, was afflicted with this fatal sickness ; no one saw him in passing, but he was known to be there. He lay, probably, on the same mats with others, shared the food, eat out of the same calabash, smoked the same pipe, they knowing all the time that some of the infected poison might be conveyed to another of their number. But if by chance the sheriff was known to be in that district, with his attendant body of policemen, probably on the look-out for lepers, the boy was at once conveyed in secret to one of the numerous hiding-places, in the recesses of the hills and caverns, known only to themselves, and the sheriff might look till he was tired, and find nothing, though he was well aware, that as soon as he was gone, the danger over for that time, the 94 SCENES IN HAWAII. sufferer would be brought back to his old quarters, and so the ball would roll on, gathering the deadli- est of mosses on its way. The island of Molokai is given up entirely to the lepers, steamers freighted with these hapless beings are frequently sent from Honolulu, the poor lepers being gathered from all parts of the islands, and great are the wailings, and loud and deep the lamentations of the families, when parting at the wharves. The greatest kindness is shewn by the govern- ment, and private families, headed by Royalty, to the inhabitants of this great hospital island. They have comforts and attention from all classes. They have churches, schools, workshops, amongst them, gardens to look after and cultivate for their own benefit, and the utter indifference of the natives to the future, makes the living death before them less a subject of dread, than we might believe possible. White people rarely get leprosy, but, sad to say indeed, the devoted and Christ-like life of Father Damien, a priest who has literally laid down his life for others, has been covered with the mantle of death in the midst of his most self-sacri- ficing work. For years Father Damien has lived SCENES IK HAWAII. 95 on Molokai, teaching, exhorting, helping one and all ; and now he has become a victim to the same disease which he has watched in all its terrible stages, and so, well knowing the awful future in store for him, he asks for others of his church to come and follow in his footsteps, a request which we hear has been nobly responded to by some who are willing to try and emulate his saint-like devotion to these poor people. The only definite case I had any contact with, was that of an old woman at Kilauea. Our native washerwomen, who for some months had come regularly for their bundles, riding up from their pretty little home by the river, carrying their work in front of their saddles, failed one day to appear, and instead of the portly form of the old lady, who used to dismount with such surprising quickness, followed by a grave, handsome daughter, Quevna by name, I found a miserable wizened-up little woman sitting on the steps of the verandah, who made me understand that my laundress was "sick," and that being a friendly neighbour she had volun- teered to come for the bundles instead. I had often seen this old wahine, (woman) but knew nothing of her particularly; so gave her the linen, and rather 96 SCENES IN HAWAII. pitied her as she staggered off under her load. My friend Mary Mahoi had come to pay me a visit, and had watched these proceedings with lazy interest, putting in a word now and then ; but after the old woman had departed, Mary said in the abrupt fashion peculiar to natives, "I don't like that old woman." "Why not, Mary?" "Oh, her hands are all white inside, you no see her hands?" "No," I said, "What is the matter with them ?" Mary looked rather taken aback at this, and then blurted out, " Oh, her hands have all white skin inside, and her feet too, and some stuff come out of them, and my father, he give her medicine." "Mary!" I said, now in a genuine fright, "you mean the old woman has leprosy ?" Mary did not deny this assertion, but calmly said the old woman would " scold," if she had told me not to let her have the clothes, and made me promise not to tell. I consented to this if she would go off to the fields and get someone to go with her to bring back the linen, which she did ; but it was a true instance of the total indifference dis- played by natives to the chance of bringing this horrible disease near. Science has apparently exhausted itself in the direction of arresting or curing leprosy. Doctors of all nations have tried their knowledge in vain. SCENES IN HAWAII. 97 A physician came from Germany during our sojourn in Hawaii, to report on all the different stages, and a strange thing happened to him. During some process of dissection, the poison entered some slight scratch on his hand, which must have been insuffi- ciently protected, and in a very short time the whole arm swelled up and became discoloured. What the result of this accident may be, it will probable take years to tell, as one is told that frequently, leprosy will take seven years to develope itself. Segregation is the only cure and that, all the natural instincts of the Hawaiian native make him fight, but the result is that the extinction of the race is a certain consequence. The native language of the Hawaiians is distinct from that of other inhabitants of the many Pacific groups, it is composed almost entirely of vowels, and when spoken by the educated is remarkably soft and liquid. The chiefs of old days spoke in a dialect which differed from that used by the lower orders, and the white men who are much thrown with natives and who understand the language perfectly, say the difference is quite perceptible still. A few words are very quickly picked up by the new comer, and some seem easily applicable. 7 98 SCENES IN HAWAII. For instance, instead of saying on the right, or left, one always says, " mauka," or " makai," meaning towards the sea, or mountain ; a road will run mauka or makai ; a piece of furniture will be on the mauka or makai side of the room. Yes, is " ai," pronounced sharply like " aye," and often a native will simply put out his or her tongue to indicate " ai," without a word being spoken. The heard " mahoppi " was a terror ! as it meant by- and-bye, and that with a native was remarkably like to-morrow, which never comes " Pilikia " meant a trouble of any description, domestic or otherwise, an overflow of lava caused a terrible pilikea ; a Chinaman literally taking up his bed and walking off when friends were expected, was a pilikia very likely to occur at any moment ; leaving the unfortunate mistress in a great pilikia ! " Hoo- hoo ' was, an expressive word indicating that he or she was offended, and constantly used by whites, bslieve the ordinary scholar in H iw uian finds it difficult to understand the speech of each island, but I am equally sure that " pilikia," and " mahoppi " are universal. M I NK.S IN HAWAII. 90 CHAPTER VIII. Invitation to King Kalakua's Coronation. Drive to Kealia and Kapaa. The Parsonage. Home at I.ihue. Honolulu again. Ship in harbour. Flowers. Carriages, Cgronation Day. Coronation Ceremonies. Coronation Ball. Queen leaving the Palace. Coronation Fireworks. Jllookupu. Grand Luau. The Dandy and his Dancers. Races at Waikiki. Unveiling of the Statue of the great Kammehameha. DURING the month of January, 1883, we receiv- ed a card of invitation of enormous size, with a border of scarlet and gold, engraved in gold letters, and with the royal coat of arms emblazoned at the top. It ran thus : "The King's Chamberlain is commanded by His Majesty King Kalakua to invite you to be present at the Coronation ceremonies, to be held at the lolani Palace, on February I2th, at 11.30 o'clock. C. H. JUDD, Colonel. The direction accompanying this magnificent card assigned us seats in the " Pavilion." We had heard a great deal of the fact that King Kalakua, having reigned some twelve years, now thought it necessary to have himself crowned formally in the 100 SCENES IN HAWAII. presence of his loving subjects, bringing on himself a great deal of abuse from those in opposition to his Government. But His Majesty calmly pursued the even tenor of his way, paying no attention whatever to the flood of newspaper articles which deluged the country every week, heaping satire, sneers, and. unkind remarks of all sorts, diversified now and then by dignified announcements of the different ceremonies which were to take place dur- ing the fortnight of festivities, and also by praise from the Government organ for his determination to carry through his own wishes. Party politics run high in. Hawaii, and the contemptuous expres- sions indulged in by the rival papers, the Pacific Advertiser and the Hawaiian Gazette, always re- minded us of the celebrated journals of Pickwick fame. We determined to take advantage of a lull in the plantation work just then, and accept our invitation. And one beautiful morning we set off. A friend from San Francisco, who was on a visit to the islands was a welcome addition to our small party, enjoying all our adventures with all kindness and good humour. Our equipage consisted of a large double rockaway, with leather sides, which could be pulled down for shelter from any of the fiercely sudden rain storms which assail one often SCENES IN HAWAII. 101 in the tropics, especially if the road runs near the sea. The carriage was drawn by two stout mules, preferred to horses, as they are so sure-footed, and our way ran up and down many a steep gulch. Strapped to the back of the carriage was a bag containing necessaries for* a night, in case accidents should happen to our conveyance, or perchance the steamer be delayed in starting, a very fortunate provision, as we found later on. Following us was a native boy on horseback, with a long, stout rope tied on his saddle, to do what the natives call "hookey-up" the very steep hills, a most necessary adjunct to the party. The air was fresh and cool when we started, and the dew was lying heavily on the grass and leaves, the mountains deep in purple shadow and white mist. We looked anxiously at the towering head of 'the Prophet, our only " Weather probabilities " but he did not say rain, so we drove across the meadow-like compound, and turned into the long red road with easy minds. The road itself was an excellent one, but a little tiresome at first, for, in the short distance rf a mile after we left our gate, we went up and down no less than five gulches. All along our journey the 102 SCENES IN HAWAII. mountains towered on our right hand, and the broad Pacific glowed and sparkled on the left. The road was not shady, except at intervals, but the large clumps of Pauhala trees, growing closer to each other as they approached the mountains, made a refreshing vista of green leaves for the eye to rest on. Some four miles from our gate we entered a magnificent grove cjf ku-kui trees, which stretched for miles on either side of the road. The trees were the largest I saw on the islands, the leaves of a delicate pea-green, and something the same shape as a maple ; their great roots lay on the surface of the ground, all gnarled and twisted for yards in every direction, reminding one of the famous oaks of old England. This ku-kui grove was an unend- ing source of pleasure to us, as our visitors always admired it so much, aud the shade was delightful after driving along the dusty high-road ; and- by turning off towards the sea one could imagine one- self in a lovely park, driving here, there, and every- where amongst these noble trees, casting flickering shadows, and always opening fresh avenues, with a glimpse of the sea beyond. Only one native hut was to be seen, not far from the steep bank, down which a road, or rather footpath, led tor a white, sandy beach, carved in the hollow of the rocks ; SCENES IN HAWAII. 103 deserted, but apparently keeping jealous watch over a large native tomb, which was much like a cairn, made of rough stones heaped together, a small stone wall surrounding it and the hut. No native will willingly remain in a hut where a death has taken place, and for that reason, when one of a family may be sick unto death, he or she is taken outside to breathe their last ; but if such a ceremony is not possible, the hut is almost invariably deserted by all, the grave made near at hand, and avoided in consequence of fear of evil spirits, Passing through the cool shade of the grove we emerged into the brilliant sunshine again, and sea and mountains once more came into view. On the right hand rose a green hill, quite alone and distinct, called the Round hill, from its conical form, from the top of which a wonderfully beautiful bird's-eye view of the surrounding country could be obtained, with the Plantation and old Crater lying peacefully together. Now the road wound down into a valley called Anahola, where was a flourishing rice plant- ation, cultivated by the ubiquitous Chinaman, pass- ing on the way the hut, nestled in among some magnificent mangoe trees, of an old chieftainess, of very high rank, who rarely left her dwelling. When other high dignitaries came to Kauai, how- 104 SCENES IN flAWAII. ever, they always paid her a visit. I saw Her Highness once, and she looked uncommonly dirty and untidy. We presently found ourselves near the tremend- ously steep gulch of Molowaa, a really terrific descent and ascent, the terror of any person of a nervous disposition. At the time I speak of we had to go down this formidable hill with brakes held back, and at a slow pace ; just at the foot a very awkward turn in the road made it doubly dangerous. Since then a stage with four horses, and full of passengers, went crashing over the bank, killing a child and inflicting bruises and broken bones on the others. The turn in the road brought us down on the sea shore, and after toiling through the heavy sand, a ford had to be crossed, where the current ran up in a rushing stream, which thus made a terrible shifting quicksand. The native who was riding behind dashed into the water at once, to try the best footing for the mules ; he waved his hand to indicate our course, the mules were urged in. I heard my husband's voice encour- aging them on, and go on they did. The next moment we seemed to be floating in the sea ; still the shouts went on, and the good animals responded famously. The waters poured over the floor of the SCKNKS IN HAWAII. I Of) carriage, but we had taken the precaution of tuck- ing our feet up on the opposite seat, so were none the worse. In the middle of the roaring of the current, the shouting voices, and the labouring of the mules, who were half swimming, I opened my eyes for a second,- and saw a white helmet floating on the water : in the excitement of the moment it had tumbled off the coachman's hea^ ^ < X->V , ~J * \> ? ^ . ' ~ ftwwiw *omw&