HAWAII. 207 



this fellow to say, that in all probability he never imagined there was 

 any danger of loss of life ; for if these people are at home any where, it 

 is certainly in the surf, enjoying as a pleasure what we from our want 

 of knowledge and confidence in the art of swimming, consider dan- 

 gerous. 



Some account will now be given of the proceedings of the officers 

 left in the Vincennes, and of the festivities which they exchanged with 

 the chief Kanuha and the missionaries. 



Lieutenant Carr, who had charge of the ship, was also, with the 

 officers under him, entrusted with the duties of the observatory, in- 

 cluding the meteorological and tidal observations. Acting Master 

 Totten and Passed Midshipman May were engaged on the charts. 



Among the festivities was one given by the chief Kanuha to the 

 officers. Kanuha lives in a large native house, situated on the south 

 side of the bay, in a pretty location near the beach, and surrounded 

 by large trees, which not only add to its beauty, but afford the shade 

 so important in this climate. 



The chief is, like all those of noble blood of these islands, of large 

 dimensions, and might be called a fine-looking man. He is thought to 

 regard his own interest before that of others, and is desirous of making 

 money when and how he can. His wife is equally remarkable among 

 her sex in size. He was dressed in a blue roundabout and white pan- 

 taloons, hat, and shoes; his wife and females about the house were 

 chiefly dressed in calico gowns, such as have been before described. 

 Lieutenant Case, Messrs. Waldron and Drayton, and two or three 

 midshipmen, went to the feast or dinner. The hour of dinner was one 

 o'clock. They were received with much dignity in an apartment 

 which occupied the whole house, and was decorated with green 

 wreaths, not unlike our churches at Christmas. This room contained 

 all the goods and chattels of the proprietor, consisting of two bed- 

 steads, good beds and bedding, tapa screens, nests of beautiful camphor 

 trunks, fine mats, common chairs, with several large chests, said to 

 contain much riches. The visiters were presented by Kanuha to his 

 wife, her sister, and his five daughters: the former were robed in 

 neatly-made black silk dresses, with high-topped combs in their heads. 

 Kanuha's youngest daughter, however, seemed to make the most im- 

 pression. She and her sisters were dressed in painted-muslin dresses, 

 white stockings, and shoes ; their heads were tastefully ornamented 

 with the valuable feather-wreath, before spoken of, and a garland or 

 wreath of a carmine-coloured flower, natural to the island ; in their 

 hair behind were enormous high-topped shell-combs; a red silk sash, 

 and a sweet-scented evergreen garland thrown over their shoulders, 



