28 



HA WAIL 



[LETTER III. 



mail-steamers constitute the great excitement of Honolulu, and 

 the failures, mishaps, and wonderful unpunctuality of this 

 Webb line are highly stimulating in a region where " nothing 

 happens." The loungers were saying that the Nevada 's pumps 

 were going for five days before we arrived, and pointed out the 

 clearness of the water which was running from them at the 

 wharf as an evidence that she was leaking badly.* The crowd 

 of natives was enormous, and the foreigners were there in 

 hundreds. She was loading with oranges and green bananas 

 up to the last moment, — those tasteless bananas which, out of 

 the tropics, misrepresent this most delicious and ambrosial 

 fruit. 



There was a far greater excitement for the natives, for King 

 Lunalilo was about to pay a state visit to the American flag- 

 ship California, and every available place along the wharves 

 and roads was crowded with kanakas anxious to see him. I 

 should tell you that the late king, being without heirs, ought to 

 have nominated his successor ; but it is said that a sorceress, 

 under whose influence he was, persuaded him that his death 

 would follow upon this act. When he died, two months ago, 

 leaving the succession unprovided for, the duty of electing a 

 sovereign, according to the constitution, devolved upon the 

 people through their representatives, and they exercised it with 

 a combination of order and enthusiasm which reflects great 

 credit on their civilization. They chose the highest chief on 

 the islands, Lunalilo (Above All), known among foreigners as 

 " Prince Bill," and at this time letters of congratulation are 

 pouring in upon him from his brethren, the sovereigns of 

 Europe. 



The spectacular effect of a pageant here is greatly heightened 

 by the cloudless blue sky, and the wealth of light and colour. 

 It was very hot, almost too hot for sight-seeing, on the Nevada s 

 bow. Expectation among the lieges became tremendous and 

 vociferous when Admiral Pennock's sixteen-oared barge, with a 

 handsome awning, followed by two well-manned boats, swept 

 across the strip of water which lies between the ships and the 

 shore. Outrigger canoes, with garlanded men and women, were 

 poised upon the motionless water, or darted gracefully round the 

 ironclads, as gracefully to come to rest. Then a stir and sway- 



* A week after her sailing, this unlucky ship put back with some 

 mysterious ailment, and on her final arrival at San Francisco, her condition 

 was found to be such that it was a marvel that she had made the passage 

 at all. 



