LETTER XIII.] 



THE GIFTS. 



135 



governor as to how to present their gifts and shake hands. 

 Some half dropped down on their knees, others passionately 

 and with tears kissed the king's hand, or grasped it convulsively 

 in both their own.; while a few were so embarrassed by the 

 presents they were carrying that they had no hands at all to 

 shake, and the sovereign good-naturedly clapped them on the 

 shoulders. Some of them, in shaking hands, adroitly slipped 

 coins into the king's palm, so as to make sure that he received 

 their loving tribute. There had been a hui, or native meeting, 

 which had passed resolutions, afterwards presented to Lunalilo, 

 setting forth that whereas he received a great deal of money in 

 revenue from the kaoles, they, his native people, would feel 

 that he did not love them if he would not receive from their 

 own hands contributions in silver for his support. So, in order 

 not to wound their feelings, he accepted these rather trouble- 

 some cash donations. 



One woman, sorely afflicted with quaking palsy, dragged 

 herself slowly along. One hand hung by her side helpless, and 

 the other grasped a live fowl so tightly that she could not 

 loosen it to shake hands, whereupon the king raised the help- 

 .less arm, which called forth much cheering. There was one 

 poor cripple who had only the use of his arms. His knees 

 were doubled under him, and he trailed his body along the 

 ground. He had dragged himself two miles " to lie for a 

 moment at the king's feet," and even his poor arms carried a 

 gift. He looked hardly like a human shape, as his desire was 

 realised; and, I doubt not, would have been content then and 

 there to die. There were ancient men, tattooed all over, who 

 had passed their first youth when the idols were cast away, and 

 rwho remembered the old days of tyranny when it was an 

 offence, punishable with death, for a man to let his shadow 

 fall on the king ; and when none of " the swinish multitude " 

 had any rights which they could sustain against their chiefs. 

 These came up bewildered, trembling, almost falling on their 

 knees, hardly daring to raise their eyes to the king's kind, 

 encouraging face, and bathed his hand with tears while they 

 kissed it. Numbers of little children were led up by their 

 parents ; there were babies in arms, and younglings carried on 

 parents' backs, and the king stooped and shook hands with all, 

 and even pulled out the babies' hands from under their mufflings, 

 and the old people wept, and cheers rent the air. 



Next in interest to this procession of beaming faces, and the 

 blaze of colour, was the sight of the presents, and the un- 



