RECENT HAWAIIAN HISTORY. 



315 



From his high resolves and generous instincts much was 

 expected, and the unhappy failing, to which, after the most 

 painful struggles, he succumbed, on the solicitation of some 

 bad or thoughtless foreigners, if it lessened him aught in the 

 public esteem, abated nothing of the wonderful love that was 

 felt for him. 



He died, after a lingering illness, on February 3, 1874. 

 Although the event had been expected for some time, its 

 announcement was received with profound sorrow by the 

 whole community, while the native subjects of the deceased 

 sovereign, according to ancient custom, expressed their feelings 

 in loud wailings, which echoed mournfully through the still, 

 red air of early daylight. On the following evening the body 

 was placed on a shrouded bier, and was escorted in solemn 

 procession by the government officials and the late king's 

 staff, to the Iolani Palace, there to lie in state. It was a 

 cloudless moonlight ; not a leaf stirred or bird sang, and the 

 crowd, consisting of several thousands, opened to the right and 

 left to let the dismal death-train pass, in a stillness which was 

 only broken by the solemn tramp of the bearers. 



The next day the corpse lay in state, in all the splendour 

 that the islands could bestow, dressed in the clothes the king 

 wore when he took the oath of office, and resting on the royal 

 robe of yellow feathers, a fathom square.'" Between eight and 

 ten thousand persons passed through the palace during the 

 morning, and foreigners as well as natives wept tears of genuine 

 grief ; while in the palace grounds the wailing knew no inter- 

 mission, and many of the natives spent hours in reciting 

 kanakaus in honour of the deceased. At midnight the king's 

 remains were placed in a coffin, his aged father, His Highness 

 Kanaina, who was broken-hearted for his loss, standing by. 

 When the body was raised from the feather robe, he ordered 

 that it should be wrapped in it, and thus be deposited in its 

 resting place. "He is the last of our race," he said; "it 

 belongs to him." The natives in attendance turned pale at 

 this command, for the robe was the property of Kekauluohi, 

 the dead king's mother, and had descended to her from her 

 kingly ancestors. 



Averse through his life to useless parade and display, Luna- 



* Only one robe like this remains, that which is spread over the throne 

 at the opening of Parliament. The one buried with Lunalilo could not be 

 reproduced for one hundred thousand dollars. 



