406 
VOYAGE OF' THE POTOMAC. 
[August, 
manners were tolerably easy and graceful. The colonel was 
also attired in a very neat, full-dress uniform, and several others 
were equally well apparelled for the occasion. Soon after the 
king came the queen regent, and other fair ones of the royal 
household. 
As the sea is heavy where our ship had to lie, our usual ac- 
commodation-ladder was not rigged, and we were compelled to 
hoist our royal visiters on board, by means of a " whip and chair," 
suspended from the mainyard. The chair being lowered into the 
boat, the lady was placed in it ; and, at the sound of the boat- 
swain's pipe, she soon swung between heaven and the billows, 
hoisted up by about fifty of our trusty lads in white jackets, and 
landed safely on deck. 
This feat being performed with characteristic address, and each 
visiter disposed of in the same manner, the ladies were led to the 
cabin by the officers. They were all dressed in black silk frocks 
and bonnets ; not peculiarly elegant, but neat and lady-like. The 
daughter of Kuakini, or Governor Adams, being younger, was 
more gaudily attired in blue satin and a handsome gauze bonnet. 
These ladies were all conspicuous for their size, with the excep- 
tion of the one last mentioned, and were proportionably beautiful, 
as beauty goes here altogether by dimensions. 
Another boat brought off the king's suite. These were gen- 
erally dressed in citizen's coats of blue, with gilt buttons, on 
which was stamped Tamehameha III. They were all fine look- 
ing men, well made, and well proportioned as to size. His ma- 
jesty's armour-hearer was also a sort of chief, and wore a native 
helmet of the yellow feathers of a rare bird, together with a large 
cloak over his shoulders of the same kind. These were two of 
the most beautiful native ornaments we ever saw, and are pecu- 
liarly valuable on account of there being but few of them now on 
the islands among the chiefs. Of these feathers are also made 
ornaments for the necks and heads of females. Some of them 
are partly green, red, and black ; but these colours are taken from 
other birds ; the yellow alone being peculiarly rare, and so highly 
appreciated. Tavo or three body-servants carried the feather or- 
naments, spoken of by Mr. Stewart as being the grand insignia 
of royalty among the islands. It consists of the long and bright 
feathers of the chicken-cock. The handles are neatly wrought 
