The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-02-01
HIS MAJEsTY's

Yesterday, the first celebration Of the birthday
Of King LUSALILo. was observed in Honolulu with
more general enthusiasm and life than has been
evinced on any other public holiday for some
years. From early morning, throughout the
entire day of Thursday, the natives were to be
seen vending their way in crowds to the Palace
each individual carrying some article, either a
pig, 4 fowl, poi, vegetables, Eggs or fruit, as 4
hooklPU, free presently to the King. This is an
ancient custom with the Hawaiians, who by these
voluntary gifts testify their affection for one in
! high rank.
During the evening of Thursday, the Military
Band, escorted by the Household Troops carrying
torches, marched through the principal streets,
stopping TO serenade at the residences of govern
ment officials, and others.
At sunrise ON the morning of the 3lst, the
guns of Punchbowl awoke the echoes and the
slumbers of the city with a Royal Salute. At an
early hour nearly all the stores and places of bus
mess were closed, and everybody had evidently
made up their minds for 4 holiday.
At 1870 the Honolulu Fire Department, j. a.
Hassinger, Esq, Chief Engineer, preceded by the
Band, paraded through the principal streets, with
their machines, tastefully decorated with flowers
cAA ~ w. A~- -@NNh-S - ANS -
ance in their neat uniforms. The Department
was not out in its full strength, there being but
I36 men at parade, distributed as follows No. l,
80 men No. ,, IS men No. 4, 33 men Hook
& Ladder, %; Hose Company, -. During the
march the procession filed into the Palace grounds
and counter-marched before His Majesty, when
the gallant fremen greeted Him with hearty
cheers. Marching thence to the residence of
Chief Engineer Hassinger, the fremen rartook of
n slight r~efreshment, and then, after concluding
the parade and housing the several machines,
each company in their own quarters, together
with invited guests, sat down to dinner. The
health of His Majesty was enthusiastically drank,
with all the hOnors. Numerous toasts, and the
interchange of hearty good feeling made the occa-
sion a very agreeable one.
At noon, there was a cannonading such rs is
rarely heard in these attitudes. Three Of four ships
of war in port, British and American, (that had
been gaily dressed in flags since an early hour) in
response to the battery on Punchbowl, then
Numbered forth a royal salute.
At shutdown, a third salute of 81 guns was
fired from Punchbowl. In the evening, the bell
tower of the Fire Department was very hand
somely Illuminated with colored lights tastefnlly
arranged, that had a splendid effect when viewed
from a distance. At a signal gun fred from the
L. S. S. California, each of the four war vessels
in the harbor displayed blue-lights from their
yard-arms, which lighting up the water and the
shipping had a splendid effect.
At night, a large company of ladies and gen.
tlemen attended the ball given by the members
of " Queen Emma Lodge of Good Templars,
at the Hawaiian Hotel, and far into the small
hours of the morning enjoyed the festive dance.
The supper by mine host Herbert, was all that
could be desired, and the affair was in all re-
spects a very agreeable one;
Thus satisfactorily passed the first celebration
of the birthday of our neS King and we close
the record by expressing the hope that he may
live and reign happily to see many returns of the
day.