The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-07-11
THE PACIFIC
Commercial AObtrtlsrr.
SATURDAY. JULY IL.
Honolulu Sixty-Five Years Ago.

AtoOI excel IN canoes, PADDLES, and spears, anu
they very often make exchanges in these articles.
y Owing 10 the number Of ships that are con-
stantly touching al these islands, provisions are
by no means cheap. A pig Is estimate by Its
length. The largest size, called panama, or
fathom pig, measures that length from the snout
to the rump, and is valued at two axes; Q junk
Of the thickest part Of the sea-horse tooth, five or
six inches long, a yard and q half Of blue cloth,
or FIVE dollars.
Those that measure from the elbow to the
opposite hand, are valued at one axe, or about
half the price of the larger size. 4 sheep or
goat may be had for a smaller piece Of ivory q
marc, or a pair of fowls, for 4 knife, 4 pair OF
scissors, OK mall mirror.
From their earliest years, the natives spend
much of their spare time in the water, and con-
slant practice renders them so dexterous, that
they seem as much at their ease in that element
as on land they often swim several miles off to
ships, sometimes resting upon a plank shaped like
an anchor stock, and padding with their hands,
but more frequently without any assistance
whatever.
Although sharks are numerous in these seas, |
never heard of any accident from them, which |
attribute to the dexterity with which they avoid
their attacks.
Throwing the top shoots of the sugar-cane at
each other, and catching them in their fight, is a
~favorite amusement, the practice of which tends
to render them very expert in the use of the spear.
Dancing, wrestling, and foot races, are also
common a~musements, particularly at macaheite
time.
The dances are principally performed by women,
who form themselves into solid squares, 10 or
II each way, and keep time to the sound Of the
drum accompanied by a song, IN which they all
Join. In dancing they seldom move their feet,
but throw themselves into a variety of attitudes,
sometimes all squatting, and at other times spring
ing up at the same instant. A man in front
with strings of shells on his ankles and wrists,
with which he marks time, acts as fugle-man.
n NIAnA nna-- fhn VI -.
fnery, particularly in European clothes, if they
are so fortunate as to possess any. They receive
great applause from the spectators, who fire.
quently burst into immoderate fits Of laughter, at
particular parts of the song.
They have a game somewhat resembling
draughts, but more complicated. 1t is played
upon a board about twenty-five inches by four
teen, painted black, with white spots, on which
the men are placed these consist of black and
white pebbles, eighteen upon each side, and the
game is won by the capture of the adyersary's
pieces.
Tamaahmaah excels at this game. [ have seen
him sit for hours playing with his chiefs, giving
an occasional smile, but without uttering a word.
l could not play, but William Moxely, who
understood it well, told me that he had seen none
who could beat the king.
The game of draughts is now introduced, and
the natives play it u~ncommonly well.
Flying kites is another favorite amusement.
They make them of taper, of the usual shape,
but uncommon size, many of them being fifteen
or sixteen feet in length, and six or seven in
breadth they have often three or four hundred
fathom of line, and are so difficult to hold, that
they are obliged to tie them to trees.
The only employment | ever saw Tamena, the
queen, engaged in, was making these kites.
A theatre was erected under the direction of
James Beattie, the kings block-maker, who had
been at one time on the stage in England. The
scenes representing a castle and a forest were
constructed OF different colored pieces of taper,
cut out and pasted together. :
1 was present on one occasion, at the perform
ance of Oscar and Malvina. This piece was
originally a pantomime, but here it had words
written for it by Beattie. The part of Malvina
was performed by the wife of Isaac Davis. As
her knowledge of the English language was very
limited, extending only to the words yes and no,
her speeches were confined to these monosyllables.
She, however, acted her part with great applause.
The F%ingalian heroes were represented by natives
clothed in the Highland garb, also made out of
taper, and armed with muskets.
The audience did not seem to understand the
play well, but were greatly delighted with the
after-plece, representing n naval engagement.
The ships were armed with bamboo cannon, and
each of them fred a broadside, by means of a
train of thread dipped in s~altpetre, which COM
municated with each gun, after which one Of the
vessels blew up. Unfortunately, the explosion
set fire to the forest, and had nearly consumed
the theatre.
The ceremonies that took place upon the death
of n chief have been already described. The
bodies of the dead are always disposed of secretly,
and | never could learn where they were inferred.
My patroness, the queen, preserved the bones of
her father, wrapt up in a piece of cloth. When
she slept in her W house they were placed by
her side in her absence they were placed on a
feather bed she had received from the captain of
a ship, and which was only used for this purpose,
When L asked her the reason of this singular
custom, she replied " it was because she loved her
father so dearly
When the king goes to war, l understand that
every man capable of bearing arms must follow
his chief; for which purpose they are all trained
from their youth to the use Of arms. L saw
nothing like a regular armed force, except n guard
of about fifty men, who constantly did duty Mt
the kings residence. There were about twenty
of them on guard daily, but the only sentry
which they posted was at the powder magazine.
At night he regularly called out every hour
s'All's we'll"
They were armed with muskets and bayonets.
but had no uniform their cartridge-boxes, which
were made by the kings workmen, are of wood,
about thirteen inches long, rounded to the shape
of the body, and covered with hide.
l have seen those guards at their exercise ;
%rapidity, and not precision, seemed to be their
great object. The men stood at extended order,
and fired as fast as they could, beating the butt
upon the ground, and coming to the recover
without using the ramrod each man gave the
word " fire, = before he drew the trigger.
The natives Of these islands have been accused
Of being cannibals but as far as l could judge,
either from my own observation, or from the
enquiries 1 made, / believe the accusation TO be
perfectly destitute of foundation. Isaac Davis
who had the best means of knowing, having
resided there more than twenty years, and who
had been present and borne n share in all their
wars, declared TO me most pointedly, that 4" 1T
was all lies-that there never had been cannibals
there since they were islands"
From 4 perusal of the foregoing page, it will
be seen, that these islanders have acquired many
of the useful arts, and are making rapid progress
towards civilization. Much must be ascribed. no
doubt, to their natural ingenuity and unwearied
industry but great part of the merit must also
be ascribed to the unceasing e~xertions Of Tamaah-
maah, whose enlarged mind has enabled him 20
the advantages resulting from inter
with Europeans, and he has prosecuted
tkat nhinnt with the utnnst nnrnrnnss !