Morris tribune., 1883-06-02
Welded TO A PRINCESS.
An Old Sailor Who has Been a Conan


hameha of the Sandwich Islands, anC
who took prominent part in South
American revolution, is now living alone
in small disnasted schooner that lies
on the shore of Communipaw, Jersey
City. He is between 65 and 20 years Of
age, but is erect and powerful. His fea.
lures are regular and handsome, his
hair hangs in long curls over his shout
ders, and tierce-looking mustache gives
him foreign appearance.
81 was born," he said, sin Rhode Is.
land, but the date of the event has
never been fixed to my satisfaction. |
lost both my parents while child, and
IN my 9TH year was sent to the poor
house. | remained there two Years.
when l was indentured to Dr.. Holmes
At II ran away from him, and | spent
the next four wears in tramping around
the country. At the end of that period
while in st. Louis, | found an English
scientific party who were about to set
out on an exploring expedition in the
west. They were led by two middle
aged gentlemen, who were known to me
as the Doctor and Professor. never
learned their right names. We wan
dered over the western country in search
OF curlosities; until we had reached what
Is now Arizona. After we had pitched
our camp one night on the prairie by the
shores of a river, two strangers rode in
and asked for shelter. We harJored
them. Before daylight next morning
the camp was aroused by shrill war
whoop, that was caught up and repeat
ed by hundred voices. We sprane to
our feet and grasped our firearms. We
could see nothing in the darkness, and
for a moment everything was still.
Then the cries Of the Indians broke. ont
again. They fired vollev ofarrows and
u few shots at us. We resisted as well as
we could, but were speedily overpower-
ed. The savages bound those of us who
were not killed, and rode off with us to
their village. There they had grand
Professor at stakes.
Il, too, was bound to a stake and the
dry brushwood was piled about me
ready to be set on fire. The warriors
gathered around me to witness my
death. The son ola chief was among
the spectators. He had }en wounded
by one Of our rifles, and was supposed
to be dying. The braves carried him
on litter into the circle
of redskins around me so that his
death might be rendered pleasant by the
sight OF my tortUreS. | perceived that
he had been wounded, and that he was
Clumsiiy bandaged, Now, while with the
Doctor had picked up little know
ledge Of surgery and bone setting, and
the iiea struck nae that might now put
my knowledge to account. | therefore
made such signs as | could, for l did not
understand the Indian language, to in
dictate that could benefit the wounded
young prince. Some Of the warriors
guessed my meaning, and after confer
ring with the head man they released
me. Then [ went to work. Kneeling
on the grass by the suffering mans lit
ter and surrounded by curious group
of sayages, [ began my examination. |
found q shoulder bone dislocated and g
bullet wOunt that was rapidly becoming
inflamed for want of proper attention.
With trembling hands and a beating
heart-for any false or suspicious move
ment would have been the signal for my
immediate DEATH probed for the bull
let and extracted it. Then | cleaned
ami dressed the wound and reset the
shoulder bone. When this was done
the wounded Indian showed that he
was much relieved. The warriors about
him grunted their approval of the Oper-
alton, and l was led off to lodge, which
they made me understand was to be my
abode for the present. Every day was
taken to the wounded man to wash and
dress his wound. When he had re-
covered sufficiently to be about again
there was great rejoicing in the tribe.
"A few days later 1 was the principal
actor in ceremony the nature of which
did not understand at the time. Tie
ceremony was my marriage to the sis
ter of the young prince IS. The old chief
had taken fancy to me and deter
daug tier for wife. On the morning of
was q great stir in camp. The braves
put on all their fnery in honor of the
event. When | was awakened at an
early hour I saw that something i'm
portant was going on, but l hadn't the
faintest idea of what it was. was con-
Quoted to the old chiefs lodge by pro-
cession Of warriors. When we reached
it the chief came out and pounded me
on the top Of the head with his fists
When he got through his squaw slipped
up to me and went through the same
performance. Then each member of
his family repeated the operation. |
was ignorant of what it all meant, and
supposed that it was preparatory to
burning me to death at the stake. |
When the girl that was to be my wife
had finished beating me she kissed me.
and then all hands danced around us in
the widest style. For two days the
festivities were kept up, and thus was
married without knowing anything |
about it. l received full set of Indian
clothes and weapons, which l still haye,
and was named Mushum Kopakta. That |
means 'prickly grass of the mountains
That name was selected for me because |
when [ was captured had IN my belt a |
specimen of thistle, which was rare |
plant in that country. The Indians, hav-
ing 10 name for it, called it prickly grass |
of the mountains. I lived with the tribe |
for four years, being treated as if were |
the chiefs son. The sava yes were then |
a very different race from what they are |
to-day. They were courageous, honest |
and sober, the men fearless, the women |
chaste. When my young wife died | |
was the medicine man, called III the CO.
manche language, Eneaspienissi or |
'mak -welI-fnan.' I then resolved to |
leave the Indians, and after grand |
parting ceremony, started on my pony
for San Francisco. | had no money but |
with which, however, and my
gun managed to make my way to the
coast. On reaching it it 1 shipped on a
whaler and went off on a two years
cruise.
81 left the ship at Honolulu, which |
was a queer place in those days. Kane
hameha was king then, and l was on the
most familiar terms with him. He was
D right jolly fellow, and liked jokes and
rum. | never heard his name pro-
nounced as it is commonly written. He
was called Tami-which means King
In the matter of dress he was
IS fantastic as his subjects. On state oc-
casions have seen him with military
coat on and nothing else. Then again I
have seen him hold a reception with
nothing about his person b ut alady's par
asol of brilliant colors held over bis
head.
''From Honolulu I went to England.
md thence went TO New Bedford,
There again shipped on whaler, and
went into the Pacific Ocean. We
had very bad luck, and our captain, in
despair, cut his throat. I then took
charge of the ship, and soon afterward