The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-05-11
Preparations for the Flu
neral Of the late Queen
DOWager.
Removal of the Body to
KawaiahaO Church.
Graphic Description of the Rahiiis
and Other Insignia OF Roy
aIty-Etc., Etc, Etc.

Since the death Of Her late Majesty
the Queen Dowager Emma, which tool
| place on the 23d ultimo, the melancholy
task of preparing to celebrate the funera
obsequies with the pomp and form due the
exalted rank of the deceased, has kept many
persons busted, and it was not until las
Saturday, the day preceding the one fixed
for the funeral, that all the arrangements
were completed.
To Mr.. w. C. Parke was entrusted the de-
tails of preparations. This has been his
duty on many like occasions, he having
superintended the arrangements at all the
royal funerals, and those of High Chiefs,
that have taken place in Honolulu since 1855
ABIDE from the care of the remains, which
have been under the immediate charge Of
Miss Lucy Peabody, whe almost all her life
time has been the companion and friend of
the late Queen, there has been a great deal
done.
IN THE HOUSE OF MOURNING
The Royal remains, enclosed in double
coffin Of wood and lead, have lain in the
reception room, watched day and night by
retainers, whose hereditary right it is to
thus guard the bodies of their departed
chiefs. The scene presented during the past
fortnight in the Queens residence was very
impressive. In the center of the large re-
ception room was placed the bier, covered
with a large pail of heavy black velvet. On
each of the four quarters of this pail was
displayed the arms of the Hawaiian King
dom, surmOunted with the crown of the
n. IL
med with gold lace laid upon the raised
surface of the pail, were the decoration and
ribbon of the Royal Order of Kamehameha
First, the crown of Hawaii draped in black
Grape, and the Holy Bible, whose truths the
late Queen was so earnest in spreading
amongst the people of herrace. Covering
the head and foot of the bier were
FEATHER CAPEs,
One of the peculiar ancient insignia of royal
rank amongst the Hawaiians. These capes
are made of small, gOlden-colored feathers,
each one less than half an inch in length,
fastened to a groundwork of fine net, so as
to resemble the richest of yellow satin.
They are Ornamented by a broad, solid
crescent pattern, worked in small scarlet
feathers, and are very rich and highly
priced works of art.
Standing at the head of the bier was
superb silver vase, filled with lovely white
lilies, that, with the other beautiful flowers
disposed about the room, were renewed by
Loving hands day by duy. Silver branch
eandlesticks were placed on a marble slab
in front of the vase of lilies, and on either
side of this group of lights stood a tall
native, dressed in deep black, and holding
uprightitwo of the three kahilis, or feather
embIems of rank that belonged especially to
the dead Queen.
THE TWO KAHILIs
At the head of the bier are named g Malu-
lani " and g Laiku," and were granted the
late Queen when she was very young
They are made of yellow and black feathers,
so arranged on slender poles as to form
cylinders about four feet in length and
two feet in diameter. The base of these
cylinders are closed with trimmings
of black and gold silk and satin,
bound with Grape and ribbons. The kahili
of like size at the foot of the bier, is of
black feathers, and is named Z" Lupahira. -
These names are very ancient, and their
meaning, like that of many other old Ha-
waiian words, is lost.
At the side of the room, in close prox-
unity to q full-length portrait, in oil, of the
late Queen, stood the ancient kahii for
merly borne before the High Chief Keliimai-
kai, brother of Kamehameha l., from whom
the late Queen traces her descent. This
relic of bygone days is named 20 Puloulou, -
and is made of fine white kappa, or bark
cloth, gathered in two balloon-like balls
about central shaft, to which it is fast
ened by long streamers of ribbon.
HEREDITARY sroURNERs AT THE BIER.
On each side of the bier stood four men,
clothed in black, and swaying with rythm-
tic motion above the remains short,
black kahilis. These men. as well as those
who had charge Of the large kahiIis, bore
about their necks collars made of great
number of fine cords, braided from human
hair. These cords passed through the
middle of hook-shaped ornament, carved
from ivory. These are the distinguishing
badges of male retainers Of high Hawaiian
chiefs, and are hereditary. In attendance
in the room were native ladies, in deep
black, one of whom was always to be seen
seated near the foot of the bier. The room
was heavy with the scent of flowers, the
most conspicuous perfume being that from
the jessamine-a favorite blossom with the
late Queen-a delicate wreath of which hung
from the crucifx placed at the foot of the
bier.
SPLENDID APPEARANCE OF THE HOUSE.
The house in which the late Queen Emma
died was draped on the balconies and pillars
in black, and fastened to the staircase railing
and along the main hall were placed some
forty kahilis Of various sizes and forms.
They were of brilliant scarlet, snowy white
rich golden yellow, and of sombre black. In
some the feathers were so arranged as tc
present an apparently solid, smooth surface
| of color, while others were open and light.
Among these the superb plumage Of pea
cocks and pheasants were mingled showing
shifting hues of metallic brightness. The
| soft brown and grey feathers of the native
owl and Bernicle Hawaiienei were in strik.