Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-08-30
KALAkAUA.s PALACE.


NN@ANAOAS PALACE.
Where the Pro0re.ee Ru,., ~ n. M.
waiian lslands Lives.
The royal palace-called ..Isalanim
occupies q square of about five hum
dred feet in the center of the city. and
Is surrounded by high wall formed
OF stone and cement. just outside of
the palace wall are the barracks for
the handful OF native troops, of which
His Royal Highness can boast. The
palace itself is a large and imposing
structure. two stories high. 1t is
very handsome building. The throne
room is large and beautifully-inished
apartment The throne for His Males
ty and the Queen is on raised dais at
one end of the apartment. The wood
work is of koa or native wood. The
hangings are of red damask. The
state dining-rOom is also very large
and elegant. 1t is hung with portraits
of foreign sOvereigns, notably one OF
Louis Philippe. The state recep-
ton room is hung with blue
gaudy colors predOminating through.
out the palace. Opposite one of the
gates in the palace wall is located the
government building. This is a hand.
some stone structure. In front of this
stands bronze statue of kamehamehs
l.. founder of the kingdom. He was
King of one of the islands and con.
quered all the other Kings and gath.
cred the Hawaiian group into one
dominion.
The present King. Kalakaua-mean.
ing Day of Battle-is not of Kane
hameha descent, but was elected to the
throne in default of an heir apparent,
none having been named by the SOW.
ereign. He is not man who com.
mands the respect of the better classes
of people on his islands. He is much
more at home with his native singers
and dancers at kailua than .in man.
aging and conducting governmental
affairs at Honolulu. In June last his
actions became SO intOlerable that
the leading citizens of Honolulu inau.
gurated bloodless revolution forcing
the King to dismiss the entire cabinet
and appoint citizens whom they named,
and also to sign new constitution Writ
ually modelled upon that of the United
States. The Queen is of good demeanOr
and possesses more or less dignity.
They have no children, and their ap.
parent is Mrs. j. q. Dominis, wife OF
the Governor of the island. She is the
Kings sister. Her husband is white,
color not counting for much in that
country. The royal Hawaiin band, in
the employ of the government, is one
Of the attractions. 1t is composed of
thirty-three members, all natives.
They play as well as any first-class
band in this country. They perform
every Monday morning in the palace
square and in the public squares three
times week. Their singing of native
songs is notable feature of their per-
fOrmances.
The distances in Honolulu being
great, many livery carriages are in
use. They are two-seated and are all
alike, one horse being used in drawing
them. I think Honolulu uses as many
livery carriages as does Detroit. The
Chinese problem is coming to the front
in the Sandwich Islands as well as else
where. In Honolulu whole streets are
occupied by the Chinese. They work
at the laundry business in part and are
also walters and servants. Many small
shops in all the islands are run by
Chinese. Almost all the poi is made
by them, and the white poi flag is
seen everywhere. Poi? Oh. the taro
is vegetable, gray in color
and about the size of our beet.
Raw it is unfit for food, but baked
it forms a large proportion of the
food of the islands. 1t is cooked and
pounded with iron mallets. 1t is then
mixed with water until it assumes
about the consistency of starch. when
it is put into barrels and allowed to
for about twenty-four hours.
It has then acquired an acid taste, and
is then to the native islander what rice
is to the Chinaman.
The government of the Sandwich
Islands now may be said to be in the
hands of the Missionary party. The
of the old missionaries
form a very important part of the
financial and intellectual strength of
Tho iclon6s npfroi E,roo Drcee