The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1889-01-15

try residence OF The Hon. JOnn "A.
Cummins, wealthy planter and q
gentleman we'll known to many
Americans. The verandah running
about the house was gaily fcstooncd .
with American and Hawaiian flags
and band of native boys played,
sung and danced for the amusement
of the visitors. 4 number of the
party also drove over to the beach .
and had a dip in the ocean, the wa
ter being quite warm. The luau
given in the evening IN honor of the |
visitors was a novel affair. 1t WAS
rendered by King kalakaua and the
Hons. John A. Cummins, Samuel
Parker, George Beckley and Jonn
Ena, and as it was meant to be a
distinctively native reception, no
American or other foreign residents
were included among the hosts. The
lanai or tent was spread in the prl-
vatc grounds of one of the Kings
residences, and in the centre of the
tent was Kalakaua's natal tree. 1t
is the custom. when Il child is born
in the Hawaiian royal family to set
out twig under the roots
of which the umbilical cord is
buried and the growth or decline of
the tree will be emblematc of the
life of the child. The flourishing
Hau tree under whose spreading
branches we sat was the twig planted
at the birth of Kalakaua in 1886.
The tables were spread upon the
| ground in two rows one along each
side of the lanai with q connecting
row across one end, and they were
profusely trimmed with ferns, ever
greens and flowers brought from Mr..
Cummins plantation twenty miles
distant. The guests sat down with
legs crossed in Turkish fashion, all
except Ed. Crane whose weight of
limb compelled him to lie sideways.
In the center of the head or cross
row Of tables, on rich Turkish
rug, sat the King, with Mrs. Spald-
ing on his right, Attorney-General
Ashford on his left and other mem
bers of his cabinet IN order. a
score or more houri-oolling Kanaka
girls, in bewltching "holoku" attire
waved bright colored feather "kahi-
lis'' to drive away imaginary mos
Quitos and rows of Chinese lanterns
added to the strangeness of the
scene. The menu was in keeping
with the surroundings. Everything
was served in the highest style OF
the Hawaiian art, all the cooked
dishes having been roasted in the
native underground ovens and en-
closed in leaves like roastiDg-ear
with the husk on. An odd dish was
raw fish served with dressing that
made it quite palatable. The plat
de resistance was of course ''pol'
and cocoanut bow-full of this was
placed at each plate. 1t is Il gray
colored paste made from the taro
root and in appearance and consist
cncV is not unlike that used by a
bill-poster. If eaten without con-
diment as is the practice with many
of the natives, it is also not unlike
, it in taste, though with little sugar
added it has very pleasant favour.
{ Formerly it was the food-staple of
, the islands and is still generally
grown and used. To eat it two fin
gers are dipped halfway in the soft
porridge, given stir around and
, then by dextrous movement the
adhering poi is transferred to the
mouth. AS regular diet for ball
players poi would have its awkward
features. Old Silver Flint fingers,
for instance, wouldn't make the
most graceful poi-sticks. Poi-eating
alse has its disadvantages to man
with heavy beard. During the
evening l had an excellent opportu-
nifty of observing the King and
! remarked particularly that while at
u picture of official dignity, at the
, thereception ut thePalace ha had been
: luau he was a most genial host.
This adaptability on his part has
| doubtless much to do with his popu.
t larity among his subjects. AT ter
e o'clock, the hour appointed for the
G steamers departure, there was
] great crowd at the dock. The bant
played familiar airs and in the inter
d walls the boys on deck responded
t with songs. "Auld Lang Syne" by
s the band as the steamer pulled on
f was the signal for Hanlon, Wood
: Fogarty, Carroll, Pfeffer and Warc
to join hand in a circle and indulge
C in an old-fashioned Elks symposium
C When we had cleared the coral rec
). that forms the sea-wall of the har
e hor, the electric lights of the cit,
t were turned on and long after mid
/, night they we're still TO be seer
u twinkling like iirc-hies over th'
Y water. We leave Honolulu witt
G kindest remembrances each vowins
e to some day return again. We ar
f on the high seas nearing Tutuila o
e as Fogarty calls it, Tit-Willow. The
: weather has grown warmer anC
T. warmer until now it is oppression
: 1t is not possible to do anything but
? lounge around the shady places ane
Y the sea itself seems overcome Will
Y the general assitude for it is rs lazy
I. and still as big mill-pond. Wher
c all lights have been eXtinguished a