The Hawaiian gazette., 1891-02-17
The Caskef.

The casket, as mentioned in the coll
umns of the ADVERTISER some days ago,
is made nearly all of wood, having only
the rivets made of metal. The two woods
both native of Hawaii are the koa and
the kou. Of the former, which is the
lighter in color, the body of the casket is
made. Around the lower part of it are
two mouldings of kou. On each side are
three ornamental handles made of the
same wood, as are also the four corner
pieces. Immediately below the lid are
what might be termed lace mouldings
in the shape of arches. These are also
of kou.
The lid comprises layers of the two
woods. The upper is made of koa. The
length of the casket is seven feet seven
inches and two and halffe wide, with
height of two feet two inches, exclud-
ing the crown which is six and half
inches high. The screws fastening the
lid are covered by nicely rounded caps
of kou. The whole structure contains
600 pieces of wood, and they are so well
fitted that only where the same wood is
of little different shade of color at the
joints can they be distinguished, and
polish has been given to it that makes it
almost bright enough for mirror.
The only metallic ornaments placed
upon the casket, in which is en-
closed the metallic case with the remains
as sent from California, are a silver
crown, silver and gold shield, and
beautiful wreath of oxidized silver. The
crown Of solid silver, lined with black
velvet, is fastened eleven inches from
the shield towards the head of the
casket. Surmounting the crown is a
Maltese cross, and both crown and
shield are mounted upon polished cush-
ions of kou wood.
The shield or plate is eleven inches in
length by eight inches broad at the
widest part. Beginning at the upper
end OF the plate is a small gold crown
resting upon the stems Of two small fern
leaves wrought in silver which border the
upper part. Immediately beneath these
is the Hawaiian coat-of-arms worked in
gold and enamel, with colors red, white
and blue, and on the center of this is the
Kings crest in gold. On either side of
the royal arms is a gardenia branch
containing each large gardenia flower,
while at the top part OF the branch, a
tuberose. Underneath the coat-of-arms
is inscribed, in raised letters the Ha-
waiian motto-"Ua mau Ike ca ka
Alma ka Pono," (The life of the land is
established in righteousness)- upon a
golden ribbon. Next is engraved
His Majesty
DAVID LAANIEA KAMANAKAPUU MAHI-
NULANI NALoIAEHUoKALANI LU-
NnALANI KALAKAUA,
Seventh King of Hawaii.
Reigned
From February 18th, 1874, to January
Goth, 1891.
Born November 10th, 1886.
Diedin San Francisco, January Goth, 1891.
At the lower point of the shield is
large gardenia, with two small sprays of
gardenia, back of which are two large
ferns, one extending each way around
the lower edge and corners nearly half
way up the sides of the shield. There
are also two small ferns beneath the
larger two. All OF the ferns, branches of
Sardema, with the tuOeroses are in dead
white silver, while the gardenias have
gold stamens.
Placed near the foot of the casket is
The handsome oxidized silver wreath
that was on the casket in which the re-
mains were brought from California.
This wreath is wrought into roses, rose
buds and rose vines, with buttercup
entwined ON either side. Inside the
wreath are the symbols of the Masonic
Fraternity, by whom it was given. Two
large screws of solid gold fasten the whole
TO the lid Of the casket.