Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-03-05

Joyous Welcome Turned TO Grief.
A San Francisco dispatch to the Chi
cago Irfbuhe says. Just before arriving
at the Hawaiian Islandsa correspondent
went upon the bridge of the Charleston,
The waves of the sea beat idly against
the swaying vessel and hot, moist wind
came up from the south. II scattered
the clouds, and as light dawned in the
east the men on the ship began to
spread their mourning bands until the
vessel was clad in its somber garb from
masts to bulwarks. We stood over
against the Diamond Head, the crater
that towers to the east of Honolulu.
We moved rapidly toward the harbor of
Honolulu. The yards of the Charleston
were cockbilled, and the flag of Hawaii
was floating at half-mast above our own
ensign.
AS we approached nearer TO land we
could see the flag floating from the
signal station at the Diamond Head. 1t
fluttered at the peak and evidently had
not yet interpreted our appearance.
Presently the admiral, who had not
been on the bridge since daybreak, or
dered signals to be made. Notwithstand-
ing this the flag at the Diamond Head
remained at the full mast. Either the
people did not understand or they re-
fused to believe. The Mohican, however,
which was within the harbor, recog-
nized the signals and answered them as
we began to move slowly down the
channel. Nevertheless the people on
shore saw in all this nothing but pro-
clamation that the king, whom they had
not expected till Saturday, was. with
them three days before, and presently
the fort began to fire a royal salute.
Ten guns had doomed ont welcome,
when suddenly they stopped as if the
men who fired them knew that some
thing was not right. Meantime the Mohi-
can had quickly cockbilled its yards and
put on the garb of grief Its flag at half
mast sent down the ensign on the
British gunboat Nymphe. A Flagstaff
near the water front foil 1wed the
example, and soon the government
building was in the fashion. The
wharves began to throng with people.
Through the glass one could see on the
tower of the government building anXi-
GUS watchers. AT the boat-landing we
saw a half-completed triumphal arch
bearing The inscription in Hawaiian
"Return to thy throne and remain for
ever with thy people," A boat, driven
through the water by the sharp, quick
stroke of the native rowers, dashed
alongside our gangway and up the steps
sprang Edward Macfarlane. Following
| him, at slower gait, came old John Cum
mins the prime minister.
"Where is GeorgeS" demanded Mac
farlane, and then shrank back as he saw
the coffin of the dead king stretched
beneath its canopy of Grape,
WAITING TO WELCOME HIM.
On the veranda of the boat-house
could be seen five or six young girls, all
in white, with flowers and leaves about
them They were chattering and laugh
ing-a strange contrast to the ominous
lull on the wharf below They were
the Kings dancers, the women whom
he delighted to honor while he lived
They had seen their summer and they
did not know yet that it was over
They waved their handkerchiefs and
| garlands gayly with light hearts. They
glanced at the throngs upon the ships
and wharves, and, as if ashamed that
the welcome should be SO meagre,
redoubled their beckonings and wav-
ings. Finally canoe with two natives
shot past their shady haven. A word
or two in the native tongue was shouted.
From the lips of the women came a
quick, furious retort The words We're
repeated and there was no reply, only a
dull silence. The canoe went on its
way and the women were left to their
wild, hysterical bitterness.
After landing and as the coffin was
being lifted into the sable hearse there
was a most extraordinary incident
Bursting through the crowd, rank after
rank, came gaunt, disheveled woman
of great stature, though bent with old
age. Her arms hung down in front,
swinging with the motion of her body.
The face was haggard and her eyes
were bleared and had the expression of
an OK struck down in the shambles,
She danced up and down the line and
then uttered strange unearthly cry.
1t was answered from some point far
away. She howled again, and, with
swaying of body and hanging arms like
the pendulum of q clock, she began
death chant. To describe the creatures
voice and manner would be impossible
The words caught in her open throat
and produced curious trelnolo; the
vowel sounds were predominant and
formed an indefinable ululation. Along
the line, on the wharves, in the vessels
shrouds, the chant was taken up, and
the scone grew barbaric. A drizzling
rain set in, and as column after column
fell into line with the hearse the band
started the "Dead March" and the cries
and chants of the populace grew in
wildness and intensity,
Just as the hearse entered the gate
way the setting sun burst forth as if to
give last salute, while above the
towering pail, at the back of the city,
was seen q giant rainbow set In the sky, |
with another beneath it. The people |
cried out as if it were a portent. The
wailing increased and the mourners
were frantic.
THE WIDOWED QUEENS GRIEF.
Forth from an upper window in the
palace on to the great porch which |
crowns the entrance rushed q woman |
in black. She was frenZied with grief |
and shrieked loudly to the people. 1t
was Queen Kapiolani, widow of the
dead monarch. Her attendants dashed
through the window and seized her by
the shoulders as she sought to cast her
self over the balcony to the pavement
beneath. As her unearthly cries re-
sounded through the palace they were
answered by the thousands beneath and
the scene was pandemonium.
The Hawaiian band burst into the air
of Nearer, My God, to Thee" as the
coffin was carried up the stairway, and
a universal cry from the people without
went up as it disappeared within the
door,
1t is the custom for the Hawaiians to
shave the right side of the head or
beard at the death of the king, and
of the kahali bearers around
kalnkaua,s | ier hnnlltitled thnrn snluns in