The herald., 1893-05-15
TALES FROM HAWAII.
A NAVY OFFICER FROM THE SAND
WtcH ISLANDS TALKS.

Kins Hnn,effasnefsn Ill and His Dislike Of
an American r.ieptcnant = 0altivatihs
the Good Nature, Of tho HawaiianPeo-
pIe-xarns hbsut esber Kings.
An officer of the navy who recently
returned from cruise of the Pacific
b4uadton, aud who spent many months
cruising Among the Sandwich Islands, re-
lates an Interesting story in connection
with the conviYial habits of some of the
monarohs Of that kingdom. He says that
Che navy department.. al the request Of
the state department., has been specific
In its instructions since the civil war
Chat commanding officers and other Of
fcers Of the navy should as far as pos
sible cultivate the most friendly acquaint-
ance with the Hawaiian people. He
went on to Say:
"Thefe was time when 1t was ap-
pafeilt that the people Of those islands
hsd not any desire to have friendly In
tercbufss with american navy officers
That was when Lieutenant Qater Rear
A6l1niral) William Reynolds was navel
storelEeeper at Honolulu in 1857 and staid
there two OF three years. He had man
ner that made him many friends and
also mary eperniss, and King Kane
hafneha III was especially offensive to-
ward the lieutenant. The king sought
every opportunity to show his dislike of
Lieutenant Reynolds.
"At that time the latter was on the
reserved list of the navy, and the king
concluded that he was not obliged to
show him the same amount of courtesy
that would be (lue to him If he were on
the active list. But in 1861 Lieutenant
Reynolds was, UPON his own application,
put back on the active list, and after the
close Of the war, in 1866, he was sent to
Honolulu in command of the sloop-of-
war Laehawauna.
1.-THE Lacknwan1la remained in Homo
lulu harbor for more than q year, and
her long stay there excited the distrtst
Of King Karneharneha, and he employed
D person detailed on the Lackawanna to
do shrewd piece of detective work--to
secure copies of the dispatches of Cap
tain Reynolds to the navy department at
Washington. The person employed for
this clandestine work was enamored of
one of the Hawaiian women of noble
birth and considerable wealth, and Bill
Regsdale, Kanaka and one of the smart
est politicians in the kingdom and snian
Of great power and influence III the royal
family, encouraged the lover in his de-
sire to marry the young woman and
promised him ultimate success if he
should secure copies of the confidential
correspondence between Captain Reyn-
olds and the navy department..
1.-THE correspondence was secured and
given to Ragsdale, who then Informed
upon the young man who had played
falEe to his commander, and instead of
marrying the girl he was court 1aartialed
andsentenced to imprisonment on thepo-
torious Dry Tortugas Ragsdale after
ward had to DO sent to the island of Mo.
lokai, where all lepers are exiled and
where he died few years ago.
"T'he Laekawanna was succeeded by
the sloop-of-war Mohongo, Of which the
alaoiHsi RGasd AldIHRigaal 9s Ia BY lpib
matte tact and keen Judgment, soon won
King Kamehaneha over, and the officers
of the Mohongo became very popular %
court and received every attention and
courtesy during the dozen months that
the vessel was in Honolulu harbor. King
Kameha1neha was succeeded on the Ha-
waiian throne by his brother Lunahlo,
popularity known as Whiskers Billy, be-
cause Of his fon111ess for his beard, which
was Of luxurious growth. Lunahlo also
had d fondness for that which would in
ebriate. but as there was a no license
law-that is, SO far as selling liquor tx,
| native Hawaiian was concerned - M
made 1t a practice TO visit friendly war
ships to.eatisfy his appetite. :.
''Ifunaliio lived only a short time. Ka
lakana took Lunali1o's place on TN
throne. and he was fair successor ant
succeeded pretty well in sustaining tn
reputation Of his predecessor as an. anti
prohibitionist. He also was fond OF
good game IF poker, and when sifnpl!
Prince David he engaged in many an IN
teresting game. Billy Enierson, the ne
gro minstrel, had as one OF his 'gagi
on the stage in San francisco that b
once sat in a poker game with five king
sHow's thatr said tho middle man. why
IhelA four and Dave was the other sal
Billy. This was a game in which 1t
said the minstrel held Kalakaua for
! pot amounting to $4,000.
'In 1874 Kalakaua visited this corfitr.
J coming to San Francisco on the war We
sci Benicia. Upon the arrival OF ii
vessel ct San francisco, Lieutenant Coz
) mander w. "A. Whiting, recently on du'
t at the navy yard, and who has been Q
T. dered to command the Alliance, now
: Honolulu. was detailed to take charge
the royal party and escort ii to San FRA
cisco. A good round sum was provld
for its entertainment by the state depal
IS ment. hnd the king and his party had
!. right royal time.
n "You will no doubt recall the 20
d which the officers have had on Lheute
e ant William S. Cowles, who Is now Z
e val attache at the London legation, ey
y since the visit Of the Queen Dowae
y Kapiolani to this country a few yei
n ago. He had command of the junketl
d boat Dispatch when the queen was tan
is on a trip down the Potomac, and IN
le address of welcome on board he paid :
ID extravaganza eulogy to her, Most no
I'd and beautiful queen, I ask your maJest
at gracious permission to address YOU
a asmuch as Queen Kapiolani was the co
y of chocolate, the other officers who hei
Ut - /, :. 1s441, At,.nzaos INIT then