The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-05-05
TALES FROM HAWAII.
4 NAVY OFFICER FROM THE SAND
WlCH ISLANDS TALKS.

King Kamehameha III and His Dislike OF
the Good Nature. of the Hawaiian Peo-
ple-Yarns About Other Kings.
An officer Of the navy who recently
returned from a cruise of the Pacific
squadron, and who spent many months
cruising among the Sandwich Islands, re-
lates an interesting story in connection
with the convivial habits of some of the
monarchs of that kingdom. He says that
the navy department, at the request of
the state department, has been specific
in it's instructions since the civil war
that 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:
"There was a time when it was ap-
parent that the people of those islands
had not any desire to have friendly in
%sercourse with American navy officers.
That was when Lieutenant Cater Rear
AdmiraD William Reynolds was naval
storekeeper at Honolulu in 1857 and staid
shere two OF three years. He had a man
ner that made him many friends and
also many enemies, and King Kane
hameha III was especially offensive to-
ward the lieutenant. The king sought
every opportunity to show his dislike of
Lieutenant Reynolds.
Sat 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 due to him if he were ON
the active list. But in 1861 Lieutenant
Reynolds was, upon his OWL 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 Lackawanna.
"The Lackawanna remained in Homo
lulu harbor for more than a year, and
her long stay there excited the d~istrust
of King Kamehameha, and he employed
a person detailed on the Lackawanna to
do a 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
Ragsdale, a Kanaka and one of the smart
est politicians in the kingdom and man
of great power and influence in the royal
family, encouraged the lover in his de-
sire to marry the young and
promised him ultimate success if he
should secure copies of the confidential
correspondence between Captain ReyD-
olds and the navy department.
"The correspondence was secured and
given to Ragsdale, who then informed
upon the young man who had played
false to his commander, and instead of
marrying the girl he was court martialed
and sentenced to imprisonment on the no
torious Dry Tortugas. Ragsdale after
ward had to be sent to the island of Mo
lokai, where all lepers are exiled and
where he died a few years ago.
"The Lackawanna was succeeded by
the sloop-of-war Mohongo, of which the
late Rear Admiral Edward Simpson was
commander, and the latter, by his diplo-
matte tact and keen judgment, soon Won
King Kamehameha over, and the officers
of the Mohongo became very popular at
court and received every attention and
courtesy during the dozen months that
the vessel was in Honolulu harbor. King
Kamehameha was succeeded on the Ha-
waiian throne by his brother Lunalilo,
popularity known as Whiskers Billy, be-
cause of his fondness for his beard, which
was of luxurious growth. Lunalilo also
had a fondness for that which would in
ebriate, but as there was a no license
law-that is, so far as selling liquor to a
native Hawaiian was concerned - he
made it a practice to visit friendly war
ships to satisfy his appetite.
"Lunalilo lived only a short time. Ka-
lakaua took Lunalilo's place on the
throne, and he was a fair successor and
succeeded pretty well in sustaining the
reputation of his predecessor as an anti
prohibitionist. He also was fond of a
good game of poker, and when simply
Prince David he engaged in many an in
teresting game. Billy Emerson, the ne
gro minstrel, had as one of his gags
on the stage in San Francisco that he
once sat in a poker game with five kings.
'How's that? said the middle man. Why,
I held four and Dave was the other said
Billy. This was a game in which it is
said the minstrel held Kalakaua for a
pot amounting to $4,000.
"In 1874 Kalakaua visited this country,
coming to San Francisco on the war YES
sci Benicia. Upon the arrival Of the
vessel at San Francisco, Lieutenant Com
mander W. H. Whiting, recently on duty
at the navy yard, and who has been or
dered to command the Alliance, now at
Honolulu, was detailed to take charge Of
the royal party and escort it to San Fran
cisco. A good round sum was provided
for its entertainment by the state depart
ment, and the king and his party had a
right royal time.
"You will no doubt recall the joke
which the officers have had on Lieuten-
ant William S. Cowles, who is nov ma