New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-29


which was long prayer by priest In return
| for these offerings which the natives could not as
\ yet look In the nature OF cIs from one
class Of human beings 10 another Captain Cook gave
! presents. Then the trading began. and though the
| natives secured a vast number Of nails and pieces
| OF iron which they deemed precious. it began 10
| dawn upon them that the trading spirit OF their
visitors not exactly gOdike But they were not yet
| wholly undeceived. They sont runners about the
islands who gave the mos, surprising account OF these
visitors from another world. Among other things
they said "Ile men white: Their SKIN Is loose
and folding (meaning their clothes. their heads are
regular fire and smoke issue from their mouths. they
have opening, In the SIDES o! their bodies INTO
which they thrust their hands. and draw ont iron
beads nails other treasures. and their speech l.
unln'eNlGible."
TIE ire and smoke Issuing from the mouths of the
white men freak of tie native imaSlaIo1 III
first thought: but As "A matter OF fact. tobacco wa
unknown these people. and II Was The pipes Of 'h'
sailors that strengthened the error into which the
simple folk fen at the outset "Thcy must be gods,
sad they sec how tie fire burns IN their mouths
1hroU ghOu the first and second visit OF the EhSlSh
expedition the ISLANDERS sim persisted in their mis-
taken view Of their visitors. Wien the ships came to
anchor in Kcalakekua Bay, in january, l''" they
we're promptly visited by old priest. koa who
sslu,ed the commander with the utmost vencrltlon
lie threw piece Of red kapa his shoulders, and
taking the attitude Of worship repeated long prayer
after which lie Oe!c ed pig 20 his supposed dlvihy
The captain. accompanied by some of liN Officers io
lowed the old priest on Shore and was met rs usual
by the people. who Frustrated themselves. II is I'M
pos that Cook oOull have mistaken the meaning
OF these popular demonstrations But there was not
on his part the sign OF protest. on the contrary
lis going ashore tina; day for the express pnr-
nose AS h. well knew OF completing the mad dclu>lon
OF the people by allowing himself 10 be Installed IN
accordance with tAe traditional ritual In Hawaii as the
impcrsOnation Of the god Lonc.
Ncanw hlc the sailors Up 10 their usual tricks.
There were complaints about the Island women and
about persistent thcits II the cascrnc,, Of tho white
men as traders had led to doubt about their divine
origin, their violation Of all the moral picceptS known
TO the islanders rendered thu doubt certainty. \
month this experience In which the wiling gifts Of
the pOple and their supcrstitous regard for captain
Cook by robbery and extorton. convinced the
Havaians that their only hOp' OF peace and safety
Law in the early departure OF the visitors. They en-
deavored 10 hasten this desired event by renewed
lavlshncss In gifts Even the Engishmen sur
prised and Captain King has left OF record the "a
mark: We were astonlshed at tho valu' and mag
nitude OF this present. which far surpassed anything
OF the kind had AZ either the Friendly or
the Society Islands The departure OF the ship, was
hailed with delight, and Captain Cook might have re
talned the reverence of the natives incarnation
Of Lono # h. had never returned. An accident. due
10 a storm induced him to return % KcaEkckua Bay.
The superstition Of the natives Lad taken new turn.
The chief placed the bay under ban. and almost
the only experience Of the sailors with the natives
was dine 10 tho dcprcdations Of the latter, VIII" wor"
bent stealing 6very iron tool which they c'uld Law
their hands on. Finally Cook venturcd on shor" IN
the face of crown Of armed natives. and his deah
fClowed almost "a Il matter 81 course.
For seven years after the murder Of COOK INC
islanders were left to their devices Though they
became throughout the civilized world the subject Of
legend almost baselesS As their own mythoioN
But they did not keep the peace among themselves.
On the one hand Kahekn and his brother. kah""'
succeeded in joining all the islands "xccp; Hawaii
under their sole government; the other. "a" d.
scnslons in Hawaii which had been gathering head
In the reign Of Kalanopuu came to an issue AT his
death. This was really only an ordinary TACT IN
the experience OF "a" people. The death OF III" cin"i
was legally followed BY a r"dst .ihuti'n OF land-,
practice not unknown - other savage ana h"li'NI
lied races. Kalaniopuu himself had Risen - VI"
cheftainshp by rebellion under of the anarchy
which was the natural result Of this rule OF native
law His death led 10 tn" division Of Hawai- into
,hres warning XIII )ms The among IN" cppr,-
ing chieitainS unusually destructive. III"
battles are SIN recalled in traditions Of the
pie and there j. the most vivid memory 81 tn" stern
inlplacahle Kahckili. who punished hi, opponents
by pitlless determination. Whole districts were de-
populated by his warriors. and hons. IN Moanalni
was built exclusively Of human bones II l.. pcrhap-.
a testimony to tn" general nildnc-> Of the p'Opl"
and TO the almost uniform pcdc"iulne,S 81 thcir
history that the horrors AT tho close Of the "ieh-
tccuth century strongly Affected their
minds. After the expiration Of the soN"n-ycar period
the history Of the Islands was varied 10y the RE and
fall of native princes and by tn" growing Frequency
of visits from white men. The first VINO renewed
acquaintance with the Islander, were portlock and
Dixon. Englishmcn, both OF whom had en- ln W-
company Of Captain Cook. They were by no means
kindly welcomed. Indeed. ia" dcm"anor Of I'll" ma
tiyes was such that the shpma weighed anchor
IN Keaakekua Bay and departed In som" haste Tor
Oahu. About the same time La perou,c. thr famous
French explorer. with two lrsat"s. visited llonuanlu
in East Mani. His stay for Only on" day. and
he found the natives exceedingly fri ndly. P"r'l"rk
and Dixon made two other visits 10 the sandwich
Islands Then came the fur trader, In numbers, who
touched at the islands on their way TO ami from their
trading places II was Of these ships that ia"
chicftain Kalana, tn hrt Of The no'a
royal travellers from til" Islands went
on voyage to Canton. China. wh"r"
he was received with unusual honors hy III" n,h-h
residents This politcness seems. however, rather TO
have increased than diminished his disposition - deal
treacherously with the white people. Upon his re-
turn TO the Islands he became retainer OF kinS
Kamehameha. His wealth, given him by III" whites
seemed very great In the eyes Of the simp" minded
natives and his influence such that he persuaded
Captain Douglass 10 present 70 kamehameha swivel
cannon lnOnl,icu OF Il uOup' 'dl"'' ~ ~" w
o.pcct OF n very Formidable weapon IN nav" warfare"
About the end OF the year 11oD Captain Me cali com
handing the American snip Eleanor, Visited III" Isl
ands and a plot formed 10y kaland t. murder
the and >"ilo the vessel. his wa, pf"Nchtu
by Kamchamcha but through some misunderstanding
Me;c;lf had th, friendly King beaten with a ropes
end. The result wa Hrat l!r Ind,crmia'' Ihins
OF natives at OOwalI hy Mccali Ia r"Ncng" FOR tn"
murder of sailor, and the massacre oil the crew ol
tI, Fair American hy natives. Mctcalia son Wa III
comma ndcr Of this vessel"
KnnlcLamcla's reign. varied thus by foreign trad"
and quarrcls aud 10y native wdrs mae i, ANY r"lr -
toward the goal which every COnqd10r has III mir a.
lie lived 10 see the political control 0i the ISLANDS
nsnidated IN his hands. Like WI" ruler |
he then eXertcd hime 10 promote agriculture, ana
he took energetic measure Ior ihr suppression ni
irirondaso murder and THEFT which had become rlle
durinr wears Of conflict. Vet enlightened as Il" |
seemed TO be- he subject :" 'hc domination Of |
tho native ,thood. Human sacrifice WI, not I'M
known in his time. and the most rvolin9 pIHcilc,' ~