The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-08-24
INFANCY OF HONOLULU.
MR.. GILMAN TELLS OF THE RESI-
DENTS OF 1910.
History Makers of Early Times-Re-
sorts-The Pioneer of Inter-
Island Navigation.


shop, which stood opposite the
Bethel" He was the swell tailor of
the place, and in his own person resem-
bled not little the stately dignitarles
who were in charge of the realm, and
was evidently well pleased to be told of
it. He was always faultlessly dressed
in the whitest of linen, and courteous to
his many customers. The place was a
common resort for the young bloods of
the place, where town gossip was freely
exchanged. From the side of his shop
a little narrow lane led mauka from
King street to Hotel street, on which
latter street one Sam Thompson, tall,
stout New England Yankee with high
keyed falsetto voice, kept drinking
place for many years. He was said to
have been a total abstainer himself from
the use of all intoxicants, always de-
pending upon some expert to test his
liquors for him.
At the time of our arrival the old
thatch church was still standing, some
two to three hundred feet long by one
hundred feet wide, as we remember it.
The thatch upon the sides been pretty
thoroughly eaten off by the horses and
donkeys which had free access to the
place, there being at that time no wall
or enclosure around the church or COM
mon burying- ground. The trees and the
substantial wall that has been built
since we understand was the work of
that noble woman Mrs. Armstrong.
Rev. Mr.. Bingham, who may have
been considered the father, or one of
the three fathers, of the early mission,
had returned to the United States aud
Mr.. Armstrong had assumed the charge
of the pulpit and parish for which he
was peculiarly qualified, being one of
the best students in and speaker of the
Hawaiian language.
The freedom with which the congre
cation, men, women, children and
dogs, went in and out was character
istic of the easy style of the manners of
the natives, not always attending to the
devotional exercises and often times
quite amusing in their unstudied atti-
tudes and actions of friendliness one to
the other.
Some years later we recall an instance
in which an American Commodore who
was then visiting Honolulu, was invited
or had offered to address the natives
some Sunday afternoon. On this oc-
casion quite large audience had
gathered to hear the distinguished
stranger who, who with his gilt but
tons and gold epaulets, made quite Il
striking appearance as he stood beside
the comparatively small man who was
the regular pastor.
AS the Commodore warmed up with
his discourse the good Minister en-
deavored to keep up with him in inter
preting his sentences from the English
into the native language as he spoke.
We recall one illustration upon which
the naval officers seemed to dilate with
considerable interest, endeavoring to
teach the people to guard themselves
very carefully from being used by the
designing white men and becoming
their tools, and gave as an illustration
the famous story of the monkey using
the cats paw to pull the chestnuts out
of the fire, which he narrated evidently
with good deal of zest as particularly
appropriate illustration; but when the
good master came to interpret this part
of the speech he evidently thought that
it would create too much amusement
among his hearers for the Lords day
and he very adroitly skipped the whole
story, the Commodore never was con-
scious of the fact that his illustration
failed to point the moral he intended.
The old chiefs, as they were called,
who were the ''powers that be-" We're
by hereditary descent recognized as the
governing class, were marked by de-
gree of natural dignity which indicated
plainly long training of more gentle
birth than the common native. They
were also of much larger size than the
common people, and seemed in many
ways to be descendants from superior
race. We recall two who were some
times called "The Twins" One was
Paki and the other was Kaliiahunui.
The former was a descendant of the
ancient Kings of Hawaii; the latter the
son of the former King OF Kauai. Both
of these men stood some six feet six
inches in hight, perfectly formed, in
good proportion, weighing some 300
pounds each and when walking the
streets together, they were indeed a
noble pair. Another marked man OF
the old regime was Governor Kekuanoa
who occupied the highest station of
trust and was also Governor of Oahu.
He was the father of the two Kings,
Kamehameha w and Kamehameha V,
and II. r. ii. Victoria, possessing
more than an ordinary mind. In the
position of Governor of Oahu he mani.
tested large capabilities, always exceed
ingly courteous to foreigners. He was
one of those naturally born to com
mand among his own people, and tn,
natives invariably showed him grea
respect. We have seen him seated il
his Office, debating to several amenu
enses at the same time, important Gov
eminent business letters, which woulC
be sent out by the evenings mail
AS foreigners increased in the kingdom
and especially in Honolulu, there wa
found to be necessity for more EN-
phatic and pronounced government. TO
the wellbeing of the business of the cit.
and the welfare of the people. 1t wa
at such time as this that DR.. G. p. JUDI
came to the front. a man with large
comprehensive mind and very firm
determined character. Under his swa