The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-08-22
MR.. GILMAN'S ADDRESS
IMPRESSIONS OF HONOLULU, PAST
AND PRESENT.
Most of the old Landmarks Have Gone
In Fifty Years-Stable Govern
ment Necessity.

A small, but deeply interested audi
ence listened to the address OF Hon.
Gorham ID. Gilman, of Boston, at the Y.
NC. A. hall Tuesday evening. The
speaker had selected as his topic, I'm
pressions OF Honolulu, past and
present" After an appropriate intro
duction by MIR. c. B. Ripley the dis
tinguished gentleman said:
1t gives me great pleasure to address
YOU tonight because | am given an
opportunity to review the past nifty
years OF my life. The subject have
chosen and upon which l will speak to
YOU is impressions OF Honolulu, past
and present.
It was one afternoon in the month OF
Nav, 1871, when, after voyage from
Valparaiso on the ship Gloucester from
Boston, we rounded Diamond Head. 1t
was too late in the evening for us to
make the port before dark so the order
was given to reef topsails and stand OFF
shore for the night. This was my first
and last opportunity OF acquiring the
dignity to which most sailors aspire to
of passing the weather caring" which
| had the satisfaction OF doing rs a
finishing touch to my sea-faring life.
The next morning early we were stand
ing in for the anchorage. As we APP
preached Diamond Head the trade winds
were blowing fresh and free, whale
boat was deserted approaching us and
we "hove to" for the pilot, who proved
in this case to be Mr.. stephen Reynolds
for many years resident OF Honolulu,
and who occasionally performed the
duties OF pilot.
1t was a singular sight that greeted
the eyes of our passengers, especially OF
the missionaries and their wives, OF
whom we had quite a large number on
board. The apparently undistinguisha-
BILE iargon of language, the earnest ges-
ticulation and confused sounds of differ
ent cries as the boat was more or less II
danger, in coming alongside OF the ship
spray that was breaking over them
were sights and sounds new and strange
to all OF us, and particularly so to fem
mime ears. The mother OF the President
OF the Republic was leaning over the
side, and when she, with old mother
Rice, saw these people they hastily re-
tired to their cabins with the question
arising in their minds, Are these the
people with whom we have come to
spend our lives? for in those days it was
for life service.
The ship was soon under way to the
anchorage, which in due time We
reached outside the bar, the wind being
too strong for US to enter the harbor. II
was not long before the Governor
Kekuanoa's double-banked barge, cam
alongside with some of the brethren o
the Mission. Arrangements were mad
for the party to land Immediately, 70
the voyage had been somewhat lon
one, and all were anxious once more t.
be on shore. After all our missionar
passengers had left, the captain wit
one or two passengers started in boa
we called the captains gig, a fine
pulling cedar one for six oars. W
were not long in coming up with til
barge, and it was an almost head-to
head race between the siX-oar boat an
the eighteen-oar barge as to whic
would reach the wharf first. 1t wa
our good fortune to beat in this race
and | had the pleasure of throwing til
bow-oar first onto the dock, tnishin
my twelve months experience as
cabin boy and ordinary seaman.
The next morning took up my pos
ton as clerk for the house of Ladd Z
Co., having made arrangements pr
viously in Valparaiso with Mr.. Williai
Hooper one-Of the firm who was pa
senger on board our ship.
As | remember, their store at tina
time stood at the foot of Nuuanu ave
nue., a small coral building situated a
the head of the wharf which was but
landing place at that time. There wei
no stores or buildings on the makai sid
of what is now known as Queen stree
from Paul Maini's to Johnny Wright
shipyard" as it was Familiarity called.
The appearance of the natives to |
newcomers was one of much novelt,
Fashion had hardly as yet induce
them to assume in very large quantitit
our style of clothing. The majority {
looms while the women were dresse
mainly in what is now well known {
the holoku. Their olive brown skin
their laughing eyes, pleasant faces an
sweet voices, were a welcome to til
strangers as comparatively few arriva
took place in those early days of &
many passengers as our ship ma
brought. At that time everywhere VIZ
the word ''aloha," aloha" as is tn
case to-day in the outer districts
On the other islands where l hay
been have found much of this swee
old originality. But associations hay
hardened their speech. | remember or
day away back in the forties ! asked
native man to get memorandum boo
for me. He straightway ordered his so
to the task and at the same time Ripe
out a fearful oath. | was astonishe
and asked him what in the world Il
meant. He innocently replied that tha
was haole language and meant hurr