The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-10-24
ABOUT A ROYAL CAPTIVE.
THE STORY OF A HALF-BRED ENG
LISH GIRL.
From Apia to the Isle of Tau-Made
Queen of Manua-The story OF
Captain Luttreil.


Captain Luttrel of the bark Helen w.
Almv, up Il few days ago from Butari-
tart, is pretty good story-teller and
never fails to bring back with him from
the South Seas some narrative worth |
the readers while to peruse. This time
Captain Luttrell tells OF Il pretty princess,
a half English and half native woman,
who rules over the Manua group against
her wishes, though her subjects worship
her much al er the fashion that u e
Koreans worship their king, or as the
Peruvians humbled themselves before
the virgins OF the sun.
History repeats itself in the biography
of Margaret Young, the English name
of the prisoner princess, for the story oil
Francis Young, a sailor who landed at
the island OF Tau nearly 100 years ago,
is recalled.
This man married a Tau native
woman who was queen of the group
His son by her welded a half breed
maiden. Margaret Young is the
daughter of that son.
Through the death of all the heirs ap-
parent to the throne of the Manuas, Miss
Young found herself called upon to
assume the power of mistress OF the
islands. This news was conveyed to
/ her at Apia some months ago by dele
/ CATION of chiefs from Manua and she
was forced bv the laws of heredity OF
tanning in the Southern Archipelago to
accompany them back to Tau, where she
was Immediately installed as Queen.
Great interest is lent to the case of the
girl. who is but twenty-five years of
age, by the report that she is highly
educated and was, at the time of her
sudden call from Apia, happily pursuing
the course of her studies at Catholic
convent.
Captain Luttrell and his wife, who
accompanied him on his last trip, were
the first white people permitted to
interview the Queen, and obtained
from Her Majesty the story that hel
life was one of misery Ill spite of the
profound respect shown her by hei
native subjects. She is a ruler that is
compelled to maintain an odious re.
serve, the sancity of her dwelling being
rigidly preserved by fierce warriors who
, stand ready to decapitate the bold in
truder who dares to enter the Queens
sacred presence without first being
especially anointed by the spirit fires
: and summoned by a council of chiefs.
The grand chief of the group is the
only man that is allowed to approach
, the Queen" explained Captain Luttrell
He attends to her wants, assisted by
two maids, who never leave her side,
except when they are called upon to dc
her bidding.
These girls and the Queen live in q
, spacious palace OF bamboo, furnished
very meagerly. A music-box such as
traders palm off on the natives for sew
eral tons of copra, grinds out antiquated
= melodies in sickly sort of way.
t SHOULD any native desire TO pay
tribute to her in the shape of fish or
fowl, he must fasteD his gift upon the
end of a bamboo pole, advance with
closed eyes and thrust the stick through
the doorway of the palace.
Queen Margaret, as we will term her,
, is not allowed to walk outside her
cabins limits. She must be carried on
a litter by her maids, and when she
ventures forth upon such a journey,
subjects are ordered, under pain of
death, to keep hidden in their prospec-
tive domiciles."
trell that she desired to be freed, but
had never dared to say so to those who
hold her prisoner. She explained that
her subjects We're kindhearted. and
ment to cause her no unhappiness, but
that they religiousy followed the Gus.
toms of their ancestors in acting as
they do toward her,
The wealth of the islands is the
Queens and this is rendered her amid
prayers and invocations that are
strange and indescribable. Such OF hei
wishes as do not interfere with the adj
ministration of the laws and customs
mentioned are granted in every re,
spect.
1t is customary when certain periods
OF the year come round for the Queer
to visit the different islands of Il
group, three in number, and on su,
state occasions, and then only, are tn
common people and sub-chiefs allowed
: t. gaze upon her royal features,
Canoes are collected into a great fleet
every chief being given certain mum
Der OF boats to command. Then the Ell
re population of Tau embarks, setting
( out at sunrise for the nearest island
Y where they are joined by more canoe
t and so on until the royal rounds hav
q been made.
: But with all this pomp OF savager
and show OF humiliation TO their Queen
the natives OF the Manuas have inspire
a Margaret Young with no great love fo
2 them. Half native though she be heI
3 self, she frets and pines away her life
longing and praying through the balm
] DAYS and glorious nights to be one
more among white people and in tn
modest little convent in Samoa.-S, +
| cal.