The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-03-29

Continued From Page lOl

minute ii had arrived At perfection.
The fish. mullet, furnished for the re-
past. was the most delicious ever tast-
ed, the ii leaves give a flavor 20 be
obtained in no other way. The native
chief prepared pig and chicken in the
same manner. / ate poi. raw fish and
all the island dishes. assimilated
with the Hawaiians Just as much as
IL were possible for an alien. When
the feast had all been finished. the mu-
sicians sang In Memoriam," the Kings
hymn. How pathetic Il all was, The
old citizens of the United States let
fall their tears. and that without
shame, with hose of their new broth
ers who were honoring the memory OF
their dead King.
During my stay in the Islands was
rendered three luaus.
4 distinguished gentleman who has
inherited the courtliness of all the Ka-
mehamehas gave me the honor OF hav-
ing the hula performed for my enjoy
ment. A moonlight night was selected
for this entertainment. About thirty
of Honolulu's Four Hundred were driv-
en- out in carriages to the scene of the
most characteristic performance ever
expect to witness. The dance was held
in the lanai Ian open parlor) of our
hosts sumptuous home. We had the
ancient as we'll as the modern hula.
In the olden time no music was used
as an accompaniment: instead. time
was measured ana marked by old men
who muttered and murmu--d rhythmic
measures, and with the right hand
struck at regular intervals a rafting
gourd held on the left. Such methods
called up visions OF centuries long
dead and gone, when primitive man
might have first begun the divisions
of time into rhythm. This night our
host had grouped his guests in a half
circle within his moonlit lanai. of to
one side three old, old men squatted
on mat. With gourds held aloft they
began to slowly chant and gurgle a
strange incarnation; then through n
little narrow doorway the dancing girls
filed in and took their places on a mat
reserved for them. Their small feet
were bare. around their rounded an
kles were wound lengths OF a woven
fringe OF sweet smelling grass which
served as anklets. The llssome svelte
bodies OF these dancers were swathed
in white neither garments and a chem
Use; rushes knotted into a deep fringe
formed the ballet skirts. In honor of
royalty the skirts of grass. the leis
about the neck and head. and the an
klets, Were of the royal yellow. the
little white chemise seemed all the
more white for lying next such bronzed
neck and shoulders. Api, the maid who
is mixture of Chinese and Hawaiian.
is queen of all the dancers; girls who
were born, reared and trained but to-
delight the senses. The old men gave
the word and shook their gourtis. with
the rafting seeds. in unison and har-
mony. Then the most curious. dreamy
dance ever beheld by human eyes went
on and on. One of the old men, with
a face so old that il seemed to have
known the beginning OF all things
low lei over his black. gnarled fore
head; the rope of yellow flowers was
even with his heavy, shaggy white
eyebrows. With piercing. burning eyes
set deep in their sockets he looked the
Fate Omar Khaygam drew when he
wrote
The moving finger writes: and having
writ
Moves on; nor all your Piety nor Wit.
Shall lure it back to carcel half line.
Nor all your tears wash out Il word of
it,"
The dancing nymphs by their move
ments, which were the poetry OF mo-
tion, translated the weird fantasies OF
brains so far removed from all that's
modern.
Back of the guests the retainers, with
necks outstretched, pressed up forward,
and with flashing eyes, set in strange,
dark eager faces. drank in all the Sc
ductive intoxication OF this pastime;
out beyond, the wide stretches of broad
plantations cleaning, glistening in the
silvery moonlight; every qulveTing
blade, leaf. bud and blossom giving
out a perfume which soothes and lulls
the senses as they have never been
before.
All is so quiet. not n sound breaks
the stiffness, save the old mems voices
rs they rise and fall in rhythmic ca
dence with the sound OF beating
gourds.
What picture for IN artist! Such
a one as Vedder or young Dixon here
who gives such great promise.
The ancient dance having been fin