New-York tribune., 1899-04-16

II was believed that sickness and death would
ensue. Sacrifices were required, sometimes hu-
man, if the house for a chief and when the
door was to be finished priest was sent for to
offer the kuwa prayer and to cut the thatch
over the door. The building of canoe was
very serious business The choice of the tree
was Of the utmost Importance the kahuna pay
ing great attention TO the action OF birds, espe
cially the little elepaio bird. and the selecting
kahuna was accustomed to pass one night in the
temple, so as to dream over the matter. The
gods propitiated by offerings of red hogs
and cocoanuts and were invoked at the tree
cutting and again at the launching A prayer
was recited by the priest. standing at the bow
with the owner, and in this prayer the names of
, Tahiti. Vavau, Upolu and other islands Of the
South Pacific mentioned. If the silence
was broken by any noise any one coming it
was fatal omen, foretelling death and disaster
but If not the canoe was safe. Canoes of
Kamehameha blessed in this way. still used
for pleasuring in the surf.
There are rites connected with agriculture;
certain days Of the moon upon which it was best
to plant taro, and in many localities these days
still observed, now grown into custom and
separated from their original religious signif
canoe. When the crop was ripe the first fruits
were OHereu 10 tne BOuS III 4 SORT Ol HdINeSt
home festvaI-not so different from our back
country customs, our farmer ancestors who
set great store by the moon and somebody's
almanac
ONE PLEASANT CUSTOM STICKS.
But though these pleasant pastoral customs
almost obsolete there is one Hawaiian Gus
tom that will not disappear these many years.
1t is the Hawaiian custom which the eau
casians have been able to appreciate and to ac-
cept in the proper spirit This is the habit OF
wearing leis. The Hawaiians extremely
fond Of flowers. They cultivate them for pleas
ure, and they like to feel the petals against
their skin. This is by means confined to
women, and both sexes wear long strung
wreaths Of flowers about their necks and hats.
The lei sellers objects of interest on Homo
lulu streets and departing guests are always
speeded with dozens or hundreds of leis, accord
Ing TO popularity These floral wreaths are
worn by the whites. Newcomers always wear
them around their hat brims and even upon
their necks They form a charming decoration,
and many Caucasians leave standing order
with the lei women much as order the daily
bunch of flowers at the florists
Against this custom the Hawaiian missionaries
strove in vain An attempt was made TO com
pei the Hawaians to give up their habit or
lassoing their friends with flowers Ship cap
tains have actually been reported to the home
companies by eficous whites for wearing leis
about their necks. But all the agitation was in
vain. More liberal minded travellers appre-
ciated the graceful attention. and did all they
could TO make the custom popular. They sue
ceeded. Departing travellers are covered knee
deep with the fragrant wreaths They hang
yards Of tuberoses exquisite orange ilimas,
strings OF solid perfume. They are about your
neck, over your arms; they bury your hat and
they are looped from your waist Each one
represents a warm goodby and a godspeed.
The wearing Of the lei will be the last Hawaiian
custom to decay under the conquerng onslaught
OF Anglo Saxon manners and Ango-Saxon