HAT was then called Fort Vancouver was a station of theHudson's Bay Company. We took up our quarters here till oneof the company's vessels1 - the 'Mary Dare,' a brig of 120tons, was ready to sail for the Sandwich Islands. This wasabout the most uncomfortable trip I ever made. A sailingmerchant brig of 120 tons, deeply laden2, is not exactly apleasure yacht; and 2,000 miles is a long voyage. For tendays we lay at anchor at the mouth of the Columbia, detainedby westerly gales3. A week after we put to sea, all our freshprovisions were consumed, and we had to live on our cargo4 -dried salmon5. We three and the captain more than filled thelittle hole of a cabin. There wasn't even a hammock, and wehad to sleep on the deck, or on the lockers6. The fleas7, thecockroaches, and the rats, romped8 over and under one allnight. Not counting the time it took to go down the river,or the ten days we were kept at its mouth, we were just sixweeks at sea before we reached Woahoo, on Christmas Day.
How beautiful the islands looked as we passed between them,with a fair wind and studding sails set alow and aloft.
Their tropical charms seemed more glowing, the water bluer,the palm trees statelier, the vegetation more libertine9 thanever. On the south the land rises gradually from the shoreto a range of lofty mountains. Immediately behind Honolulu -the capital - a valley with a road winding10 up it leads to thenorth side of the island. This valley is, or was then,richly cultivated, principally with TARO11, a large root notunlike the yam. Here and there native huts were dottedabout, with gardens full of flowers, and abundance oftropical fruit. Higher up, where it becomes too steep forcultivation, growth of all kind is rampant12. Acacias,oranges, maples13, bread-fruit, and sandal-wood trees, reartheir heads above the tangled14 ever-greens. The high peaks,constantly in the clouds, arrest the moisture of the oceanatmosphere, and countless15 rills pour down the mountain sides,clothing everything in perpetual verdure. The climate is oneof the least changeable in the world; the sea breeze blowsday and night, and throughout the year the day temperaturedoes not vary more than five or six degrees, the averagebeing about eighty-three degrees Fahrenheit16 in the shade. In1850 the town of Honolulu was little else than a nativevillage of grass and mat huts. Two or three merchants hadgood houses. In one of these Fred and Samson were domiciled;there was no such thing as a hotel. I was the guest ofGeneral Miller17, the Consul18-General. What changes may havetaken place since the above date I have no means of knowing.
So far as the natives go, the change will assuredly have beenfor the worse; for the aborigines, in all parts of the world,lose their primitive19 simplicity20 and soon acquire the worstvices of civilisation21.
Even King Tamehameha III. was not innocent of one of them.
General Miller offered to present us at court, but he had togive several days' notice in order that his Majesty22 might besufficiently sober to receive us. A negro tailor from theUnited States fitted us out with suits of black, and on theappointed day we put ourselves under the shade of the oldGeneral's cocked hat, and marched in a body to the palace. Anative band, in which a big drum had the leading part,received us with 'God save the Queen' - whether in honour ofKing Tamy, or of his visitors, was not divulged23. We werefirst introduced to a number of chiefs in European uniforms -except as to their feet, which were mostly bootless. Theirnames sounded like those of the state officers in Mr.
Gilbert's 'Mikado.' I find in my journal one entered asTovey-tovey, another as Kanakala. We were then conducted tothe presence chamber24 by the Foreign Minister, Mr. Wiley, avery pronounced Scotch25 gentleman with a star of the firstmagnitude on his breast. The King was dressed as an Englishadmiral. The Queen, whose ample undulations also remindedone of the high seas, was on his right; while in perfectgradation on her right again were four princesses in shortfrocks and long trousers, with plaited tails tied with blueribbon, like the Miss Kenwigs. A little side dispute arosebetween the stiff old General and the Foreign Minister as towhose right it was to present us. The Consul carried theday; but the Scot, not to be beaten, informed Tamehameha, ina long prefatory oration26, of the object of the ceremony.
Taking one of us by the hand (I thought the peppery oldGeneral would have thrust him aside), Mr. Wiley told the Kingthat it was seldom the Sandwich Islands were 'veesited' bystrangers of such 'desteenction' - that the Duke of this(referring to Fred's relations), and Lord the other, were thegreatest noblemen in the world; then, with much solemnity,quoted a long speech from Shakespeare, and handed us over tohis rival.
His Majesty, who did not understand a word of English, orScotch, looked grave and held tight to the arm of the throne;for the truth is, that although he had relinquished27 hisbottle for the hour, he had brought its contents with him.
My salaam28 was soon made; but as I retired29 backwards30 I had themisfortune to set my heel on the toes of a black-and-tanterrier, a privileged pet of the General's. The shriek31 ofthe animal and the loss of my equilibrium32 nearly precipitatedme into the arms of a trousered princess; but the amiableyoung lady only laughed. Thus ended my glimpse of theHawaian Court. Mr. Wiley afterwards remarked to me: 'We dothings in a humble33 way, ye'll obsairve; but royalty34 isroyalty all over the world, and His Majesty Tamehameha is asmuch Keng of his ain domeenions as Victoria is Queen ofBreetain.' The relativity of greatness was not to be denied.
The men - Kanakas, as they are called - are fine stalwartfellows above our average height. The only clothing theythen wore was the MARO, a cloth made by themselves of theacacia bark. This they pass between the legs, and once ortwice round the loins. The WYHEENES - women - formerly35 worenothing but a short petticoat or kilt of the same material.
By persuasion36 of the missionaries37 they have exchanged thissimple garment for a chemise of printed calico, with thewaist immediately under the arms so as to conceal38 the contourof the figure. Other clothing have they none.
Are they the more chaste39? Are they the less seductive -?
Hear what M. Anatole France says in his apostrophe to thesex: 'Pour faire de vous la terrible merveille que vous etesaujourd'hui, pour devenir la cause indifferente et souverainedes sacrifices et des crimes, il vous a fallu deux choses:
la civilisation qui vous donna des voiles, et la religion quivous donna des scrupules.' The translation of which is(please take note of it, my dear young ladies with 'lesepaules qui ne finissent pas'):
'Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheardAre sweeter.'
Be this as it may, these chocolate-skinned beauties, withtheir small and regular features, their rosy40 lips, theirperfect teeth - of which they take great care - theirluxurious silky tresses, their pretty little hands and nakedfeet, and their exquisite41 forms, would match the matchlessCleopatra.
Through the kindness of Fred's host, the principal merchantin the island, we were offered an opportunity of becomingacquainted with the ELITE42 of the Honolulu nymphs. Mr. S.
invited us to what is called a LOOHOU feast got up by him fortheir entertainment. The head of one of the most picturesquevalleys in Woahoo was selected for the celebration of thisancient festival. Mounted on horses with which Mr. S. hadfurnished us, we repaired in a party to the appointed spot.
It was early in the afternoon when we reached it; none of theguests had arrived, excepting a few Kanakas, who were engagedin thatching an old shed as shelter from the sun, andstrewing the ground with a thick carpet of palm-leaves. Erelong, a cavalcade43 of between thirty and forty amazons - theyall rode astride - came racing44 up the valley at full speed,their merry shouts proclaiming their approach. Gaudy45 stripsof MARO were loosely folded around their legs for skirts.
Their pretty little straw hats trimmed with ribbons, or theiruncovered heads with their long hair streaming in the wind,confined only by a wreath of fresh orange flowers, added totheir irresistible46 charm. Certainly, the bravest soldierscould not have withstood their charge. No men, however, wereadmitted, save those who had been expressly invited; but eachlady of importance was given a CARTE BLANCHE to bring as manyof her own sex as she pleased, provided they were both prettyand respectable.
As they rode up, we cavaliers, with becoming gallantry,offered our assistance while they dismounted. Smittenthrough and through by the bright eyes of one little houriwho possessed47 far more than her share of the firstrequirement, and, taking the second for granted, Icourteously prepared to aid her to alight; when, to mydiscomfiture, instead of a gracious acknowledgment of myservices, she gave me a sharp cut with her whip. As,however, she laughed merrily at my wry48 faces, I accepted theact as a scratch of the kitten's claws; at least, it was nosign of indifference49, and giving myself the benefit of thedoubt, lifted her from her saddle without furtherchastisement, except a coquettish smile that wounded, alas50!
more than it healed.
The feast was thus prepared: poultry51, sucking-pigs, andpuppies - the last, after being scalded and scraped, werestuffed with vegetables and spices, rolled in plantainleaves, and placed in the ground upon stones already heated.
More stones were then laid over them, and fires lighted onthe top of all. While the cooking was in progress, theKanakas ground TARO roots for the paste called 'poe'; thegirls danced and sang. The songs were devoid52 of melody,being musical recitations of imaginary love adventures,accompanied by swayings of the body and occasional choralinterruptions, all becoming more and more excited as thestory or song approached its natural climax53. Sometimes thiswas varied54 by a solitary55 dancer starting from the circle, andperforming the wildest bacchanalian56 antics, to the vocalincitement of the rest. This only ended with physicalexhaustion, or collapse57 from feminine hysteria.
The food was excellent; the stuffed puppy was a dish for anepicure. Though knives and forks were unknown, and eachhelped herself from the plantain leaf, one had not the leastobjection to do likewise, for the most scrupulous58 cleanlinessis one of the many merits of these fascinating creatures.
Before every dip into the leaf, the dainty little fingerswere plunged59 into bowls of fresh water provided for thepurpose. Delicious fruit followed the substantial fare; asmall glass of KAVA - a juice extracted from a root of thepepper tribe - was then served to all alike. Having watchedthe process of preparing the beverage60, I am unable to speakas to its flavour. The making of it is remarkable61. A numberof women sit on the ground, chew the root, and spit its juiceinto a bowl. The liquor is kept till it ferments62, afterwhich it becomes highly intoxicating63. I regret to say thatits potency64 was soon manifested on this occasion. No soonerdid the poison set their wild blood tingling65, than a freefight began for the remaining gourds66. Such a scratching,pulling of hair, clawing, kicking, and crying, were neverseen. Only by main force did we succeed in restoring peace.
It is but fair to state that, except on the celebration ofone or two solemn and sacred rites67 such as that of theLOOHOU, these island Thyades never touch fermented68 liquors.
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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gales
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| 龙猫 | |
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cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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salmon
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| n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的 | |
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lockers
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| n.寄物柜( locker的名词复数 ) | |
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fleas
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| n.跳蚤( flea的名词复数 )；爱财如命；没好气地（拒绝某人的要求） | |
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romped
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| v.嬉笑玩闹( romp的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在赛跑或竞选等中）轻易获胜 | |
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libertine
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| n.淫荡者；adj.放荡的，自由思想的 | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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taro
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| n.芋，芋头 | |
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rampant
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| adj.(植物)蔓生的；狂暴的，无约束的 | |
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maples
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| 槭树，枫树( maple的名词复数 )； 槭木 | |
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tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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Fahrenheit
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| n./adj.华氏温度；华氏温度计(的) | |
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miller
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| n.磨坊主 | |
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consul
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| n.领事；执政官 | |
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primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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civilisation
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| n.文明，文化，开化，教化 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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divulged
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| v.吐露，泄露( divulge的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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oration
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| n.演说，致辞，叙述法 | |
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relinquished
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| 交出，让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 )； 放弃 | |
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salaam
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| n.额手之礼，问安，敬礼；v.行额手礼 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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equilibrium
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| n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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royalty
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| n.皇家，皇族 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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persuasion
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| n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
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missionaries
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| n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 ) | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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chaste
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| adj.贞洁的；有道德的；善良的；简朴的 | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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elite
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| n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的 | |
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cavalcade
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| n.车队等的行列 | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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gaudy
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| adj.华而不实的；俗丽的 | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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wry
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| adj.讽刺的；扭曲的 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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poultry
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| n.家禽，禽肉 | |
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devoid
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| adj.全无的，缺乏的 | |
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climax
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| n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点 | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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bacchanalian
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| adj.闹酒狂饮的；n.发酒疯的人 | |
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collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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scrupulous
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| adj.审慎的，小心翼翼的，完全的，纯粹的 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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beverage
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| n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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ferments
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| n.酵素( ferment的名词复数 )；激动；骚动；动荡v.（使）发酵( ferment的第三人称单数 )；（使）激动；骚动；骚扰 | |
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intoxicating
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| a. 醉人的,使人兴奋的 | |
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potency
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| n. 效力，潜能 | |
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tingling
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| v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 ) | |
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gourds
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| n.葫芦( gourd的名词复数 ) | |
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rites
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| 仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 ) | |
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fermented
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| v.（使）发酵( ferment的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）激动；骚动；骚扰 | |
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