DESIGNATION TO LAHAINA. 131 suggested to the chiefs and people, the propriety of preparing their food for the la kabu on the proceeding day. The remark of the king was made, from a knowledge of our opinion on the subject. After taking a cup of tea, and waiting till his majesty had completed half a dozen courses, we retired from the table, at ten o'clock, to the palace; where the principal part of the chiefs were waiting for the ordinary worship. Nine o'clock, P. M. This has proved a much more important date than I anticipated when I wrote in the morning. The mission was informed yesterday, that the king's mother is going to Lahaina, on the island of Maui, to reside permanently there; and is extremely desirous that some of the missionaries should accompany her. Mr. Bingham saw her last night on the subject. She said she must have a teacher, to speak the "good word, and pray to God with her;" that she would do everything in her power to make those who might accompany her comfortable; and would delay her voyage, that there might be time for them to prepare to sail with her in the Cleopatra's barge. A meeting of the mission was, consequently, called this morning, when it was determined, that it was expedient to occupy a station at Lahaina immediately. After agreeing that the choice of persons should be made by electing one by ballot, and allowing him to nominate his colleague, the votes were taken. Very unexpectedly to myself, I was the individual elected, and immediately named Mr. Richards for my associate: we, consequently, are all in confusion, packing up our baggage for a permanent residence on Maui, instead of a visit to Hawaii, and a tour of the island. We are to embark on Wednesday. 132 EMBARK FOR LAHAINA. CHAPTER VIII. REMOVAL TO THE ISLAND OF MAUI. The Cleopatra's Barge, at sea, May 30, 1823. On Wednesday, the 28th, Mr. and Mrs. Richards, H——— and myself, Band C- with William Kamahoula, and Mr. Loomis, who makes the voyage to see us established at our station, embarked with the queen Keopuolani for Maui. Our designation was so unexpected, and departure so sudden, that we had scarce leisure to turn a thought on the separation about to take place from our fellow laborers, or to cast a glance of anticipation at the possible trials that might await us, in a distant and solitary district of the islands. The topsails of the barge had long been unfurled as a signal for sailing, before we had completed our preparations, and the last package was scarcely secured, before the farewell hymn and benedictions of our friends were sounding in our ears, and we hurried to the open bosom of the Pacific. Left to the deliberate contemplation of our position, we almost trembled at the responsibility resting upon us, and at the arduous duties in prospect. Every thought was exquisitely awake to the life on which we had now actually entered. Months indeed had passed since we bade adieu to our country, home, and friends; but during a voyage of 18,000 miles, we had still been surrounded by those we loved; and for the last few weeks, though on heathen shores, we had been calmly reposing in the bosom of a band of intelligent and affectionate Christians, without a participation of their labors and their cares. Such, however, was no longer the case; our eyes now rested only on the uncivilized beings with whom we were to dwell, and our ears were saluted only by the sounds of an unknown and savage tongue. We were fully alive to the contrast; and, in the anticipation of the privations and trials, by which we believe the work in which we are engaged must be accomplished, we could scarce refrain exclaiming, KINDNESS TO THE MISSIONARIES. 133 “Farewell ease—farewell comfort—farewell every worldly joy." But with these feelings there was no mingling of despondency. No, in the kind providence of God, every cir cumstance attending our situation is too auspicious to admit the indulgence of any unbelieving fear of the ultimate success of our enterprise. We had been on board scarce an hour, before the polite and kind attention of those under whose immediate and express patronage we had embarked, made us almost forget that we were not still in the bosom of beloved friends. Our hearts became more than ordinarily elated, in the belief that “unto us is this grace given, that we should preach among the gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ," and in the evening, while a splendid moon gave a softened beauty to the receding promontories of Oahu, and brought to light the distant shores of Molokai and Lanai, overtopped by the loftier heights of Maui, we found ourselves almost involuntarily chanting, in the confidence of hope, the favorite anthem : "Wake, Isles of the South! your redemption draws near: Previous to our embarcation, we had but little opportunity to judge, from personal intercourse, of the degree of civilization to which the chiefs have attained in minor points, and were somewhat surprised at the ceremonious attentions paid us. Immediately on reaching the vessel, we were informed that the after-cabin was appropriated exclusively to our use; though there were not less than two hundred persons on board, many of them high chiefs, with their particular friends; and we had hardly cleared the harbor, when the steward waited on us, to know what we would order for dinner, and at what hour it should be served. Mr. Allen had sent us a fine ready-dressed kid, with some melons, for our passage; and Mrs. Bingham had kindly prepared coffee and other refreshments; but our table has been so regularly and comfortably spread, that our basket of cold provisions remains untouched. This attention is the more noticeable, because the trouble is en 134 ARRIVAL AT LAHAINA. tirely on our account, all the natives eating their favorite dishes on their mats on deck. Kalaimoku, from courtesy, very politely took his seat with us the first time we sat down to meal, but excused himself from partaking of the dinner, by saying that he had eaten above. There was something also in the attentions of the king to his mother, when leaving Honolulu, that had a pleasing effect on our minds. This venerable old lady was the last person that came on board. After we had reached the quarter-deck of the barge, she appeared on the beach, surrounded by an immense crowd, and supported by Liholiho in a tender and respectful manner. He would let no one assist her into the long-boat but himself; and seemed to think of nothing but her ease and safety, till she was seated on her couch, beneath an awning over the main hatch. The king continued to manifest the utmost affection and respect for her till we got under way; and, apparently from the same filial feelings, accompanied us fifteen miles to sea, and left the brig in a pilot-boat, in time barely to reach the harbor before dark. We are now becalmed under the lee of Lanai, within less than a mile of an inaccessible precipice several hundred feet high, the base of which is lashed with heavy breakers. We had the hope of reaching Lahaina to-night, but now fear that we shall not before sometime to-mor row. Lahaina, Island of Maui, Saturday Evening, May 31. After a very rough but splendid night, at sunrise this morning the wild mountains that overhang the district of Lahaina were in distinct view, and we advanced rapidly to the anchorage. The settlement is far more beautiful than any place we have yet seen on the islands. The entire district, stretching nearly three miles along the sea-side, is covered with luxuriant groves, not only of the cocoanut, the only tree we have before seen except on the tops of the mountains, but also of the bread-fruit and of the kou — a species of cordia, (cordia sebestena) an ornamental tree, resembling at a distance a large and flourishing, full, roundtopped apple-tree-while the banana plant, kapa and sugar-cane are abundant, and extend almost to the beach, on which a fine surf constantly rolls. The picture presented PLANTATION OF MR. BUTLER. 135 is purely Indian in all its features, from the bare and lofty trunks of the cocoa-palm, with their tufted summits nodding like plumes in the breeze, to the thatch of a rude hut here and there peeping from beneath the broad leaves of the plantain and the richness of more lowly growth — the whole forming a delightful foreground to the noble exhibition of mountain scenery in the distance. On coming to anchor, Kalaimoku expressed his regret that there was no house at the disposal of himself or queen suitable for our accommodation: and wished us to procure a temporary residence with Mr. Butler, an American established here, till houses could be provided for us by Keopuolani. Under the guidance of Mr. Loomis, Mr. Richards and myself accordingly landed for this purpose. were soon met by Keoua, the governor of Lahaina, to whom I delivered a letter of introduction from his friend Laanui at Oahu, and proceeded in search of the plantation of Mr. Butler. We We found his enclosure pleasantly situated about a quarter of a mile directly in rear of the landing-place, and were received by him in a kind and friendly manner. when acquainted with our object in coming to Lahaina, he proffered every assistance in his power, and tendered his best house for the reception of our families. His civility greatly prepossessed us in his favor, and made us almost forget that we were in the land of strangers. He returned to the barge with us, to bring the ladies on shore; and early in the afternoon our whole number were comfortably and quietly settled in the midst of his luxuriant grounds. The thick shade of the bread-fruit trees which surround his cottages, the rustling of the breeze through the bananas and the sugar-cane, the murmurs of the mountain streams encircling the yard, and the coolness and verdure of every spot around us, seemed, in contrast with our situation, during a six months' voyage, and four weeks' residence on the dreary plain of Honolulu, like the delights of an Eden; and caused our hearts to beat warmly with gratitude to the Almighty Being who had brought us in safety to the scene of our future labors, and had at once provided us with so refreshing an asylum. Before dark, the chiefs had all our effects landed and |