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246

FAREWELL AT KAAVAROA.

and in which she has proceeded, already, through several interesting and not unimportant chapters.

It was nearly twelve o'clock before Mr. Bingham was prepared to go to the ship. On entering the principal house again, we found the family at evening prayers-presenting, in the strong light of the lamps on a centre table, an impressive and deeply interesting spectacle, amidst the silence reigning on every side at the dead hour of night.

Here again, the farewell I was called to take, was truly painful. The paddlers of the canoe had been roused from their slumbers-other servants had lighted numerous brilliant torches of the candle-nut, tied together in leaves, to accompany us to the water; and I was about giving my parting salutation, when not only Naihè, but Kapiolani also, said, “ Aohe mane, aohe mane-makai ;" "No! not here, not herebut at the sea side;" and, throwing a mantle around her, attended by her husband, she accompanied us to the surf, where, after many a warm grasp of the hand, and a tearful blessing, she remained standing on a point of rock, in bold relief amid the glare of torch light around her, exclaiming again and again, as we shoved off," Aloha Mita Tuata-aloha Mita Tuata Vahine-aloha kekapena--aloha karii!" “Love to you Mr. Stewart-love to Mrs. Stewart

love to the captain and love to the king!" while her handkerchief was waved in repetition of the expression, long after her voice was lost in the dashing of the waters, and till her figure was blended, in the distance, with the group by which she was surrounded.

NOTES OF THE KING AND MADAM BOKI. 247

LETTER XXI.

PRIVATE LETTER OF CAPTAIN FINCH TO THE KING.

U S. Ship Vincennes, Port of Honolulu,

November 21st, 1829.

}

AFTER an unusually boisterous passage of two days from Kearakekua, we entered this harbor again on the morning of the 19th inst.

When at sea off Hawaii one evening, Captain Finch, on going into the cabin, found Madam Boki at the writing table, busily occupied with her pen ; while the king, at the same time, was dictating a letter to his private secretary. There was no other person in the cabin; and it appeared, from the following notes, that they were improving the opportunity, to express their gratitude for the pleasure of the voyage, soon to be brought to a close by our return to Oahu. I furnish you with a translation of the notes of each.

U. S. Ship Vincennes, November, 1829.

Affection for you all, the officers of this ship of war, and for you, Captain Finch.

Great, indeed, is my gratitude to you, for your excellent attention in conducting us thus far. Very sincere, also, is my commendation of you all; and of the well doing of your people toward us.

Now on account of my affection for you, as you are about to return to your own country, while we shall abide in our own land, with grateful remem

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INTERPRETATION OF

brance of you all, I give this testimony of my love to you, Captain Finch, and to the officers of this ship of war. My thoughts bless you.

With sincerest love and joy,

KAUIKEAOUL1.

Love to you all, our fellow-travellers on the ocean. You have kindly attended to us, on board your ship, until we have arrived at this part of our country. When you shall have restored us to our own places, then you will leave us entirely-we shall remain with the remembrance of our having traveled together with you all, and our affection for you will be mingled with sorrow.

LILIHA.

Liliha, "full fed"-by no means misapplied, to judge from the appearance of her ladyship—you recollect, is the original name of Madain Boki. Mr. Bingham, during the voyage, furnished Captain Finch with the interpretation of the names of all the chiefs, some of which I do not remember to have heard before. The most fanciful and most imposing are those of the king, princess, and ex-queen, Kekauruohè.

Kauikeaouli literally means, " To hang upon the deep blue sky," Nahienaena-the favorite appellation of the princess till the death of her mother"The raging or inapproachable fires ;" and Kekauruohè, "The bamboo grove." Kaahumanu, "The feather mantle," Naihè, "The spears" Hoapiri, "The inseparable friend"-from his at

THE NAMES OF THE CHIEFS.

249

tachment and companionship with Tamehameha the Great-and Kapiolani," The celestial captive," or "Prisoner of Heaven," are already known to

you.

The note from the king received, in answer from Captain Finch, the following judicious and important, private letter of advice.

TO KAUIKEAOULI, KING OF THE HAWAIIAN

ISLANDS.

As I am about to depart from your islands, I feel it becoming on my part, (and due to you,) to state, that I shall quit you with feelings of increased interest for your prosperity and advancement, in all matters of general and individual utility. And I avail myself of this occasion to make my acknowledgments for the hospitable reception which the Vincennes has enjoyed, at each of the places under your jurisdiction, where she has touched.

I beg you to permit me to advert again to some topics, upon which I have already addressed you formally, and which I deem of essential consequence to yourself and people-I mean those as to the desertion and the subsequent secretion of mariners from their vessels. I recollect that you have, in a general way, told me that you would try and prevent, such abuses. My object is, to suggest some means in aid of those you may have adopted on these points.

It has been clearly shown to you already, and you are so well convinced, that your own good is involved in these practices, that I need not recapitulate the arguments thereon, which I have verbally used.

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PRIVATE LETTER OF

But I would suggest to you, in lieu of one of your regulations on these subjects, that it will be found more effectual, in the recovery of deserters and fugitives, if you will forbid the receipt of rewards, as now asked by your common people, on the apprehension of such persons; and the assumption of the expenses by your governments, to be refunded to you alone, by the masters of vessels, on delivery of runaways.

As the common people are now, in the expectation of obtaining rewards for services in these cases, it is believed to be a practice with them to entice sailors ashore, and to secrete them for awhile, only to betray them ultimately when remuneration is offered.

A regulation forbidding, also, your people, (under some penalty in money or produce,) from harboring, or sheltering and feeding sailors, straying idly in the country, for any time, without occasional obvious and useful employment, will also be beneficial.

I would further recommend to you to forbid masters of vessels from discharging or permitting men to leave their vessels in your harbors. Should they persist in doing so, I would not allow supplies to be carried to them. If men are discharged, it ought to be with your knowledge and concurrence. I think masters of vessels will comply with your wishes in these respects, when distinctly communicated to them.

All sick sailors, left on shore, should be taken care of by the consuls, or owners, or agents of vessels to which they belong; and as soon as sufficiently recovered, ought to be returned to their respective vessels, or sent by the consuls or agents, in other convey

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