340

HONOLULU DISTILLERY.

the right of soil being yet under the dictatorship of Kaahumanu, it was not the most easy to make it produce rum, without some concurrence of hers. When she saw the product of a cane-field, the soil of which belonged to the State, converted into poison, she directed the roots to be extirpated and their place supplied with potatoes. This, perhaps, more than anything else, was seized on as an occasion for accusing the missionaries of being opposed to improvements in agriculture. "I consider," said the leading distiller to me, "that you have sunk for me $7,000, in stopping my distillery: I could not get the cane of the natives to carry it on.' He might have added, "How strangely these missionaries oppose manufactures and commerce! for, so scrupulous and superstitious are they, that I could not hire their cart and oxen to bring the products of the field to the distillery." It was not, indeed, deemed by us safe for the oxen of the missionaries to be seen before the face of that nation, unconsciously drawing cane to a distillery, even before the morality of the traffic in ardent spirits, as a drink, appeared to be much questioned in the United States or England. Only the preceding year, Messrs. Pomeroy and Bull, wholesale grocers in the city of New York, set the happy example there of abandoning, from principle, the traffic in distilled liquors as a drink. The same year a few united in forming the American Temperance Society.

While the distillation of the products of the cane-field was pertinaciously insisted on by those who could raise or buy the cane, and multitudes were exposed to be ruined by it, we could not safely recommend its extended culture. Riding with Kekuanaoa, at that period, near a field of cane destined to supply this distillery, partly to try his shrewdness, and partly his morality, I said to him, "Do we not judge of a tree by its fruit?" "Yes," he readily replied. "What sort of fruit does this tree bear?" pointing to the field. "Evil," he answered, with an arch expession, that indicated his opinion that it might well be hewn down or extirpated. Doubtless the culture of the cane, tobacco, and the poppy, is right, only where the probability is that the result will be good, and should not be encouraged where the probability is strong that the result will be evil. Hawaiian casuists learned to take a pretty simple view of this point.

The two filthy, noxious weeds, stramonium and tobacco, flourish in that climate and soil, but their entire extermination from the islands, and the substitution of cotton, sugar, rice, wheat; and maize, would be a good improvement, which true missionaries would desire. But Boki had more "liberality," another term there for profligacy and revelry, and though he was bound to set an example of sobriety and piety, and so far as his personal guardianship over the young king extended, he was, moreover, bound to prompt him to walk according to "the admonition of the Lord," yet he did the reverse. This course, though encouraged by foreign tempters, was the more inexcusable after his professed regard

BOKI'S SEDITIOUS MOVEMENTS.

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to Christianity. Efforts were made to save him from impending ruin, but with only partial success. He showed sometimes a little conscience, and sometimes a little love of character, but indulged his love of power and domination, and probably felt, with others of the faction, that an "old woman" ought not to be the superior of such a nobleman.

He encouraged the Papists, who claimed him as "regent," and with others, treated Kaahumanu as an "ambitious woman." With astonishing boldness, he sounded separately almost every high chief in the islands, to see if he could rely on their co-operation in his attempt to put her down and take her place; but finding no fair prospect of securing the co-operation of any high chief to crush Kaahumanu, he endeavored to encourage his sub.. alterns to destroy her; but they shrank from it. He darkly mustered forces, and tried to convince the young king that Kaahumanu was too illiberal, and that it would be well to put her down, that they might have less restraint in the pursuit of their pleasures and honors. Some of his particular dependants 'and friends upbraided him for his hostile movements, his alienation from his relative and superior, the regent, and his readiness to involve the nation in blood and carnage. One of these, Hookea, being sick, and hearing Boki's expressions of sympathy for him, replied in the bold style of Hawaiian comparison, "I am not sick; it is you who are sick." "No," said the chief, "I am not sick at all. I was ill and drank medicine, and am now quite well." Hookea replied, "You are sick, and so extremely sick, that no doctor of medicine can cure you; you have attempted to kill your sister, and you will die with shame." Another among the men whom Boki was collecting from different parts of Oahu, was an old man in the train of an elderly princess, Kalola, who was herself among the vanquished in the conquest by Kamehameha, and not remarkable for her attachment to Kaahumanu or the present dynasty, or the Word of God. He demanded of the governor what he meant; reproached him with his disloyalty and want of love to Kaahumanu, and of a design to destroy her, and entreated him to desist.

Boki attempted to get or to make a new division or appropriation of lands, without proper authority. He made purchases and distributed presents with a liberal hand. He took the sandalwood which was collected to pay the debts of the nation, and with it purchased articles for his immediate purpose. He made contracts with traders, who, doubtless, believed the nation would be compelled to pay them if Boki, then engaged as a merchant, should fail. He tried to rouse the remaining spirit of heathenism in the land, contrary to his duty to God and the State, and to the young king and his sister, by strenuously urging their union. He accused Kaahumanu of appropriating to herself the private estate of the young king, so that he could have no land, and of reviling him by calling him a servant of David Kamehameha (the favorite

little son of Kekauluohi) and of Ruth, the daughter of Kekuanaoa and Pauahi, who had been one of the wives of Liholiho. But these slanders recoiled on the governor, whose folly and wickedness contrasted strongly with the prudence and inoffensiveness of the queen regent.

She

As evidences of meditated violence were multiplied, considerable alarm was felt by the friends of God and of good order for the personal safety of the good queen. She, however, in her dignity and wisdom, appeared quite undisturbed, and quietly attended to her business, her books, her religion, and her Maker. seemed to rely much on the affection of the people, and their knowledge of her regard for their true interests; on the rightfulness of her position and measures, and the Providence of God, in which she had been taught to trust, for the safety of her life and the triumph of her cause. She summoned no guards of warlike men around her person, nor did she, in the hour of peril, fly to the protection of the governors of the other islands, or make loud complaints of treachery or danger. While the seditious governor was surrounded with his armed men at Waikiki, she sent to tell him that she was alone at her house, and he might come and despatch her if he chose, without the carnage of war.

Kekuanaoa, a firm friend of the queen, went boldly to the governor, who would gladly have avoided the interview, and rebuked him for his ignoble and mad design to put down Kaahumanu by war. "No, no," the confused governor replied. "If you wish to kill her," continued Kekuanaoa, "there she is in such a house, unattended by armed guards, go and despatch her at once if that is what you want, but do not set the nation in arms to destroy one another in war." "Aole, not so," he replied. It was not easy for him to put down Kaahumanu while Christian schools were popular, and 46,000 were engaged in them.

Clear as the chiefs supposed the evidence to be that Boki (as some of his friends said about the time of the Blossom's visit in 1826) had cast off all the restraints of his superiors, and was meditating a revolt, they did not think it best to arrest him, or to take from him the subordinate charge of the juvenile king, who was still attached to his step-mother, the regent, and knew her position to be right. He, like Hushai, as a succorer of David in the council chamber of Absalom, could, if he chose, render her assistance in his position, and if not, the forcible termination of Boki's stewardship could promise little gain. He was pleased with indulgences, and of these did not complain. The high chiefs, moreover, were apprehensive that Boki had secured the support of the British and American consuls, and the Romanists from France, against Kaahumanu. The juvenile king still supported his mother, and when Boki proposed to him to take Madam Boki to a place of retreat as a signal for him to fall on Kaahumanu, a measure which could be proposed by none but a madman, the youth avoided the wily snare, and hastened to apprise Kaahu

QUIET RESTORED--ERECTION OF A TEMPLE.

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manu, and to defeat the ambitious designs of the governor. Jehovah held the shield of the Gospel over her head and over the land.

On the 8th of April, 1829, Kaahumanu and her son, passing from the windward islands to Oahu, landed at Honolulu. Mr. H., one of the respectable traders, informed us how loudly such men as Messrs. Jones, Charlton, and Butler, talked of immediate war, and of their readiness to take arms. The next day I called on the king and Boki at the Governor's "BLONDE HOTEL." The king readily engaged to resume his studies, and Boki proposed to attend again to instruction. Both came towards evening to a social cup of tea with Mrs. Bingham, and Kaahumanu being invited at the king's request, joined the circle, and all appeared quiet. The king being desirous to use his good voice in singing, we sang together at my house, not war songs, but sacred songs of praise to the God of peace. Boki had greatly impaired his reputation, and hazarded his fortune, but had not acquired a kingdom, nor could he now expect to accomplish it by force. As he appeared disposed to return to duty, the king was not now recalled, and they united in asking of me 190 books for the instruction of their immediate attendants. They also concurred with Kaahumanu and the people connected with my station in the erection of a church.

Kaahumanu and Kalanimoku, feeling unable in his life-time to build the large durable stone church at Honolulu which they had contemplated, in accordance with their desire to honor God and benefit the people, put up one of frail structure and large dimensions, but insufficient to endure the wind and weather more than a short time.

In the summer of 1829, a commodious house of worship for a congregation of 3000 or 4000 Hawaiians was erected at Honolulu, in an improved style, under the auspices of Kaahumanu and Kauikeaouli. It was 196 feet in length, and 63 in breadth, covering an area of 12,348 square feet. The posts of the building were fifteen or sixteen feet in length, ten inches in diameter, set firmly four or five feet in the earth, inclining a little inward, the better to resist the lateral pressure of the roof. The rafters were locked together at top, and firmly braced with bolted knees at the foot, like a ship's beam. Forty-four rude pillars, in three ranks, one rank under the ridge pole, and one midway between that and the side posts, supported the roof. The main framework of the ends of the building consisted of posts of unequal lengths, reaching from four feet below the surface of the ground to the rafter. The frame then being covered with small horizontal poles, about an inch and a half apart, was thatched with long strait grass, tops downwards. Two very large doors at each end, and as many smaller ones on the sides, made the ingress and egress easy for the largest congregation that a single voice could reach and teach to good purpose. To afford such advantage to the voice as was practicable in such a structure, without much ex

344

THE KING'S ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE.

pense, a floor or platform, twenty-four feet by twelve, six inches above the general area, was placed near one side, midway between the extremes of the building; and on the back part of this was erected a perpendicular casement, twenty-four feet by eleven, having the pulpit window in the centre. Before the window a small, neat pulpit of furniture wood was erected, having a little flight of stairs on each side, ascending three feet, each with a light balustrade parallel with the casement. The singular pulpit neatly panelled and cushioned, its symmetrical form and decent finish, and its obvious adaptation to the house and auditory, and the decorous, perpendicular casement with pilasters and moulding, affording material support to the voice, and presented an object of pleasing interest, both to speaker and hearer. For an unceiled, unfinished house, rarely would a missionary ask for a pulpit more commodious or agreeable. The broad platform was found useful and pleasant in sacramental services, church meetings, and school examinations. Boki, who had earned the name of rebel, did better than had been anticipated in favoring the work.

Great interest was felt by many in the erection of this building; and when it was completed, and the doors of this immense tabernacle were set up,' the women spread the entire earth floor of 12,300 feet with clean mats for seats. Care was taken to have a dedicatory service favorable to the advancement of the nation, and preparation was made on the part of the king and chiefs to appear, not as mere spectators of Christian services, not as a company of rude heathen consecrating a polluted fane to the service of the abominable deities of heathenism by the sacrifice of human victims, but as a Christian and civilized "people whose God is the Lord," and "who know the joyful sound" of his salvation, offering him such service as they were able to give.

On the 3d of July this house was opened for worship, and some four thousand persons assembled in it, with the queen regent, the king, and princess, and most of the leading personages of the nation, and joined in the solemn dedicatory services. Most of the congregation sat upon the mats very closely together, three to a square yard, or one to three square feet. Hundreds were without about the doors and windows, not able to find room within.

The king, in his Windsor uniform, and his sister, in a dress becoming her high rank and improved character and taste, were seated on a sofa covered with crimson satin damask, in front of the pulpit. Kaahumanu and other chiefs sat near. A little further in front of the pulpit sat the native choir of men and women singers, aided by a bass viol. The king had been made acquainted with the part which Solomon took in the dedication of the temple, and though in his early years diffident and unobtrusive, he seemed conscientiously desirous to do what his teacher supposed would be proper for him to do on this occasion. Both he and