A Voyage round the World: A book for boysKingston, William Henry Giles
General
A Voyage round the World: A book for boys
Kingston, William Henry Giles
Voyages around the world -- Juvenile fiction
Honolulu has become a great place of call for ships, from all parts of
the world, since San Francisco sprang into existence. Vessels coming
round the Horn, to make a good offing, steer for it. Others from
Australia, China, and the Eastern Archipelago, touch here; while whalers
have for long been in the habit of putting in here to refit and recruit.
The extreme healthiness of the islands induces many people from
California to come here, and the hotels and lodging-houses are filled
with invalids, often possessors of considerable wealth; but, at the same
time, from their profligate and dissipated habits, they set but a bad
example to the natives. The natives are called Kanakas. They are
generally fine-looking men. The women are fairer, and with regular
features; many of them ride on horseback with men's saddles, dressed in
gay riding habits, and with a wreath of flowers encircling their raven
tresses, which gives them somewhat of a theatrical appearance. The
islands are governed by a sovereign, King Kamehameha the Third, who has
a large family, and an income of about 1500 pounds a-year. He has
likewise an army, clothed in gay uniforms, but there are almost as many
officers as men; indeed, as the kingdom is under the joint protection of
England, America, and France, there can be but little employment for
soldiers. The police are of far more use in apprehending drunken
sailors, and keeping order in the town. They are dressed in a blue
uniform, with a gold-lace cap, and armed with a staff with a brass knob.
The monarchy is hereditary, and limited. The king's ministry consists
of a premier and other officers, similar to those of the English
Government, and many of them are English or Americans, and very
intelligent men. We found that in the town there were all sorts of
places of public amusement, and, among others, a theatre, where English
plays are acted, and where the king constantly attends. We went, and
were not a little surprised to see the boxes filled with very
gaily-dressed people, mostly whites. It was a very hot night. The play
was "Hamlet." Hamlet had been using a pocket-handkerchief very
liberally all the evening, pressing it to his brow and cheeks, and at
last he said, "Oh, that this too, too solid flesh _wouldn't_ melt, and
resolve itself into a dew!" Jerry and I applauded him very loudly. He
gave us a wink, as much as to say, "I see you understand me." He was
evidently a wag, and Hamlet was not suited to him, nor he to Hamlet.
There was no reason, however, because the royal Dane had been murdered,
that his son should murder the Queen's English at the rate he did, or
the character of Hamlet as Shakspeare drew it. Who would have thought
of Shakspeare in the Sandwich Islands? Shakspeare never acted in so
pretty a theatre.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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