, she bared her right arm, and showed me,
tattooed on it in the O Wahi language--"Our good King Tameamea died on
the 8th of May 1819." This sign of mourning for the beloved monarch,
which cannot be laid aside like our pieces of crape, but accompanies the
mourner to the grave, is very frequent on the Sandwich Islands, and
testifies the esteem in which his memory is held: but it is a still more
striking proof of the universal grief for his loss, that on the
anniversary of his death, all his subjects struck out one of their front
teeth; and the whole nation have in consequence acquired a sort of
whistle in speaking. Chinau had even had the above words tattooed on his
tongue, of which he gave me ocular demonstration; nor was he singular in
this mode of testifying his attachment. It is surprising that an
operation so painful, and which occasions a considerable swelling,
should not be attended with worse consequences.

Nomahanna spoke with enthusiasm on the subject of writing. Formerly, she
said, she could only converse with persons who were present; now, let
them be ever so far distant, she could whisper her thoughts softly to
them alone. She promised to write me a letter, in order, she said, that
I might prove to every one in Russia that Nomahanna was able to write.

Our conversation was interrupted by the rattling of wheels, and the
sound of many voices. I looked from the window, and saw a little cart to
which a number of active young men had harnessed themselves with the
greatest complacency. I inquired of Marini what this meant, and was
informed that the Queen was about to drive to church: an attendant soon
after entered, and announced that the equipage was ready. Nomahanna
graciously proposed my accompanying her; and rather than risk her
displeasure by a refusal, I accepted the invitation with many thanks,
though I foresaw that I should thus be drawn in as a party to a very
absurd spectacle.

The Queen now put on a white calico hat decorated with Chinese flowers,
took a large Chinese fan in her hand, and, having completed her toilette
by drawing on a pair of clumsy sailor's boots, we set out. In descending
the stairs, she made a sign that the school was over for the present; an
announcement that seemed very agreeable to the scholars, to the old
ones especially. At the door below, a crowd had assembled, attracted by
curiosity to see me and their Queen drive out together. The young men in
harness shouted for joy, and pa