from the heads of victims slain by the
chiefs themselves; from these braids was suspended a monstrous hook
carved from a large whale's tooth, called a Paloola, regarded by the
natives as a sort of idol. There are models of ancient and modern
canoes--the difference between which is not very great,--paddles,
inlaid with mother-of-pearl, old war-masks, and dresses still in use
in the less frequented islands, anklets of human teeth, and many other
things far too numerous to mention. The most interesting of all were,
perhaps, the old feather war cloaks, like the ancient _togas_ of the
Romans. They are made of thousands of yellow, red, and black feathers,
of the _oo, niamo,_ and _eine_, taken singly and fastened into a sort
of network of string, so as to form a solid fabric, like the richest
velvet or plush, that glitters like gold in the sunlight. The helmets,
made of the same feathers, but worked on to a frame of perfect Grecian
shape, similar to those seen in the oldest statuary or on the Elgin
marbles, are even more artistic and elegant. Whence came the idea and
design? Untutored savages could scarcely have evolved them out of
their own heads. Some element of civilisation, and of highly artistic
civilisation too, must surely have existed among them at some remote
period of their history.

[Illustration: Ancient War Masks and Costumes from the Museum at
Honolulu]

_Friday, December 29th_.--We had a bathe overboard early this morning.
The children were ashore at half-past nine, to go and spend the day at
a friend's, at the top of the Nuuanu Avenue, on the road to the Pali.

The King's two sisters came to call on us in the morning with their
respective husbands. We had a great many visitors all the morning,
till it was time to go to lunch; after which we went to call on the
Princess Likelike, who drove me to Waikiki, to see her sister, the
Princess Kamakaeha, at her country residence, a very large native
grass house, with an enormous verandah. Both ladies are married to
Englishmen, and live partly in English style. Inside there is a
spacious drawing-room, well furnished, with pictures and nick-nacks,
where we spent a pleasant half-hour in the gloaming. The sunset, over
Diamond Head, and the sea, which was just visible through the
cocoa-nut trees, was splendid. Both the Princesses were as kind as
they could be. The royal family have formed quite a little colony
here. The King's house is next door, and that of the Prince L