lic could not bear the
tainted air of a monarchical court in his republican nostrils, But it is
wonderful how soon we learn to estimate patriotism at so much per annum,
and with what suppleness we can kneel before a throne, if there be
dollars hidden beneath the dais. What boots it whether the chair be
filled with African or white? We want dollars!

The king was universally liked by the foreigners; for he has, indeed,
for a modernized savage, much bonhommie; is a good-hearted, well-meaning
person; rather given to conviviality, like all his race, and when
permitted to throw off the restraints of the court, he "allows his more
austere faculties to become pleasingly relaxed by a little gentle and
innocent indulgence." However, these backslidings are of rare
occurrence, and when under the argus eyes of his financial adviser, he
is never seen to exceed the limits of propriety--eschews ten-pins and
tobacco.--sips malt, and devotes his leisure to billiards.

We were to be presented at court! It occupied a number of days to
arrange certain punctilio, and finally, without any decided
misunderstanding, an hour was fixed for a royal audience.

One day, precisely as the clock tolled twelve, we sallied out into the
dusty streets--chapeau'd, sworded, belted, and laced up to the chin. The
weather was warm, too. A few minutes walk, guided by our obliging
cicerone, Mr. Wyllie, carried us to the Palace.

It is a large, square-built villa, spaciously piazzaed and windowed,
surrounded by pretty plantations of shrubbery and fruit-trees. At the
gateway a guard of Kanaka infantry presented arms, the royal standard
was unfurled from the flag-staff and floated to the breeze. Passing up a
broad, gravelled alley, we ascended a flight of steps to the piazza, and
were again saluted by a double line of officers, who were supposed to be
the black rods in waiting. Entering the villa, we found ourselves in a
wide hall traversing the centre of the building, with saloons to the
right and left. The King not having arrived, we had leisure to inspect
the reception room. It was a spacious apartment, with windows on three
sides, having green Venetian blinds opening to the piazzas, and two
doors leading to the hall. It was handsomely carpeted, and the furniture
consisted of a few plain mahogany chairs, with another of state,
surmounted by a crown. A round table stood in the centre, supporting
alabaster ornaments, volumes of Wilkes' Exploring Expedition, and