upon he handed the King a reply, who began in much the same strain
as the Admiral, and concluded by hinting that he hoped his dynasty
_would_ last a long time!

The business being now happily arranged, His Majesty and the Admiral
became seated, and the rest of us were permitted to mingle freely with
the Kanaka court.

Kammehamma, and all his native attendants, had handsome, agreeable
faces, and were extremely well made. The Premier, John Young, a
half-breed, would be recognized for an elegant person in any part of the
world. Two were of just and colossal proportions--one, the High Chief
Parkee, the greatest Chamberlain probably in the world--for he weighs
nearly four hundred pounds: I forget the precise number of chairs he
crashes annually, but it is something enormous, and he is the terror of
all housekeepers.

The King, Premier and Judd, had broad red ribbons thrown baldric fashion
over breast and shoulders, of such extreme breadth as to give the idea
of the wearers having burst their jugular arteries.

Whilst intently occupied regarding this brilliant throng, I happened to
attract the attention of an intelligent copper youth, some twenty years
old, who spoke English perfectly well, and who in fact patronised me
with great politeness and suavity of demeanor; and well he might, for he
was Prince of the blood royal, and could afford it. There chanced to be
a fine engraving of Queen Victoria and infant family, in the hall.
"This," said His Highness, pointing with marked emphasis to the little
Prince of Wales, "this is the heir to the British throne!" Ah! thought
I, forgive me, but you occupy the same elevated position in the Hawaiian
dynasty! My conjecture was well founded.

By some means the succession of late had been changed. And, by the way,
it is a wise institution they have, of continuing the descent from the
female branch. The war-club, feathers, and other regalia, were to have
fallen upon the brows of one Prince Moses; but Moses was suspected of
being too pointed in his attentions to the Queen consort
herself--scandal perhaps--although there could be no question about the
sad havoc he committed in the hearts of the youthful _wyheenees_ of the
Royal Academy! Ah! wicked Moses! His excellency the Financial Minister,
fearing future inroads upon the peace of families, had the gay Lothario
banished to a remote and desolate district of the Island, and the
succession transferred to a brother--the youth who evinced s