The Story of Hawaii (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1898 Excerpt: ...great anxiety, until he assured the king that he did not come officially. M. Choris, an artist who accompanied Kotzebue in his expedition--one of discovery--painted the only portrait there is of the great Kamehameha. It is on one of the earlypostage stamps, and will be familiar to all collectors. When the king understood Kotzebue's mission, he treated him most generously; his ship, the Rurick, was towed into harbour by eight double canoes, and every assistance was given to the expedition. On his part he gave two eight pounder mortars, with a supply of shells, powder, etc. Our own Captain Vancouver's mission was chiefly one of peace, "the object he had most at heart," says Professor Alexander, "was to bring about a lasting peace between Hawaii and the Leeward Islands." So he always refused to part with any firearms or ammunition to the king or any of the high chiefs; telling them, right loyally, that "his ship and all it contained belonged to King George, who had tabued all fire-arms and ammunition." It seems to me a matter of great interest to dwell on the way in which the nations acted in regard to these beautiful islands, and their gracious, hospitable people. "Am I my brother's keeper?" was about the earliest problem presented in that book by which a Christian government professes to rule its conduct to the outside world. Unfortunately, we sent at one time our vilest subjects "for their country's good," away to leaven other people, and one of the results was that some Botany Bay convicts introduced the art of distilling ardent spirits into these islands at the end of the eighteenth century. A William Stevenson, from New South Wales, was the first to practise it; under his direction the root cf the Ki plan...