One Summer in Hawaii (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1891 edition. Excerpt: ...not to have seen the queen, she being too ill to leave her apartments. As we were taking leave, His Majesty referred to the fact that the next day would be the Fourth of July, and that a yacht race would be one of the features of the occasion, and thereupon invited the party to come to his boathouse, at 2 p. M., to view the finish of the race. CHAPTER XV. FOURTH OF JULY AT HONOLULU--A ROYAL JOKE--DIVING BOYS--A YACHT RACE. The celebrations of National fete days are, as a rule, noisy demonstrations; essential, perhaps, to keep alive a proper patriotic sentiment; but nevertheless very trying to the nerves. In my own country, upon such days, I would fain steal away and put cotton in my ears. The ubiquitous small boy, with his drum and trumpet and firecrackers, becomes a terror; and the occasional large boy, with his excess of "Hail Columbia," becomes a nuisance. It may seem strange then that, in a foreign land, I should feel the excitement of the memorable day, and ardently participate in its festivities; but we are thus constituted. I have seen the tears standing in the eyes of a strong man when his country's flag was unexpectedly unfurled in a remote corner of the earth. Early the next morning I was awakened by the peals of artillery, and went forth to find the streets festooned and gay with flaunting banners. At ten o'clock we repaired to the Opera House, where the surgeon of the Flagship Charleston read the Declaration of Independence, and the American Minister delivered an oration. At eleven o'clock we went by invitation on board the U. S. ship Nipsic, to witness the start of the yachts on a forty mile race, and afterward saw a rowing match between picked crews of the Charleston and Nipsic. At one o'clock we returned to the...