th a great many natives after
service. They are very fond of this ceremony, and we were glad to give
them that expression of our good-will. Three of them, as they shook
hands, left a quarter of a dollar each in mine. I could not return them,
for that would give offense, and as I was unwilling to keep them, I put
them into the missionary-box.

To-morrow we will leave Honolulu.

VIII.

From Honolulu to Hilo.

"Come, aunty," said Willie, "we are all ready for our journey." So I
began.

* * * * *

We rode down to the steamer Kilauea about four o'clock Monday afternoon.
A great crowd was on the wharf; among them many of our good friends to
see us off. Indeed, we could not feel that we were strangers in a
strange land. The sight of the steamer was a novel one; the deck was
covered with men, women, children, and dogs, with mats, calabashes, etc.
It is quite a fashion here to trim the hair with flowers, and to wear
them strung about the neck. Many of these people were so decorated, and
it made quite a lively scene, with their gay calico dresses. The women
generally have their hair divided into two long braids behind; these
they bring up on the top of the head with a round comb, and slip the
flowers in about the comb.

The queen and her suite came on board last. She was going to join the
king at their country-seat at Kailua, on Hawaii. A salute of twenty-one
guns was fired by Her Majesty's guard, who then formed in a line on the
wharf and gave three cheers. The royal company preferred to sleep on
deck, so that nearly all who occupied the saloon were foreigners.

To us Americans, it seemed a strange thing to have both gentlemen and
ladies occupy the same saloon at night, and it was rather embarrassing
to mount into an upper berth with half a dozen gentlemen looking on.
But we soon became accustomed to it, and learned not to be alarmed at
finding a Chinaman asleep on the transom below.

"What is a _transom_, aunty?" asked Harry.

A sort of cushioned bench, running along both sides of the saloon just
outside the under berths.

At half-past four in the morning, we reached Lahaina, Maui. The steamer
stopped here some hours; so Dr. Baldwin came off for us, and took us to
his house to breakfast. Many friends, new and old, called, and some
beautiful flowers were sent from Lahainaluna, about two miles distant,
where there is a seminary for native young men. After breakfast, a large
co