The Hawaiian Archipelago - Six Months Among The Palm Groves, Coral Reefs, And Volcanoes Of The Sandwich Islands By Isabella L. Bird
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She Speaks English
Beautifully, Only Hesitating Now And Then For The Most Correct Form
Of Expression.
She spoke a good deal and with great pleasure of
England; and described Venice and the emotions it excited in her so
admirably, that I should like to have heard her describe all Europe.
A few days afterwards I went to a garden party at her house. It was
a very pretty sight, and the "everybody" of Honolulu was there to
the number of 250. I must describe it for the benefit of - - , who
persists in thinking that coloured royalty must necessarily be
grotesque. People arrived shortly before sunset, and were received
by Queen Emma, who sat on the lawn, with her attendants about her,
very simply dressed in black silk. The king, at whose entrance the
band played the national anthem, stood on another lawn, where
presentations were made by the chamberlain; and those who were
already acquainted with him had an opportunity for a few minutes'
conversation. He was dressed in a very well-made black morning
suit, and wore the ribbon and star of the Austrian order of Francis
Joseph. His simplicity was atoned for by the superlative splendour
of his suite; the governor of Oahu, and the high chief Kalakaua, who
was a rival candidate for the throne, being conspicuously
resplendent. The basis of the costume appeared to be the Windsor
uniform, but it was smothered with epaulettes, cordons, and lace;
and each dignitary has a uniform peculiar to his office, so that the
display of gold lace was prodigious.
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