and were received with three cheers from the yards, the guard presenting arms, and the band playing "God save the king!" And, as soon as the whole party, including the two consuls, and Mr. Bingham and Bishop, had been received and escorted to the poop, a salute of twenty-one guns was fired; the highest honour of our service being thus paid to his Hawaiian majesty and court. The entertainment, after the salute, consisted of the playing of the band, while refreshments of wine, &c. were served on deck; of the exercise of the crew and marines at the guns, as in battle; boarding and repelling boarders, &c., an exhibition which greatly delighted the king and male chiefs. They were then escorted around the different decks, and shown the whole ship, after which they partook of a handsome collation in the cabin, remaining on board till near four o'clock, much gratified with the attentions shown them, and the kind of entertainment given; and the captain and officers not less impressed with the propriety and respectability of their whole appearance and deportment. LETTER LVI. GENERAL EXAMINATION OF THE SCHOOLS OF OAHU. U.S. Ship Vincennes, Port of Honolulu, WITHIN a few days of the arrival of our ship at Oahu, a regular quarterly examination of the schools of Honolulu occurred. Captain Finch and a party of officers attended the exhibition in the afternoon; when the classes most advanced, embracing several hundred scholars, presented evidences of their attainments in reading and writing, in the elements of arithmetic, geography, and biblical history, in recitations from the scriptures, in catechetical exercises, and in singing, highly interesting and satisfactory. SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS. 339 Many of the scholars, both male and female, write well; quite as much so as most persons of common education in our own country and all manifested as full an understanding in the acquisitions made, as would be found among scholars at a similar exhibition at home. The king and the chiefs, including governor and madam Boki, appeared at the head of their respective classes, manifesting, not only in their example, but by their whole manner, the laudable ambition of being first in useful knowledge, as they are first in rank. One of the exercises of the king, was that of reading aloud, in the English language; which he did with unexpected facility, and with great distinctness of enunciation, and correctness of accent. He understands much that is spoken in this tongue, but usually is unwilling to attempt speaking it himself, seemingly from an apprehension of committing blunders. One pleasing exhibition on the occasion, was that of a basket of needle-work, prepared by a class of young girls, under the instruction of Miss Ward. The articles were all beautifully finished. While at Lahaina, I also had an opportunity of judging of the advancement made by the chiefs and others there, in exhibitions of a similar kind, by scholars under the superintendence of Mr. Andrews and Miss Ogden. The princess and her class are n advance of all others at that station, as her brother and his immediate associates are at this place. Arithmetic proves to be a very favourite study with the islanders; and they take great delight in the exercise of mind required in it. With the princess, I am told, this is particularly the case; and a chief amusement of herself and companions, is in exercises in the elementary rules of the art, and in simple and compound reduction-the limits of the progress yet made, I believe, by any of the nation. Notwithstanding the attendance of captain Finch and his officers at the quarterly exhibition of this kind, Kaahumanu felt desirous of presenting to them a more imposing spectacle in a general examination of the schools of the whole island; and early information of the design was circulated through the various districts of Oahu, and other arrangements made for its execution. It occurred yesterday; and took place in the chapel, a building one hundred and ninety-eight feet in length, by seventy-eight in breadth. The scholars included persons of every age, and the number was very great, amounting to many thousands, even thousands more than could be received in the chapel at the same time; and the examination took place by districts. The morning was appropriated to a review, in this manner, of the schools most recently established in distant parts of the island, and to those whose proficiency extended only to reading; and the chapel was two or three times successively filled with these, arranged by schools, in regular lines along its matted floor. The people were almost exclusively dressed in native cloth, but all in new garments: many of which, consisting of immense folds arranged around the figure with taste and gracefulness, were of great beauty. In general, each school was in uniform: some in mantles and kiheis of black, some of yellow, some of pink, some of white, some striped, some spotted, some plain, meeting the eye, as seen in a single mass spread over so extensive an area, in lively and agreeable effect. I never, on any occasion of festivity and amusement, during my residence at the islands, in which a multitude of the people have been brought together, saw evidences of greater interest and pleasure in the passing scenes, whether of the song or of the dance, or of a trial of skill in their various sports ABORIGINAL COSTUME. 341 and games, than were now manifested. The sight, with associations unavoidably arising from it in my mind, was at once delightful and affecting. The afternoon, as in the previous instance, had been appropriated, in the arrangements for the day, to the schools and classes in advance of the general population; and as large a number of the officers as could be spared from duty, left the ship with Captain Finch at four o'clock, to proceed to the chapel. The chiefs and a large number of foreigners, visiters, and residents, including the consuls, who had learned that there was to be more than ordinary display, were already assembled, and waiting our arrival. For the gratification of the gentlemen of the Vincennes, this opportunity was taken of exhibiting so much of their former style of dress, &c., as would be consistent with modesty of person and propriety of deportment. The schools occupied about two-thirds of the chapel; the remaining part had been appropriated to the accommodation of the female chiefs, and kept in reserve for them, till, with all the ancient paraphernalia of chieftainship, they had been borne in procession from their respective residences to the chapel. The display made by these, as seen from the seats to which we were conducted, was beautiful and imposing. The princess occupied the centre of the space reserved. She was seated on the farther end from us of a portable throne, consisting of a light platform, twenty feet in length, and six in breadth, at an elevation of four feet. This was covered with many thicknesses of the finest and most beautifully coloured native cloth, hanging in thick and graceful drapery to the floor. Behind her, and at regular intervals along the sides, the finest-looking of the inferior male chieftains were stationed, in splendid cloaks of yellow and scarlet feathers, each supporting a kahilé, or fea thered staff of state, thirty feet in height; the staff's or handles, two-thirds of the whole length, being composed of highly-polished alternate rings of tortoise-shell and ivory, and the upper ends of feathers; in compact cylinders, nearly two feet in diameter; some crimson, some black, some green, and others again, yellow. That there might be as little departure as possible from the primitive dress, without a sacrifice of modesty, the princess wore only a loose slip of black satin, made close in the neck, with long sleeves ; over which, from the waist down, appeared, as she was seated in the Turkish attitude, the most beautifully wrought and splendid article of feathers ever made at the islands, a pau or native petticoat of yellow, edged with alternate points of black and scarlet, and lined with crimson satin, covering, not only the lower part of her person, but spreading widely in rich careless folds, over the whole of the platform. A beautiful feather cape, in a pattern of black and crimson on a yellow ground, hung from her shoulders; around her neck were several wreaths, and upon her head a triple coronet of yellow and crimson, of the same material. To be placed so conspicuously before us, as a spectacle to be gazed at, rather than as presiding over the examination, was an awkward situation for Harieta, as now usually called; but she acquitted herself with great propriety, and was much complimented, especially for the handsome manner in which an expression of politeness to Captain Finch (unexpected, and, I should judge, unthought of, even by herself, till the moment) was made immediately after our entrance. The seat to which he was conducted was directly in front of hers, though at a distance of some thirty feet. As soon as he recognized her in new attire, he rose, and made her a very marked bow; on returning which, she immediately dismantled herself |