KING LUNALILO.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 132, 4 June 1874, Page 2

KING LUNALILO.

[From the Daily Times."] Some weeks ago we published some intelligence with referenco to the death of Lunalilo, King of tbe Sandwich Islands, and the disturbance that took place at the election of his successor. In a private letter addressed to a lady in this city by another lady who was in Honolulu at the time, some most interesting details are given, and as the letter has been kindly placed at our disposal, we give extracts from it that we ore sure will interest our readers. The writer, who would make a splendid newspaper correspondent, commences by saying how pleased she was at tbe prospect of a month's slay at Honolulu, aod then goes on to say: — "But the Kin*_ Lunalilo had died on tho 3rd of February, so that the place was all in mourning, nnd aleo the people. We had not the opportunity of seeing him lying in state, but we went to the Palace aud saw the Natives waving feather brushes, which are called kahitis, over the lead coffin which the body was in. There are sets of Natives, and they keep this up day and nijjhr, until the body is taken to the vault. Sometimes the corpse is kept for three moDth., but thia was only kept four weeks, because tbe king's father is a very old man, and he was afraid he might die before his son was taken to the vault. Tbe late King was very much loved by both natives and wbite people. When he was elected, he hal it put to the people, and did not leave it to the representatives, although they had elected him. When he said tbat he was one of them, and would go by the voice of the people, they thought everythink of him, aud out of fifty thousand only one was against him; so you must thing how much they thought of him, with all his faults. Lunalilo means "above all" — bo was the highest, of all. Tt is the custom of the country that the King shall never be dead, and that he shall name a successor before he dies; but poor Luoalilo was deranged for some days before he d»'ed. Queen Emma was often with him, and she said that he had named her; but there were no witnesses, so (hat .prince David put in his claim. Tbe Natives did not like him, however, and a great number wanted Queen Emma. On the day for election of a new King, the representatives gave thirty-nine votes for David and only six for Emma. David did not dare to put it to the people, as he would have lost it. So \David was elected King. This took place in tbe courthouse, and when it was made known to Queen Emma's people they smashed all the windows and doors in, threw the Cabinet Ministers out of the windows two storeys high, broke up all the tables and chairs, and besmeared the walls with blood. We went to Bee the place next morning, and it was quite a sight — papers, legs of chairs and tables, were all about the street. Forlu nately, there were three men-of-war in tha Bay, the Portsmouth and Tuscarora, Americans, and the English man of war Tonedos. Before assistance was sent for, some of the Ministers went to Queen Emma, and told her to call her men off, but she said " No, they know it is right, and we will have a new election to-morrow." So they had to get the men-of-war's men on shore. The Americans marched up first, and took possession of the Court bouse, which the natives did not like. When the Englishmen came tbe Queen Emma natives thought that because her father was an Englishmen they had come to drive the others out. Thinking this, they cheered r and were so delighted, when all at once the English men of war men turned and charged upon them. It caused many a laugh to see the natives making off in all ways, howling and yelling — they got Buch a fright. The marines stayed on shore five or six days to take care of the town, as they could not trust the native police. It was said that the town would be set fire to, but as evening came on, everything was quiet. The next day we went to see Prince David take the oath, and be crowned. I was the only lady there. It had to be kept rather private, for they were afraid of the King being shot. The new King'e name is David Kalatraua, which means " the day of war." On the 20th of February, Lunalilo wbb taken to tha vault. We saw the coffi.., which was a most beautiful piece of work, made of <wo kinds of wood belonging to the islands."