AMERICAN ENTERPRISE.

Waikato Times, Volume VIII, Issue 426, 9 February 1875, Page 2

AMERICAN ENTERPRISE.

A writbr in the Quemslandcr, speaking of the South Seas, says : — "By the way, touching the manner in which the free and independent American inflaenoe in those same islands, a story occurs to us which may serve to illustrate citizens of the great Kepublic assert their freedom and awe the simple savage. In tbe South Seas, before King KamehameeA came to the throne, there reigned^ a potentate of much joviality. He liked white men, and adored navy rum. One day the barque Columbia, Captain Kybosh, commauder, put into for water. The potentate made off to tha vassel, and was received with due ceremony. The rum was produced, and the utmost harmony rei/ned. For three weeks did this friendship lust, until the King began to show symptoms of failing powers. On the last night of the Columbia's stay, the savage warrior, requested, through the medium of the interpreter, who in ordinary life was a harpooner, to be allowed to give his white friends some proof of his friendship. His white friends —alas for poor humanity I—were1 — were somewhat flown with wine, and Starbuck, the second mate, had as tine a sense of honour as ever distinguished a Nantucketer. * Look hvar, old man,' said he, ' I'm a blue blooded Ytinkee, I am, sir, and when I leturn 10 my country I'm going to run for President. Now, sir, we're De-nio-cratie over there,' jerking his thumb over the wide Pacific, 'and if I could tell 'em that I had once kicked a king, by goles they'd elect me straight.' The monarch stared, took another tot of grog, and finall — consented. He was placed in the attitude of a boy who is about to j^ive another a back at leapfrog, and Starbucfcv retiring a few paces, took a run, lifted his leg, and\he 'Iflng nearly stove in the cabin door with his lead JT He didn't seem to like it much, but he too\ jinotner tot of rum and sat down. As he did so, Mr Flask, the first mate, rose. « Gentlemen,' sail he, drawing him 3 >lf to his full height of 6ft 4in. ' I was born in Boston, Massachusetts — the old B iby State, gentlemen, and do you think I am going to have my chances in life spoiled by a Nantucketer? No, by thunder! Monarch, down you go ! The monarch took another drink and went down. This time the cabin door gave way, and the Sovereigns of tbe South Seas began to get angry. Anger was out of place, however, Captain Kybosh uncoiled himself from the locker like an eel when it stands on its tail. ' Stop, this toolin,' he said, I'm captain of this ship, and by here he swore an oath which we need not trouble ourselves to repeat — 'no man shuts his jack-knife on me. Your Majesty, I trouble you !' Need we prolong the tale ? We think not. But the man who told us added that, after he had suuk the last of the pursuing canoes,- Captain Kyl>osh called the survivors of the crew into his cobiu and toll tnem that theo needn't mention to everybody how Amer i :an enterprise ' was opening up ' the islands of he Pacific."