Page:Twenty years before the mast - Charles Erskine, 1896.djvu/254

 CHAPTER XVI.

completing the researches and observations of this island, we got under way and stood to sea, bound to  Lahaina, island of Maui, the residence of the king, who  was a natural son of Kamehameha I. The wind, during  the day, was light, and we made slow progress; but as  evening advanced, we took a light sea-breeze from the  southwest, which soon wafted us to an anchorage in  Lahaina Road, abreast the king’s palace.

The next day we had a visit from the royal family. There was a great display of epaulettes, gold lace, swords, and cocked hats. The king was a portly young man, between twenty and thirty years of age, and of a commanding figure. He was very richly dressed, being nearly covered with gold lace. He was received on board by the yard being manned, our marine corps  parading on the quarter-deck, presenting arms, and our  ship’s band, consisting of drum and fife, playing "Hail  to the Chief." He was soon conducted to different parts of the ship, accompanied by Captain Wilkes and  other officers. The berth deck was lighted fore and aft, all the pots and pans, and the tinware of the messes, as  well as the hoops on the kids, were burnished, and displayed in front of the mess chests, and the rooms of the