a footnote to history-第9章

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Be　it　well　known　that　the　gentleman　Brandeis　has　no　appointment　in　

a　military　character；　but　resides　peaceably　assisting　the　

government　of　Leulumoenga　in　their　work；　for　Brandeis　is　a　quiet；　

sensible　gentleman。〃　　And　then　he　promised　to　send　the　vice…consul　

to　〃get　information　of　the　captain's　doings〃：　　surely　

supererogation　of　deceit。



THE　HAWAIIAN　EMBASSY。　　The　prime　minister　of　the　Hawaiian　kingdom　

was；　at　this　period；　an　adventurer　of　the　name　of　Gibson。　　He　

claimed；　on　the　strength　of　a　romantic　story；　to　be　the　heir　of　a　

great　English　house。　　He　had　played　a　part　in　a　revolt　in　Java；　had　

languished　in　Dutch　fetters；　and　had　risen　to　be　a　trusted　agent　of　

Brigham　Young；　the　Utah　president。　　It　was　in　this　character　of　a　

Mormon　emissary　that　he　first　came　to　the　islands　of　Hawaii；　where　

he　collected　a　large　sum　of　money　for　the　Church　of　the　Latter　Day　

Saints。　　At　a　given　moment；　he　dropped　his　saintship　and　appeared　

as　a　Christian　and　the　owner　of　a　part　of　the　island　of　Lanai。　　The　

steps　of　the　transformation　are　obscure；　they　seem；　at　least；　to　

have　been　ill…received　at　Salt　Lake；　and　there　is　evidence　to　the　

effect　that　he　was　followed　to　the　islands　by　Mormon　assassins。　　

His　first　attempt　on　politics　was　made　under　the　auspices　of　what　

is　called　the　missionary　party；　and　the　canvass　conducted　largely　

（it　is　said　with　tears）　on　the　platform　at　prayer…meetings。　　It　

resulted　in　defeat。　　Without　any　decency　of　delay　he　changed　his　

colours；　abjured　the　errors　of　reform；　and；　with　the　support　of　the　

Catholics；　rose　to　the　chief　power。　　In　a　very　brief　interval　he　

had　thus　run　through　the　gamut　of　religions　in　the　South　Seas。　　It　

does　not　appear　that　he　was　any　more　particular　in　politics；　but　he　

was　careful　to　consult　the　character　and　prejudices　of　the　late　

king；　Kalakaua。　　That　amiable；　far　from　unaccomplished；　but　too　

convivial　sovereign；　had　a　continued　use　for　money：　　Gibson　was　

observant　to　keep　him　well　supplied。　　Kalakaua　（one　of　the　most　

theoretical　of　men）　was　filled　with　visionary　schemes　for　the　

protection　and　development　of　the　Polynesian　race：　　Gibson　fell　in　

step　with　him；　it　is　even　thought　he　may　have　shared　in　his　

illusions。　　The　king　and　minister　at　least　conceived　between　them　a　

scheme　of　island　confederation　…　the　most　obvious　fault　of　which　

was　that　it　came　too　late　…　and　armed　and　fitted　out　the　cruiser　

KAIMILOA；　nest…egg　of　the　future　navy　of　Hawaii。　　Samoa；　the　most　

important　group　still　independent；　and　one　immediately　threatened　

with　aggression；　was　chosen　for　the　scene　of　action。　　The　Hon。　John　

E。　Bush；　a　half…caste　Hawaiian；　sailed　（December　1887）　for　Apia　as　

minister…plenipotentiary；　accompanied　by　a　secretary　of　legation；　

Henry　F。　Poor；　and　as　soon　as　she　was　ready　for　sea；　the　war…ship　

followed　in　support。　　The　expedition　was　futile　in　its　course；　

almost　tragic　in　result。　　The　KAIMILOA　was　from　the　first　a　scene　

of　disaster　and　dilapidation：　　the　stores　were　sold；　the　crew　

revolted；　for　a　great　part　of　a　night　she　was　in　the　hands　of　

mutineers；　and　the　secretary　lay　bound　upon　the　deck。　　The　mission；　

installing　itself　at　first　with　extravagance　in　Matautu；　was　helped　

at　last　out　of　the　island　by　the　advances　of　a　private　citizen。　　

And　they　returned　from　dreams　of　Polynesian　independence　to　find　

their　own　city　in　the　hands　of　a　clique　of　white　shopkeepers；　and　

the　great　Gibson　once　again　in　gaol。　　Yet　the　farce　had　not　been　

quite　without　effect。　　It　had　encouraged　the　natives　for　the　

moment；　and　it　seems　to　have　ruffled　permanently　the　temper　of　the　

Germans。　　So　might　a　fly　irritate　Caesar。



The　arrival　of　a　mission　from　Hawaii　would　scarce　affect　the　

composure　of　the　courts　of　Europe。　　But　in　the　eyes　of　Polynesians　

the　little　kingdom　occupies　a　place　apart。　　It　is　there　alone　that　

men　of　their　race　enjoy　most　of　the　advantages　and　all　the　pomp　of　

independence；　news　of　Hawaii　and　descriptions　of　Honolulu　are　

grateful　topics　in　all　parts　of　the　South　Seas；　and　there　is　no　

better　introduction　than　a　photograph　in　which　the　bearer　shall　be　

represented　in　company　with　Kalakaua。　　Laupepa　was；　besides；　sunk　

to　the　point　at　which　an　unfortunate　begins　to　clutch　at　straws；　

and　he　received　the　mission　with　delight。　　Letters　were　exchanged　

between　him　and　Kalakaua；　a　deed　of　confederation　was　signed；　17th　

February　1887；　and　the　signature　celebrated　in　the　new　house　of　the　

Hawaiian　embassy　with　some　original　ceremonies。　　Malietoa　Laupepa　

came；　attended　by　his　ministry；　several　hundred　chiefs；　two　guards；　

and　six　policemen。　　Always　decent；　he　withdrew　at　an　early　hour；　by　

those　that　remained；　all　decency　appears　to　have　been　forgotten；　

high　chiefs　were　seen　to　dance；　and　day　found　the　house　carpeted　

with　slumbering　grandees；　who　must　be　roused；　doctored　with　coffee；　

and　sent　home。　　As　a　first　chapter　in　the　history　of　Polynesian　

Confederation；　it　was　hardly　cheering；　and　Laupepa　remarked　to　one　

of　the　embassy；　with　equal　dignity　and　sense：　〃If　you　have　come　

here　to　teach　my　people　to　drink；　I　wish　you　had　stayed　away。〃



The　Germans　looked　on　from　the　first　with　natural　irritation　that　a　

power　of　the　powerlessness　of　Hawaii　should　thus　profit　by　its　

undeniable　footing　in　the　family　of　nations；　and　send　embassies；　

and　make　believe　to　have　a　navy；　and　bark　and　snap　at　the　heels　of　

the　great　German　Empire。　　But　Becker　could　not　prevent　the　hunted　

Laupepa　from　taking　refuge　in　any　hole　that　offered；　and　he　could　

afford　to　smile　at　the　fantastic　orgie　in　the　embassy。　　It　was　

another　matter　when　the　Hawaiians　approached　the　intractable　

Mataafa；　sitting　still　in　his　Atua　government　like　Achilles　in　his　

tent；　helping　neither　side；　and　（as　the　Germans　suspected）　keeping　

the　eggs　warm　for　himself。　　When　the　KAIMILOA　steamed　out　of　Apia　

on　this　visit；　the　German　war…ship　ADLER　followed　at　her　heels；　and　

Mataafa　was　no　sooner　set　down　with　the　embassy　than　he　was　

summoned　and　ordered　on　board　by　two　German　officers。　　The　step　is　

one　of　those　triumphs　of　temper　which　can　only　be　admired。　　Mataafa　

is　entertaining　the　plenipotentiary　of　a　sovereign　power　in　treaty　

with　his　own　king；　and　the　captain　of　a　German　corvette　orders　him　

to　quit　his　guests。



But　there　was　worse　to　come。　　I　gather　that　Tamasese　was　at　the　

time　in　the　sulks。　　He　had　doubtless　been　promised　prompt　aid　and　a　

prompt　success；　he　had　seen　himself　surreptitiously　helped；　

privately　ordered　about；　and　publicly　disowned；　and　he　was　still　

the　king　of　nothing　more　than　his　own　province；　and　already　the　

second　in　command　of　Captain　Brandeis。　　With　the　adhesion　of　some　

part　of　his　native　cabinet；　and　behind　the　back　of　his　white　

minister；　he　found　means　to　communicate　with　the　Hawaiians。　　A　

passage　on　the　KAIMILOA；　a　pension；　and　a　home　in　Honolulu　were　the　

bribes　proposed；　and　he　seems　to　have　been　tempted。　　A　day　was　set　

for　a　secret　interview。　　Poor；　the　Hawaiian　secretary；　and　J。　D。　

Strong；　an　American　painter　attached　to　the　embassy　in　the　

surprising　quality　of　〃Government　Artist；〃　landed　with　a　Samoan　

boat's…crew　in　Aana；　and　while　the　secretary　hid　himself；　according　

to　agreement；　in　the　outlying　home　of　an　English　settler；　the　

artist　（ostensibly　bent　on　photography）　entered　the　headquarters　of　

the　rebel　king。　　It　was　a　great　day　in　Leulumoenga；　three　hundred　

recruits　had　come　in；　a　feast　was　cooking；　and　the　photographer；　in　

view　of　the　native　love　of　being　photographed；　was　made　entirely　

welcome。　　But　beneath　the　friendly　surface　all　were　on　the　alert。　　

The　secret　had　leaked　out：　　Weber　beheld　his　plans　threatened　in　

the　root；　Brandeis　trembled　for　the　possession　of　his　slave　and　

sovereign；　and　the　German　vice…consul；　Mr。　Sonnenschein；　had　been　

sent　or　summoned　to　the　scene　of　danger。



It　was　after　dark；　prayers　had　been　said　and　the　hymns　sung　through　

all　the　village；　an