The following are some of Sereno Edwards Bishop’s “Reminiscences of Old Hawaii” that he included in his book named such; he who was born at Ka‘awaloa, Hawaii, Feb. 7, 1827, the son of missionary Artemas Bishop.
Artemas Bishop and his family were first permanently stationed at Kailua, Hawaii, in 1824, being transferred to Ewa, Oahu, in 1836, and to Honolulu in 1855, where Mr. Bishop died, Dec. 18, 1872. Mrs. Bishop died at Kailua, Feb. 28, 1828, the first death in the mission band. She left two infant children, including Sereno.
“Visits To Kaawaloa … Our nearest missionary neighbor outside of the town of Kailua were the Ruggleses, who lived at Kaawaloa, twelve miles south. Their dwelling was at Kuapehu, two miles up the mountain, a most verdant and attractive spot.”
“It later became the residence of Rev. John D. Paris. Kaawaloa proper was a village on the north side of Kealakekua Bay.”
“I was born there at the house of Mr. and Mrs. Ely, only a few rods from the rock where Captain Cook was slain and where his monument now stands.”
“We often visited Kaawaloa, probably twice a year, going by water in a double canoe, generally starting two or three hours before daylight, so as to carry the land breeze a good part of the way.”
“There were a number of paddlers in each of the two canoes, who would make the long craft fly swiftly through the sea. The steersman in the stern would give the signal by a slap of his paddle against the canoe, and all the rowers would shift their paddles in unison from one side to the other.”
“We children generally laid upon the raised platform with the mother, though sometimes in the bottom of a canoe. We were apt to be seasick, and then go to sleep, sometimes awaking to see the waves dashing on a coast of black lava cliffs.”
“We would run up the little bay and step ashore upon Cooke’s rock, whence it was only a few rods to the nice premises of the good Princess Kapiolani.”
“These were prettily thatched cottages on a platform of white masonry which was studded with black pebbles. Kapiolani’s quarters were neatly furnished within. She was generally there to receive us with the most cordial hospitality.”
“Immediately behind the house was a precipice perhaps two hundred feet high. This seems to have been caused by a former breaking off of the coast line for many miles. Great lava flows had subsequently poured over the precipice to the north and south, so as to enclose the bay, leaving half a mile of the precipice at the head of the bay untouched.”
“The Ruggles Family And Home … The next thing was to surmount the formidable pali. There were plenty of natives to carry up the lady and children in the lack of animals.”
“From the summit, two miles of slope brought us to the delightful home of the Ruggleses, where we were again lovingly welcomed. Mrs. Ruggles was a tall, sweet-faced woman of kindliest character.”
“Mr. Ruggles was a pleasant man of small stature, who was often absent from home touring among the natives, his health requiring such activity.”
“There was a luxuriant garden, with luscious grapes and figs and coffee trees in fruit. There were also orange trees, and in the vicinity many old ohia trees with the ripe apples bestudding their gnarled trunks.”
“The mission dwelling was a large thatched house, with several glass windows. A matter of special delight was the company of two very agreeable’ children of our own ages, named Huldah and Samuel, of whom we were always very fond.”
“How Past Days Were Kept … The Ruggles family returned to America about 1834, and we saw no more of them. Mr. Ruggles had done good service as a teacher and preacher for fourteen years.”
“Their places were taken by Mr. and Mrs. Cochran Forbes, four of whose grandchildren now reside in Honolulu. Mr. Forbes was a forceful and zealous missionary. There are memories of pleasant visits with them also, both at Kuapehu and at Kailua. On one occasion a fast day is remembered, such as we observed at Kailua four times a year by omitting the noon meal.”
“The Forbes were more rigid, and no breakfast was served. Discovering this, Mrs. Bishop made for the safe, and seizing some cold chicken and taro, enabled her hungry family to break their fast. She was always to be relied on in the commissariat.”
“Missionary Visits To Kailua … Some mention should be interesting of memories of visits at Kailua from various missionaries. Such visits were always delightful to us.”
“Yet the ladies and sometimes the children were apt to be landed from their schooners in sad plight, after the hardships of the voyage. I remember two fair young women being brought in in fainting condition in the litters which they had occupied on the deck of the vessel.”
“These were Mrs. Dr. Chapin and Mrs. Ephraim Spaulding. The Spauldings made us a long visit, during which I formed an intense childish attachment to Mr. Spaulding, who was a sweet and devout man. An earlier visit is recalled made by the Bingham family about 1833. Most of their time was spent on the upland above us.”
“Mrs. Bingham was much of an invalid. Father Bingham was a somewhat stately, courteous gentleman, for whom I had much liking and a little fear.”
“The Baldwins repeatedly visited us from Waimea. Dr. Baldwin we all liked. He was personally active, even breaking into a run, something rarely seen in grown men in Kailua.”
“My childish impressions of all these friends was wholly favorable, accompanied by the utmost reverence for their spirituality and devoutness.”
“General Meetings Of The Mission … Very prominent in the old mission life were our annual visits to Honolulu in attendance upon what was called the ‘General Meeting.’”
“That was an annual assembling at the capital of all the missionary families, occupying from four to six weeks. The hospitality of the missionaries residing at Honolulu was severely taxed in entertaining their rural associates.”
“Many of the latter families secured native cottages and kept house in them. Our experiences at these times were varied and noteworthy. Especially so were the voyages to Honolulu and return.”
“In these days of rapid transit from port to port in large and comfortable steamers, no idea can be gained of the wretched miseries of those early and protracted voyages in small schooners.”
“As a child’s experiences I recall them as among the severest physical sufferings of a fairly comfortable life. They must have been much worse to the lady missionaries.”
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