Lāhainā (1823)
“Lāhainā, Island of Maui, Saturday evening, May 31 (1823). After a very rough but splendid night, at sunrise this morning the wild mountains that overhang the district of Lahaina were in distinct view, and we advanced rapidly to the anchorage.”
“The settlement is far more beautiful than any place we have yet seen on the islands. The entire district, stretching nearly three miles along the sea-side, is covered with luxuriant groves …”
“… not only of the cocoa-nut, (the only tree we have before seen, except on the tops of the mountains,) but also of the bread-fruit and of the kou, a species of cordia, an ornamental tree, resembling, at a distance, a large and flourishing, full, round-topped apple-tree …”
“… while the banana plant, tapa, and sugar-cane, are abundant, and extend almost to the beach, on which a fine surf constantly rolls.”
“The picture presented is purely Indian in all its features, from the bare and lofty trunks of the cocoa-palm, with their tufted summits, nodding like plumes in the breeze, to the thatch of a rude hut …”
“… here and there peeping from beneath the broad leaves of the plantain, and the richness of more lowly growth: he whole forming a delightful foreground to the noble exhibition of mountain scenery in the distance.”
“On coming to an anchor, Karaimoku expressed his regret that there was no house at the disposal of himself or the queen, suitable for our accommodation: and wished us to procure a temporary residence with Mr. Butler, an American established here, till houses could be provided for us by Keōpūolani.”
“Under the guidance of Mr. Loomis, Mr. Richards and myself accordingly landed for this purpose. We were soon met by Keōua, the governor of Lahaina, to whom I delivered a letter of introduction from his friend Laʻanui, at Oahu, and proceeded in search of the plantation of Mr. Butler.”
“We found his enclosure pleasantly situated about a quarter of a mile directly in rear of the landing-place, and were received by him in a kind and friendly manner.”
“When acquainted with our object in coming to Lahaina, he proffered every assistance in his power, and tendered his best house for the reception of our families.”
“His civility greatly prepossessed us in his favour, and made us almost forget that we were in the land of strangers.”
“He returned to the barge with us, to bring the ladies on shore; and early in the afternoon our whole number were comfortably and quietly settled in the midst of his luxuriant grounds.”
“The thick shade of the bread-fruit trees which surround his cottages – the rustling of the breeze through the bananas and the sugar-cane – the murmurs of the mountain streams encircling the yard – and the coolness and verdure of every spot around us …”
“… seemed, in contrast with our situation, during a six months’ voyage, and four weeks’ residence on the dreary plain of Honoruru, like the delights of an Eden …”
“… and caused our hearts to beat warmly with gratitude to the Almighty Being, who had brought us in safety to the scene of our future labours, and had at once provided us with so refreshing an asylum.”
“Before dark, the chiefs had all our effects landed, and secured in the storehouse of the governor, while our private baggage was brought to the house we occupy by the attendants of the queen.”
“Nor did their attentions cease here. Early in the evening, a supply of ready-cooked provisions, with vegetables and fruits, abundantly sufficient for the Sabbath, were sent to us by different individuals.”
“Mr. Butler hospitably prepared our first repast: and, though somewhat fatigued, we are now ready to retire to rest, prepared for the suitable observance of the holy day on which we are bordering. May it be the beginning of many blessed Sabbaths to the degraded inhabitants of Lāhainā!”
“Sabbath, June 1. Early this morning a messenger came to inform us that Keōpūolani, the princess, and chiefs, were waiting for us to come and worship with them.”
“We accordingly hastened to the beach, to erect an altar to the true God, where heretofore idols only have been served. Our temple was the work of the hands of the Almighty. Its only pillars were those that support the foundations of the earth, and its canopy the broad arch of heaven.”
“But we doubt whether a purer flame of devotion would have glowed in our bosoms, had we knelt before the Lord on pavements of marble, or addressed his throne from the midst of carving and gold.”
“About three hundred and fifty persons had encircled the tent, pitched for the temporary accommodation of the queen, in a grove of kou trees, near a brick building, now used as a storehouse, but once the residence of the late king when he visited Maui. We have seldom witnessed a more orderly and attentive audience.”
“A portion of scripture was read from the Tahitian version, by Taua, a Tahitian Christian, assistant Missionary to Mr. Ellis, who is attached to the retinue of the queen, in the capacity of private instructor and chaplain; after which other appropriate services were performed.”
“The chiefs desired to have the services repeated in the afternoon; and the queen requested us not only to worship God with her thus, on the Sabbath, but to attend prayers regularly, with herself and daughter, every morning at sunrise and every evening at sunset.” (The entire text, here, is from CS Stewart.)
Kalanimōku Encourages Christianity
Kalanimōku was a grandson of Kekaulike, the king of Maui – he was of the same rank as Kaʻahumanu, Kamehameha’s favorite wife, and Kuakini, the governor of Hawaiʻi (his first cousins.)
In his youth, Kalanimōku had fought in the army of Kiwalaʻo against Kamehameha, but afterwards served under Kamehameha, finally becoming his trusted advisor.
And, although at the death of Kamehameha, his widowed wife Kaʻahumanu shared the government with Liholiho, Kalanimōku remained a powerful person. (Yzendoorn)
Kalanimōku had been Kamehameha’s prime minister and treasurer, the adviser on whom the king leaned most heavily. He was a man of great natural ability, both in purely governmental and in business matters. He was liked and respected by foreigners, who learned from experience that they could rely on his word. (Kuykendall)
Kalanimōku became a friend of the American Protestant missionaries and promoted the missionary message. He made the following speech on December 10, 1825, in his effort to build up Christianity and spread education throughout the Islands:
“My greetings to you all, my brethren, chiefs, missionaries, native teachers, pupils, and all people of these islands. I am truly thankful because of the new kingdom of God as now given us, for it makes us servants of Jesus Christ.
“My desire is that we love God who has given us the Word of Life. Let us keep His commandments and turn to do right, forsaking evil. Let us not follow sinful ways.”
“Let us be mindful of the good words of Jesus who gave us His blessed blood to save our souls.”
“Let us strive in our hearts to follow the words of Jehovah, our Heavenly Father, and let our thoughts be right.”
“Let us praise our God Jehovah and Him only. We have no other God. He made us and is keeping us. Let us offer Him our prayers in the evening and in the morning.”
“Let us keep Sabbath day as the day of remembrance of Jehovah our God, and let us put away all labor on this day.”
“This is God’s only day, for we can labor six days in the week, but the seventh day we should remember as the day for the good of our souls and as a day of repentance of our sins. We must remember our God.”
“I wish also to say that I am always mindful of God’s words and my heart yearns for His salvation. I am jealous for God’s words and have forsaken my old ways and I want a new heart in me.”
“My beloved King Liholiho once said to me that my wife and I should learn how to read and write. Keōpūolani requested that I obey God in order that my soul might be saved so that I might meet her in that beautiful place in the future, in the Kingdom of God.”
“At the death of Keōpūolani my love for her became much greater. I want to keep her request that I keep to the right. And when the King sailed to that foreign land I wept for him.”
“Kaumuali‘i too died in the faith and he instructed me to take good care of Kauai, for the land and all the people belonged to the king. I therefore went to Kauai and some made war upon us, but God kept us.”
“On the way to Ni‘ihau again my thoughts were of God, and from then on I became afraid of evil and I am now afraid to do wicked things.”
“I have given my body, my soul, and my heart to God and I am His servant. I am now repenting of my old sins. I am praising God at this time. It is His grace that I want, for He alone knows my sins; He knows my body and my soul.”
“I want all the people to obey Jehovah, all of the chiefs and rulers and all the commoners as well, from Hawaii to Kauai. Let us faithfully keep the laws of God and the ten commandments given us by Jehovah.”
“These laws are of benefit to all nations. I desire also that we trust in Jesus Christ, that our souls may be saved by Him. My greetings to you. God in His great mercy bless you.” (Kalanimoku, in Ka Nupepa Kuʻokoʻa, Oct. 10, 1868, quoted by Kamakau)
… and a Bottle of Rum
Rum is a beverage that seems to have had its origins on the 17th century Caribbean sugarcane plantations and by the 18th century its popularity had spread throughout world.
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane byproducts such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation; it is then usually aged in oak barrels.
The origin of the word “rum” is generally unclear. In an 1824 essay about the word’s origin, Samuel Morewood suggested the word ‘rum’ might be from the British slang term for “the best”, as in “having a rum time.”
“As spirits, extracted from molasses, could not well be ranked under the name whiskey, brandy, or arrack, it would be called rum, to denote its excellence or superior quality.” (Samuel Morewood, 1824)
Captain James Cook and the crews of the HMS Resolution and HMS Discovery first made landfall on Kauaʻi in 1778. It is believed that in the holds of both ships were barrels of rum.
According to Kamakau, “The first taste that Kamehameha and his people had of rum was at Kailua in 1791 or perhaps a little earlier, brought in by Captain Maxwell. Kamehameha went out to the ship with (John) Young and (Isaac) Davis when it was sighted off Keāhole Point and there they all drank rum. …. Then nothing would do but Ka-lani-moku must get some of this sparkling water, and he was the first chief to buy rum.”
Shortly thereafter, while in Waikīkī, after having tasted the “dancing water,” Kamehameha I gained the apparent honor of having spread the making of rum from Oʻahu to Hawaiʻi island. (Kanahele)
After he saw a foreigner make rum in Honolulu, he set up his own still. Spurred by his own appetite for rum, he soon made rum drinking common among chiefs and chiefesses as well as commoners. (Kanahele)
Many of the subsequent royalty and chiefs also drank alcoholic beverages (several overindulged.)
Within a decade or so, Island residents were producing liquor on a commercial basis. “It was while Kamehameha was on Oahu that rum was first distilled in the Hawaiian group,” wrote Kamakau.
“In 1809 rum was being distilled by the well-known foreigner, Oliver Holmes, at Kewalo, and later he and David Laho-loa distilled rum at Makaho.” Several small distilleries were in operation by the 1820s.
Although both Hawaiians and foreign residents had been drinking hard liquor – either bought from visiting ships or distilled locally – for many years, no mention of bars or saloons occurs in the historical record.
The early missionaries were not teetotalers – their departure from Boston Harbor was delayed because “on the passengers examining their stores, they found a short supply of that article at day light Capt. Blanchard went up to Boston at 11 am (October 24, 1819). Captain Blanchard returned from town with a supply of bread & spirits for the missionaries.” (James Hunnewell Log)
“(I)t was ascertained that our soft bread and crackers and all the ardent spirits were left behind. Consequently, a boat was sent off for Boston that night, which did not return until the next day towards night.” (Lucia Ruggles Holman Journal)
Once they arrived, Sybil Bingham noted in her diary, “(Anthony Allen) set upon the table decanters and glasses with wine and brandy to refresh us”. They ended dinner “with wine and melons”. (June 24, 1820, Sybil Bingham)
By November 1822, Honolulu had seventeen grog shops operated by foreigners. Drinking places were one of the earliest types of retail business established in the Islands.
Whalers – primarily American vessels – began arriving in Hawai’i in the early 19th century; they were hunting whales primarily for the whale oil for heating, lamps and in industrial machinery; they usually stopped as they crossed the Pacific twice a year to restock provisions, replenish their crews and transship their whale oil cargoes.
For Hawaiian ports, especially Honolulu and Lāhaina, the whaling fleet was the crux of the economy for 20-years or more. More than 100-ships stopped in Hawaiian ports in 1824. Over the next two decades, the Pacific whaling fleet nearly quadrupled in size and in the record year of 1846, 736-whaling ships arrived in Hawai’i.
With these ships and sailors came more rum; it became one of the sought-after items the Hawaiians traded for with the Westerners.
“For some years after the arrival of missionaries at the islands it was not uncommon in going to the enclosure of the king, or some other place of resort, to find after a previous night’s revelry, exhausted cases of ardent spirits standing exposed and the emptied bottles strewn about in confusion amidst the disgusting bodies of men, women and children lying promiscuously in the deep sleep of drunkenness.” (Dibble)
Fort Kekuanohu along Honolulu Harbor served as a jail for breaches of etiquette by sailors on liberty – disorderly sailors could find themselves lodged in the Fort pending redemption at $30 a head.
In 1874, a legislative act was passed that allowed distillation of rum on sugar plantations. According to a report in ‘The Friend,’ “the only planter in the Legislature voted three times against the passage of the Act.”
The first export of Hawaiian rum was made on May 15, 1875 – the product of Heʻeia Plantation.
The post WW II years saw new rum concoctions. Reportedly, Harry Yee invented the Blue Hawaii cocktail and dropped in a tiny Japanese parasol and Vic Bergeron created the Mai Tai and opened Trader Vic’s, America’s first theme restaurant that featured the art, decor and food of Polynesia.
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Grog
‘Grog’ is any liquor, but especially rum, that’s been diluted with water.
Grog was named after British Admiral Edward Vernon (whom the sailors called ‘Old Grog’ because he always wore a grogram coat (grogram is a coarse fabric of silk mixed with wool,)) who gave the order that the daily rations of rum aboard Her Majesty’s ships be diluted.
Pretty soon, taverns catering to sailors had taken up the practice, and grog became what was settled for when one couldn’t afford a stiffer dose. (Greer)
According to Kamakau, “The first taste that Kamehameha and his people had of rum was at Kailua in 1791 or perhaps a little earlier, brought in by Captain Maxwell.”
“Kamehameha went out to the ship with (John) Young and (Isaac) Davis when it was sighted off Keāhole Point and there they all drank rum. …. Then nothing would do but Kalanimōku must get some of this sparkling water, and he was the first chief to buy rum.”
Don Francisco de Paula Marin was a Spaniard who arrived in the Hawaiian Islands in 1793 or 1794 (at about the age of 20.) His knowledge of Western military weapons brought him to the attention of Kamehameha, who was engaged in the conquest of O‘ahu. Marin almost immediately became a trusted advisor to Kamehameha I.
Hawai‘i’s first accommodations for transients were established sometime after 1810, when Marin “opened his home and table to visitors on a commercial basis … Closely arranged around the Marin home were the grass houses of his workers and the ‘guest houses’ of the ship captains who boarded with him while their vessels were in port.”
He fermented the first wine in Hawai‘i and distilled brandy. He also made rum from sugarcane and brewed beer, all of which he sold at his boarding house-saloon near the waterfront.
Within a decade or so, Island residents were producing liquor on a commercial basis. “It was while Kamehameha was on Oʻahu that rum was first distilled in the Hawaiian group,” wrote Kamakau. “In 1809 rum was being distilled by the well-known foreigner, Oliver Holmes, at Kewalo.” Several small distilleries were in operation by the 1820s.
Although both Hawaiians and foreign residents had been drinking hard liquor – either bought from visiting ships or distilled locally – for many years, no mention of bars or saloons occurs in the historical record.
However, by November 1822, Honolulu had seventeen grog shops operated by foreigners. Drinking places were one of the earliest types of retail business started in the Islands. Later, more were established.
Whalers – primarily American vessels – began arriving in Hawai’i in the early-19th century; they were hunting whales primarily for the whale oil for heating, lamps and in industrial machinery; with these ships and sailors came more rum; it became one of the sought-after items the Hawaiians traded for with the Westerners.
“There is scarcely a community in the world able to prevent the pestiferous influence of grog-shops to keep the habitual customers from excess, riot, and rum.” (Hiram Bingham)
The missionaries weren’t the only ones concerned about the effects of liquor. “Some ship-owners are afraid to have their ships come often to this port
Capt. Joy and others have been ordered by their owners not to come into this harbor to recruit, lest their men should be tempted to leave their vessel, or otherwise be led astray and induced to make trouble in consequence of the facilities for getting drunk and bringing other evils upon themselves.”
Capt. Beechey, of the ‘Blossom’ (of the British Royal Navy,) said to Kalanimōku, “If you do not suppress the grog-shops, I will not bring my ship into your harbor, when I return.” To which Kalanimōku replied, “I wish to suppress them, but the British consul owns one of them.” (Bingham)
“For some years after the arrival of missionaries at the islands it was not uncommon in going to the enclosure of the king, or some other place of resort, to find after a previous night’s revelry, exhausted cases of ardent spirits standing exposed …”
“… and the emptied bottles strewn about in confusion amidst the disgusting bodies of men, women and children lying promiscuously in the deep sleep of drunkenness.” (Dibble)
But the missionaries apparently also shared in the libations. As late as 1827, the Honolulu contingent ran in effect a liquor store for its members.
From May 15, 1826 to May 2, 1827, Hiram Bingham bought on his personal account 7 ½ gal of wine, 6 ¾ gal, 1 pt and a bottle of rum, 4 gal of brandy, 1 doz bottles of porter and 4 bottles of port. (Mission Account Book, Greer)
While visiting Anthony Allen for dinner (a former slave who had a home at what is now Washington Intermediate School,) Hiram’s wife, Sybil, notes in her diary, “He set upon the table decanters and glasses with wine and brandy to refresh us”. They ended dinner “with wine and melons”.
The Binghams were not the only missionaries to imbibe. Elisha Loomis bought 8 gal, 1 pt of wine, 1 gal of rum, and 1 ½ gal of brandy. Abraham Blatchley bought 4 gal of brandy, 2 gal of rum, and 2 gal of gin. Joseph Goodrich bought 2 ½ gal of wine and 1 qt of rum.
Samuel Ruggles bought 1 ¼ gal of brandy and 2 ¼ gal of wine. Levi Chamberlain bought 3 qts of wine and 2 qts of brandy. The Medical Department drew 4 gal of rum. (Mission Account Book, Greer)
However, they shortly got on the bandwagon against liquor and encouraged King Kamehameha III and most of the chiefs to pledge themselves to total abstinence. And, in part, became zealous preachers of temperance; the king himself frequently addressing the people on the subject. (The King and others regularly fell off the wagon.)
In March 1838, the first liquor license law was enacted, which prohibited all selling of liquors without a license under a fine of fifty dollars for the first offense, to be increased by the addition of fifty dollars for every repetition of the offense. (The Friend, December 1887)
All houses for the sale of liquor were to be closed at ten o’clock at night, and from Saturday night until Monday morning. Drunkenness was prohibited in the licensed houses under a heavy fine to the drinker, and the loss of his license to the seller. (The Friend, December 1887)
In 1843, the seamen’s chaplain, Samuel C. Damon, started ‘The Temperance Advocate and Seamen’s Friend;’ he soon changed its name to simply “The Friend.”
Through it, he offered ‘Six Hints to seamen visiting Honolulu’ (the Friend, October 8, 1852,) his first ‘Hint,’ “Keep away from the grog shops.”
However, that was pretty wishful thinking, given the number and distribution of establishments in the early-years of the fledgling city and port on Honolulu.
The map illustrates this, noting various grog shops and other places where it was sold in Honolulu, from the turn of the century to the mid-1800s (Info here and map based on Greer and geo-referenced into Google Earth.)
Here’s a list of these establishments/proprietors:
1. Shipyard Hotel
2. Alex. Smith’s Private Grog-Shop
3. Oahu Hotel and South Seas Tap
4. William R. Warren’s Boarding House
5. Joseph Navarro’s Hotel
6. Blonde (Boki House)
7. Ship And Whale, Blonde
8. Indigenous Grog-Shop
9. Pearl River House
10. Sign of the Ann
11. Joel Deadman, Alex. Smith, James Vowles, Church, Charles Turner
12. Telegraph Tavern
13. Eagle Tavern, National House Hotel
14. Shipwright Arms
15. John Crowne
16. Telegraph
17. John Hobbs
18. Commercial Hotel
19. Samuel Thompson
20. Samuel Thompson
21. Francisco De Paula Marin’s Boarding House And Hotel
22. Adelphi
23. William E. Gill’s Hotel
24. Louis Gravier, Thomas Mossman
25. Dog And Bell, Rising Sun, White Swan
26. The Red Lion
27. Alex. Smith’s, Samuel Thompson’s Grog Shops
28. Warren Hotel, Canton Hotel
29. The Blonde
30. Jose Nadal’s Grog-Shop
31. Globe Hotel
32. Hill And Robinson Coffee House
33. Alex. Smith And John Munn
34. Paulet Arms
35. French Hotel
36. Capt. Nye’s Boarding House
37. George Chapman’s Consular Boarding House
38. Samuel Thompson
39. Samuel Thompson
40. French Hotel
41. Royal Hotel, Desprairie’s Victualing House
42. French Hotel, Mrs. Carter’s Boarding House
43. Mansion House Hotel
44. Mrs. Dominis’s Boarding House
45. Robert Boyd’s Grog-Shop And Hotel
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