The politics of the Hawaiian Kingdom are not very exciting.  In those fortunate Isles the Legislature troubles itself chiefly about the horse and dog tax.  The late king, who was of an irascible temper, did not always treat his faithful Commons with conspicuous civility.  He sometimes told them that they had talked long enough and had better adjourn; and they usually took his advice.  The present king, who belonged to “his majesty’s opposition” during the late reign, has yet to develop his qualities as a ruler.  He has shown sound judgment in the nomination of his cabinet; and he is believed to have the welfare of the people at heart.  He is unmarried; but is not likely to marry; and he will probably nominate a successor from one of the chief or ruling families still remaining.  The list from which he can choose is not very long; and it is most probable, as this is written, that he will nominate to succeed him Mrs. Bernice Pauahi Bishop, wife of the present Minister of Foreign Affairs.  Mrs. Bishop is a lady of education and culture, of fine presence, every way fit to rule over her people; and her selection would be satisfactory to the foreign residents as well as to the best of the Hawaiian people.

[Illustration:  HAWAIIAN STYLE OF DRESS.]

CHAPTER VII.

THE LEPER ASYLUM ON MOLOKAI.

So much has been said and written of late about the disease called leprosy and its ravages in the Sandwich Islands that I had the curiosity to visit the asylum for lepers at Molokai, where now very nearly all the people suffering from this disease have been collected, under a law which directs this seclusion.

The steamer Kilauea left Honolulu one evening at half-past five o’clock, and dropped several of us about two o’clock at night into a whale-boat near a point on the lee side of Molokai.  Here we were landed, and presently mounted horses and rode seven or eight miles to the house of a German, Mr. Meyer, who is the superintendent of the leper settlement, and also, I believe, of a cattle farm which belongs to the heirs of the late king.

Mr. Meyer has lived on Molokai since 1853.  He is married to a Hawaiian, and has a large family of sons and daughters who have been carefully and excellently brought up, I was told.  Mrs. Meyer, who presided at breakfast, is one of those tall and grandly proportioned women whom you meet among the native population not infrequently, who enable you to realize how it was that in the old times the women exercised great influence in Hawaiian politics.  She seemed born to command, and yet her benevolent countenance and friendly smile of welcome showed that she would probably rule gently.

From Mr. Meyer’s we rode some miles again, until at last we dismounted at the top or edge of the great precipice, at the foot of which, two thousand feet below, lies the plain of Kalawao, occupied by the lepers.  At the top we four dismounted, for the trail to the bottom, though not generally worse than the trail into the Yosemite Valley, has some places which would be difficult and, perhaps, dangerous for horses.