Ka Hoku o Hawaii, Volume XXXVI, Number 1, 30 ʻApelila 1941 — OLD LAHAINA PRISON and ANCIENT LAHAINA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]
OLD LAHAINA PRISON and ANCIENT LAHAINA
By INEZ ASHDOWN
According to information gleaiied fr<uu the Bishojj Museuni records and tlie Archives by Mr. E. H. Kryan Jr., curator at the Museuni, the old Lahainn Prison was built in 1851 and conijpleted. inj
April 1852. This was during the reign of Kamehameha iri, wlio ruied uutil 185i For "loeal color" at that titae I have talbed with old Ha\vuiians who are from TO to 89 years of.age, and have also si>eiit many hōurs ai tlie Wniluku !ihrary reading ohl voJumes supiilied me hy Mrs. Juliette navls, Lihrarian. The really past of Hawaii, 500 A.D. up to tlie time of Captaln discovery in 1778, is wrapped in' myths and it is difficult to separa te theui from facts. J Accordlng to Foniander the first • settlers of these islands had eome : from the lands bordering the Per- 1 sian Oulf, and had hrought with : them tlie old Jewish religion and ' custorns.
Pauo, grent kahuna from Tahiti, ma.v, aecnrding to some lii?toriiin!?, have been a Ilonian Cathoiic priest. Suffiee it ti> stiy that the "pngau religlon" of the aucient Ttawaiians was founded on a helief ln a Trlulty, Kano. Ku ntul Lono, anil au evll god or Liu ifer, Kaneloa. To tbese and to lesser gods the people offered prayers, offerings and, were tbo situation $erious enough, human sacrifices. The story of tlie Flood differs from the Christian Bible on!y hecause the mountain was Mauna Kea, the Ark \vas a eanoe, and the man's naiue was not Noah. The Hawaiians had images, and "hoiy water" (elean sea water) to drlve away evit splrlts, even as the ( Catholic cliureh has staiuejs and holy ** water today. The ancients prac\lsed circuniclsion, and had many tabus about food, etc.
A3so, while it was a grand llfe for the Alil, it was not too pleasanf for the makaainana or ooiumoii peo-1 ple. Botli tlie Alli (chiefs) and the| kahuna (priests) often niade lSfe! a hardship for the commoneis when they ileinamled of them lahor, foods, tapn. or human saorlflocs. But, for the wiost part it \vas a very happ t v aud free pxistance and there is no record of pests or dlseases unlil after the arrival of Ihe "forelgners. ,> Fnr Insftanee, the flrst iuos(iultoes vere introduoed to Lahaina ftvm the shlp Wellington from San Was, | Mexlco, in 182C. Lei>rosy f | hrought among the nrst e<>oHes in-| troduced fr<.W Oliina in IS$5, and| mfiriy dfseases oanie from the vlsit-f lngr crews of varlous Tvhalers and| other ships. ! Some early hames of ohiefs lvave to ns. hut he<-ause 1t wns he who made Lahaina his capitol we shall lvgin with Kameha* meha L known as the Oeat, as the Xapoleon of tli« PaoiAe, and as one of Nature's nohlenien. J Kamehameha I was hom Ia rfember 1756 and iweanie a vallants
and courageous Chlef, and flnal!y conq.uered and brougbt under hls rule all the Islat)ds gf HawqU. During his time he c&lled often at Lahalna 'in hls fleet of pēleleu canoes and wpuld often stop for a year or longer in hls grass Palaee (whioh atood on that area now os- - by Kamehameha 111 school) surrounded by the grass houses of his ohiefs and friends. Interesting events of his reign were the discovery of the Islandfi by Captain Jaaies Cook in January 1778, and his second vislt in Novpjnher of that year and his death lon February 14, 1779. i The sailing of Chief Kaina to Ohina with Captaiu Meares in September 1787 und tlie reception of this Chief by the King on hls return in I>ecetnber 1788. The Massacre of natives at Olowalu by Captain Xletcalf of the Eleanor in February 175K), and the
cnpture of his slilp, Falr Amerlcan, l>y Chlef Kawe«>laHioku of Olowalu in Mar<>h 1790, tn retaliafion. The invuslon of Maul anrt thē grait battle of Jvepanl*a! Jn lao Vnl!ey, July IT9O und the Great Emption of Kllauea Jn November of that year. At the tlme of the cai>ture of thē Fair Araerlcan two of her erew, John Toung and Isaac I)aTls, were si>ared by Kamehameha, and these heeanie his advisors and friends and helped to plap hls hattlēs anfl to use the ship's guns atod musket-
rj- in those battles. | On Mareh 5, 1792, the arrivat oCi
Capti\in Vancouver, and lits second 'vlsit in Febrūary 1793 when he brouglit the first oattle «s ft*glft to |liis frien<l, the Klng. j Yttucouver liad a inAuenw iupun tbe native ruler nnel H was he who gave to Kamehameha an English flag wlileh was used as a pari of tlie Sandwlch flag, or, now, the līawaiian flag, (The name San<3wich Islands was g!ven to thls couutry by Captaln Cook ln honor of lxls patron, Lord Siaridwlch). Vaucouver maele a thljs trlp to ilawaii ou Jauuary 9, 1704, and the
Cession of Hawall to CSreat Brl-| tain occurred in February of that: year. . ... J Saudwich ftag was §rst flown, 1ā f«Jreigu waters aboard tfee Iting*i brig, Kaahumanu, when Captuln Alexander Adams was sent wlth her to trade in The Captain's
Jexcuse for tlie loss of money oii ] this trade venture was that the 'flag was not recognlzed ln Chlua. 1 The flrst horses were lauded at ! Kawaihae as a gift to THs Majesty by Captain Cleveland, on May 24, 1803. Isaac Davts dled In May ISIO. The Ktug retunied to Hswall In ISII, and. after a long and sproSperous reign, dled iu Kona on Maj' S, ISIO, and "great was the grief aud mourning of his people.** His soo, lrihollho t Kam«hameha j 11, followed a;> ru!er, wlth the faviorite nueen, Kaahumanu, as advlsor. ! Kauhumanu and the queen-moth-;er, Keopuolanl, were the Srst to !break the tabug wheu Oie youug ikiug was ordered to eat wUh them, | Wheu nothing hajppeoed, llke an |earth<iuake or eruptlou to show the |gods* dlsfavor, the eo.miuon people |ralsed a shout of joy. **The tahus jare at an end the gods are a Ue~ n » Hawali was a land without a reJligion then, except for a few who j worshipped lu eecret, au3 the ru lers were most sluvere lu tlielr desire fo.r CUrlstUiuUy wheu the
stonaries arrlved. Many Hawaiian youths had gone to America as seameh and some as students at New Isn|gland aehoola. dke ot these7 &tm&uwe, son ot Kaumualli who was of Kauai, Jofnfefl* tTie took part"Vn ilie War of j ' " 'Hie youtf»s requested that tfie •*word*"of Cbr{sttanity l>e taken to tlieir homelanō and the /first eoiupany of Missionaries aud sotue of these Hawaiians salled in the brig, Thaddeus, and arrived off Honolutu on Marcli 31, 1830. As ali royal persons Hved at Lahaina at that time the newcomers had to eome here to ask permission t« teach. Kaaliumanu and otl?er Alii beeame slnee?e Keopuolani was the 'fi'rs.t to be liap!lt>ed' and to recei\e "burlal.
"Slany of these" ffrst oatTve Clirīstlans are buried ln tfiē Vifātnee church cemetery. ' fouml tlial La-1 hufim misht mean mer<ires«; Run, or I day of cruelty, or tliat tlie nainel mlght have at flrst, he-1 cause of the Rylng Tlslts to the] plaee by anā clilefe. " ( 1 The newcomērs 3eicrl!>£ lahalna 1 ns **like a the dreafl-j ness of Honoilulu", anei were enKiJ>-1 t'ured by the" beautifM heaeh anā' ealm wafer, the vlHage of grass j liouses and thē neat'taro patcbes* and gardens all about. j How the wlde road ran along ttie J beach, fapped on the !ower slde %j the waves, and how al! tl\e valiej*; was shaded by beautlful trees, sucb'| us riu, shading the clear runnln§ rtver and all tbe bouses and gftr* dens. ' The royal resldence (on the slte wliere Kanie"hameha TtT school now stands) was, sbaded by trees" āriaftanked by royal flsh ponds. A Fort stood along tbe beacli !n front of the king*s palaee and extended as fur as tlie wharf .makkl *of what ls now tlie Fost OlHee.'
There w«s m "aiWnAanee of j | fre«ih w«ter froui Vaga6ta!n | streum \vlndlpg !(,* to trTe sea, l and every klnd of ajndj melons and frulte !ncludlng firiēj grapes«. hut not many hogs, due toj the ravages of reeeiit w&rs.'* 1 I Ā» aaanj as one and other shlps would he anchored ( !off shore at onē t!me, anā the crews Fwould spetid hours ashore walkīug 1 l about or rldl|ig. fy&rsetiack or (Mn'k- 1 [ lng and eattng lu the pog shops or' ;with,th<; nfttj^es. 1 At sundown a went to the top of the Fort and|heat upon a drutu as for tTif crews to r»> turo to sUIp6, apd "aiore often than not U was « ludrleous slght to see the me» l>elng oarrte<f to thelr row boats. H The Fort waa demollshed hy governuient order !n three years j ftfter thls was huttt The >Its«lonHrles līved tu gra&B untll a coral ! stone house ,was buUt for the,m and that house |is now our ]Üb|-prj «nd Ttnown |as the BaTdwlu | It waa flred upSin(>j" angry sall'ors, and was guarde<t and j>totectl ed hy after the Mts£lon was |started in 1522 and ICaahunvanu had ■ foltoweil the advlse thfc teaehers atid had iuade laws agaīnst varl,ous practtces. ■_ The flrst of the "Lahaina Outrsi ges" was commltted ]by a Puekle aud hi« crev Rne\l ujtvn t U*fi h<juw aud (fcr«tteu*s es of Bevvrend >tr Ukpams I*ls j faunlj the laws were revoV
; e a.,cS)., iioapiU, _Uh: gpvern<)r, put a £UT99£ #uarij there aotl drove La JL&JS the rnaws of ££vefai jbips JS|Kted and tbreutened to wa*<Bttcre f W. RichftrdE bjb<l all Wh peop]e §nd were drivea off afsfr and terror. JJāJISg? arrived*nd t4«viteQAPt P?rclvat called upon aqd depanded tliat the "otmoxlous }j»ws"be t repealed," aud j when she refused crew attad£ed Jthe home of Kalanlmoku. who was UI, and thls Blngha» was | reBcueā from the the men who and orhehlnō «her ,jpundtag C«ype y Tlie t*nltedGovermuent, 6nSswerlng an from the ruler« and f thf īps|paries, a Bent g Blōfep oī wa> lo qu<E>h the rlqt& o( fhe vl?ltlng »eamen and was the end of tW troubles. The laws ngra!nst dr!nlclng, murder, figjitip £ _ hox!ng f etc., were lept and were obeyed. (Boxtng tjiose daj s was calied fhe wKleh wa* a skillful uian!W* df hreatlng bones and uecks, fmflfitt> loser was u«uaili- kllled aaU
We read, "What a galaxy of chlefe was then llvīng at Lahalna! Schools were established at the homes,of many of these Alii and all pupits were adults. v The number of inhabitants was about 2500, amj they vislted together and pl ayēd ga.mes under the trees, or enjoyea the sport of eurf rlding In the beautifui aea off Lahaina." Aecording to Mrs. WilUam Kaai whom I talked wlth, up to the time of Kamehameha V the rlver stiQ seaward through :the taro patches and the garden irrigatloQ dittfhēs. Where Malu Lelē park is *now was onee the little Island of. Mokuula, a plaee tabu for the prlvate home of the kīngs, as a' plaee for the burial of the bones of Aiii, and also as a plaee sacred toi the Moo. (Moo were lialf gods, I half men, who could take any fornl ] they chose but usually took thel form of Uzards. ' I The river sipread out past where tbe Wainee chprch is, surrounded Mokuula, through the fish ponds of the king, and also into a eanal to the «ea. Wainee was hurned in 1893 and rebuilt, Luaehu schoot| was the beginning of Kamehameha 111 «ehool, $n$ Halealolm (the little corai stone church iu the rear of the Japanefee theatre) was also a school and ,meeting plaee. Mr. Dickenson who was deacon of Wainee and alsp princlpal of the schoois>, is buried in the cemetery mauka of Halealoha. , Lahainaluna was started in 19St and was attended by adults and children of Hawaii hei"ahd also b>* children from the Malniand, and partjc«larly from California durSna the "Gold Rush Days." Liholiho, Kamehameha 11, "pullēd" the flrst sheet of*printing at the Mission m January 7, 1822,ani1 the flrst newspaper was £übflshe\l at Lahainaluna. Feb. 14, 1534.) The Brlttsh Fr}gate, Blo«he, eoui'manded by. Loid Byron, cousin to the famous poet, arrived at Lahaina enroute to Honolulu, carrying the bodies of Kamehameha II and his queea aad others of the Royal party who had died on their trip to Bngiand, May 4, 1524.
Prlncess Nahienaena quieted thp outcrles aud grief of {he people with an order to l>e quiet and pray their prßyers to C!irist . , The Catholic &lfesion was e?tabilshed in Hawaii in 1831 §ati the Oentenpial of their First slasts was cetebrated "reeently anā a bronze plaque was placed by t!iē garden of ,Mr. and Mrs. Harry Taylor where lt can t>e reacL ,■ lB2o'Bonolulu* ! besame an important trading port and ofTloial busines& of the; aionarclij while the Amertean Consnl Jones. and the BHtish Consu! Richard Charleton live4 there. Lahalna tvtiialued tlvo r«vocHt' plaee of the klngs and tlioīr people, however. from kamehaiueha I to V, and Honolylu >vas sinip'> the biK<lftess capitol.
The CouYthouse was built iu there was alreadv niaui corai houses and sotne of luruber, The Angliean Sisters school was $Huuted where the J&4>&uese Methodist ehureh is uow. The sugar i\lantatlon of Messen? Catupbell and Turton, the model one of Hawaii \vith an annuai outpat of ISOO tons, i? uow the Pioueer MIU eouipany. One travelled on foot or liorseMiek then. butj J|*o«tly took the SĪ l Kilauea or banoes to Maalea Btvj isd caught the "Express" for Waii pku. | Maria Lanakiia church was at first a coral stoue buUding iu iss2» «s was the prie&t',s cottivge. From $here Ūw wen( for(h (o I"each aniJ to bai>tise, ami it look Biett» sotne tlm<? to teach ihe peopTe th*t their statues were uot £ods, hut merely obJects to remiud oue of God, Uke a pieture of one's father. i
Thetv was a tiui« wheu the Ca«i»oUcs weiv i>ett*eeute\3, I>ut ihe Klag could ?ee uo good reasou wlij " ther« slk>uUl not be frwotloui of re Ugiou in H»waij and the , tlon catue to an oud. The chtefs who niot hi l.«hauia fw» IS3O to "4 dio<l nipUlh'. Kh ' nSrt»anw»h« TT aiul hls (iuihui Ktuue httn»!u. S"eopuolfml atul aueon mo ! 'hw, Kinp KauinuaUl, hihl mauv! j ir«tt«h*meha trt >\&8 at fir<t a l Hr«ry Wi!d tello\r " but settled| to heeouie ono of the hest re ] oi«nl>pred k!u£3« of Ha\rsii. The dfesth of Kaahtmi«nu ; Tuu<p 5. lßli*k#a sr, ersi 1n the histor,\ of th> B»tSon Tho jN|»rB h»<! l>eeti Quiet hut tho,\ wexe J*iW! ftf un«tn&li.t,v hik! IMKuhhni ii\fer»«il aff&lrsi her <V«th «rb«ii K.Muoha IwM» H1 oauie to th*? Uir\me he hsd »<» q\UMnv to |juiilo hi;n aiul the wMug iwpople, Throu*h tt»Mr tttft»opo<> he &VrosaU\l m»ti,\ of ui»a??HiV hiM-p A ;i
ies were set up and grog-shops mtlltiplted, A Kinaii, his alster, finally told hlin (1833) "We cannot war wlth the word of God between us" and there 'was almost a civil war because she and her people stood for a Christian llfe and government and the" king and hīs adherentY would atiow so on. ' There folīowed a year of disordcs when schoolsT were deserted aneī 1 congregations thlnned, and in 193$ governor Hoapill and his ch!ofs- - to Honolulu'and i3eslrf>yefl afl the distii!eries. The King 'finally got rld of the evil influences, ina<Je good laws jn& &uilt up'a gōvemnMif! He founded tW 3£ameha,mehā schools. 40d in 1830" the first constftr.tion was dr"awn up at Laliaina. Tlie Dēclaratiōfi of Hlghts was signed by the king and promu!gated on June 7, 1839, and Is known as the Magna-Charta of Hawaii. On. December 19, 1842 the Hawaiian government was recogn!zed by the īinited States as independnent, and that "no powēr ought to fake possesslon of the Sandwich Tsj lands."' ' The life of the land had reslored7"aud the nalionai motto, "Ua mau ke eu o ka atna i ka ppno" was adoptg t <īT, «The ltfe of |he laiifl is ,perp,etua<ed l>y righteousness. M The dlscovery of gold iti"California in 1846 fountl a new era*Jn Ila waii, for it opened a new niarket for the productions of the Tslands. The Constitution was estremely Überal, and together with the klng"s gift to the people of lands in fee siruple, forms the glory of the relgn ( of Kameiiamelia m.~ Steajn navigation started in an4 in 1853-4 there ,was agitatiorj in fa.vor of,. to the Unij ted States. The ,Missionaries werē generaily opposed to this idea, bej }igvjug its..effects-would he dlsmsj trous to the natives, but the kinj tired of denuinds made upoi him by foreign powers and lookes upon it a r s a r ££ugje from tmpend lng s <ittuge'rs. He died December 15, 1554, an(| liis adopted Lilioli 1 >o, heca«e Kamehameha iy, . _ ; He married Emma tlooke, «ran<Jdaughter of .lohn Young, tUete: 4nonarchs founded Queens and di<J niauy thingiS for tlieīr peopīe t Kawehanieha IV died 30, 1868 and elder becanis„ kiug under the title of Kamehauae-, V. His reiga was bitter i l>arty eontests J and he promulgatesj
j& new cōns'tUution iu 1564. j In April 1565, Dr. Iliilebraßd was,| t<> eUiua, lodia- i jsUUes t« uiafee arrang&menfs ~Tor j jthe importation of lal>opejs. , % } j j The Jil»t wlj4ler, Bdlina, haii )cv>me to tl>e Isian*ls to I<ahain& in |ISIB, ttu<l otleti tlteiv \ver« as ui«iij' 400 o£ tUese >?{».. jLtrau&l-, jiy. lu 1871 the whaiiug fleet jlo»t i» uu ioe rtoo in tli<? Arctic sjea'j j*oii i]iis=<BB(Wter was the ent3 "M', i whaiiug ou « bLg sc«ie. 1 I Tiie kin£ fUe<l l)ec«iub«£.U, IST2j j nfter n relgn of uiue ye«rs aud this! j\vas the last of the Kaiueliauielia | jiiue oi kiiig& | | rriuce Luūaiiio wus eiected a«j jkin« iu 1873 and died Janvu\rj IS, ■ |1574 | j David Kalakaua took the oath ofj • office ou Feb. 13, 1574 and later vij Sitcd i,u \VAshiuswu p.e. Tlie] iTreaty of Kociprooity was ratified ( iia Juue 1675, aud is tlie aiost iin-. jPOrtrtnt date iu Hawauau . !sln<v IS4JS. It brovtght au era of| prosperlty and made| for the" future_ j Kamehameha Ilī had beeu fore-| jed to sgsrcd mueh of his lime wlUi. i£overiuoeut busiuess īn Honolulu' <aud Lahaina» whiie stili the favorj ite was no{ £nn\i»£ so fastl the Oahu to\vu. A fiue p&laoe. jha<_heeu built iu Houolulu the; j'j;niss' palaee M of the fir.st klu£s. \vas goue fronx Lahalua. J Kalakaua died Jauuar.y 20, lS9l! in the Palaoe hoiel In San Francis-1
00, aud Ws bo*3j bcvu£lit aboaru Uie "CUarlesto*," Ills sls ter, Uie ivas iiroclaiiue<i Quetni uudor tlie tU!e of Llliuokula ui, aiul, IMiuwaa Kaiulaai l>oJ*te\J . ? .*' fAliueXa!anl Ukwi to rfeli La Halua on aikl usu&lU staj. c<l :>t (bo S*hhhi lunno as guost, ' Seou£, Mi-s. A, K. fboth dead liovi } ati<i Mxs. WiuUui Kaal att<3 wer« LacLics ia WaitUv& 10 the iiv lhose , Hawaii w&s &mioxed to ihi? Tul< tvd Staio iu 1806 a»d th&t wa.s tUe on.l of Koyaltj. P«':ir'. Hsr'oor $urusl iu i>X)O but īu*ad> still tho Ih-1 ?or Kuviw n i'.;aov at O, Lah.«;i;a i* *n ordiuarj low ti sods,v. but Vilih (lio Bvsj Sv\Hit> t4kitxg over this otd PHaoo iwjmil.v wtlt uke (iuu' to vifi{ U aiKl Lvk b&ck ovei' iho £V:-\ whioh \»#ts ou v x s Latts,iuaV. K thc Lions club doos e«l&l>lish & iiuan £BUH'Uiw Li tt>e rrt*tfi tLai; wi'ii iv\> lv! iUīWHU? ttv« 4?*st 4
Fcft 4>coiUti lako luiH 1 tv) Uie] >ariv>u* UUloriti& of U«.»&U bul l] ītaje trW t» Qi« uupon l iui t'āot> iii oue oi4 «o thAt! Aud vlsito» %Ui liuio u> naa«i hric/tj, \baiin,gi oM I«4MIuMUk, oX ,Umu 4loriou«! tuue u( Cluefs au4 ] reriMH« Hoooiuiu ,m&s bee»uis! Uie v'*i>itol of th« &uuLe o( Uiv(Ui Mi<i tW *, iiMli Uo\n<;vci, Uitt il&Wii.Li*4il &a* \u;; aot «#4 vf? 4o uo beu«r UtfLU to Uv«,,*&i ia«ii Aiul «* m «2*4 tU«I tivc liiwAuanj vhicfs bt>C(U3a<; C&ri»u*#te WV. »Ud v\ bo *orkfel fot tiic ūi U*««Ui w;tU A iu U^e. |