University of Virginia Library

THE KING

Captain Fitch said, "There's the King! that's him in the buggy! I know him far as I can see him."

I had never seen a king in my life, and I naturally took out my notebook and put him down: "Tall, slender, dark; full-bearded; green frock coat, with lapels and collar bordered with gold band an inch wide; plug hat—broad gold band around it; royal costume looks too much like a livery; this man isn't as fleshy as I thought he was."

I had just got these notes entered when Captain Fitch discovered that he had got hold of the wrong King—or, rather, that he had got hold of the King's driver or a carriage—driver of one of the nobility. The King was not present at all. It was a great disappointment to me. I heard afterward that the comfortable, easy-going King Kamehameha (pronounced Ka-may-ah-may-ah) V had been seen sitting on a barrel on the wharf, the day before, fishing; but there was no consolation in that; that did not restore to me my lost King.