1865: The Fourth in North Kohala (Big Island, Hawaii)

The Fourth in North Kohala

Source: Pacific Commercial Advertiser. Honolulu: July 15, 1865

KOHALA PLANTATION, July 5, 1865

MR. EDITOR: -As it may be of interest for your valuable paper, I send you the following description of how we kept the Fourth in North Kohala:

Preparations being made for the celebration of the Eighty-ninth Anniversary of America’s Independence in a manner becoming the number of United States citizens here, the dangling form of an effigy of that arch-traitor, Jeff Davis, was discovered at dawn, and the rising sun was welcomed by a salute of thirteen guns and the hoisting of a beautiful American flag-the first that this district has seen- made by the patriotic ladies of the place, to whom Kohala owes much for the first Fourth of July celebration.

The natives employed on the place were granted a holiday, and, after completing the decorations of a lanai, which was built for the expected feast, donned their best apparel- many of them having a tasty uniform-and engaged in sports or watched the arrival of their many visitors. Jeff, as he hung from his gibbet, was a source of curiosity to them till four o’clock, when, after being used to good purpose as a target for rifle-shooting, he was taken down for a while and carried around by the natives, first in hand, then on a pole, and finally on horseback, to the great amusement of all.

At two o’clock the luau of the day was announced as ready, to which the foreigners of the Plantation and invited guests sat down, numbering about thirty-five, and of natives over five hundred, after which the national Hawaiian propensity for horse-riding was carried out.

At sunset there was another salute given, and at half-past seven commenced the display of fireworks, which lasted an hour, consisting of rockets, wheels, mines, Union candles, and Bengolas, with the usual deafening amount of crackers. During the exhibition, Jeff met with the fate he deserved, by being set on fire. As he dropped into the flames beneath him, cheer on cheer was given that was echoed back by the hills. Thus passed as grand a celebration of the Fourth as ever was held on the Islands, outside of the metropolis; and, during the whole, the best feeling pervaded, and the day closed without an accident to mar its pleasures.

T.G.T.