Princess And
p. 33 · Read in the full issue
King
A Forgotten Incident of Polynesia in the Nineties
A QUAINT and forgotten incident of Hawaiian-Tongan history is re-told in this little article by Mr. F. T. Goe dicke, an old resident of Haapai, Tonga.
This was the occasion when Princess Kaliolani, heir apparent to the throne of Hawaii (before Hawaii became an American Territory) was reported to have proposed marriage to King George Tubou II of Tonga.
WHEN I left Honolulu in 1893, on my second trip to Tonga. I said good bye to ex-Queen Liliokolani. She presented me with a gold scarf-pin and a beautiful engraved kola-nut, gold-
mounted, with the word “Aloha” em bossed. She also gave me three parcels of autographed photographs of the late King Kalakaua; ex-Queen Liliokolani; Princess Kaliolani, one-time heir appar ent; Washington Place, the private resi dence of the Queen.
The Queen requested me to hand one parcel to King Malietoa of Samoa, and one to King George Tubou I of Tonga, with her love and good wishes. The other parcel I was to keep as a memento of happy days spent at Honolulu.
When I arrived at Haapai, George
Tubou I had died and Prince Taaufaa hau had succeeded him as George Tubou 11. He was at that time 19 years of age. King George was on a visit to Haapai, so I called on him and delivered to him the parcel of photos, and gave him particulars, at the same time, of King Kalakaua, Queen Liliokolani, Prin cess Kaliolani and Washington Place. I also mentioned that the Queen was a well-educated lady and that the Princess had received her education in England.
King George Tubou II was delighted to receive the pictures, and love and good wishes from a Queen of the same race as his own, and he forthwith sent a mes senger to the “German firm” for a bottle of champagne. When the champagne arrived, the King, Governor Matsalona and I drank to the health of Queen Liliokalani and Princess Kaliolani.
The following day the news had spread over all Lifuka (Haapai) that Mr. Goe dicke had arrived from Honolulu with a marriage proposal from a Princess of Hawaii, for King George Tubou II !
Mr. F. T. Goedicke.