The Portland Gazette

A blacksmith's wife became a Queen.—It is a curious circumstance that the present Queen of Sandwich Islands formerly, or rather is at this time, the wife of a Russian blacksmith. A English vessel lying off, what we usually call Fox Island, several years ago, one of the officers became enamoured of the fair spouse of a son of Vulcan there; and, his passion being returned, contrived to smuggle her on board the vessel, and keep her concealed without the knowledge of his captain, till they cleared port. In the course of the voyage however, the circumstance became known to the captain, who being highly enraged at such a breach of faith and discipline, kept her confined till they arrived at the Sandwich Islands, where she was put on shore. The forlorn Ariadne, however, found a Bacchus for her Theseus, a royal lover in the place of her lost Lieutenant The King of the Island became enamoured of the fair Russian, made her his wife and raised her to his throne. He was no every-day king. He was a statesman and a hero, though we should call him a savage. He progressively created a respectable navy of several well-built frigates, taught his subjects to be excellent sailors, raised armies, subdued the surrounding islands, and at the close of a prosperous reign, left his possessions and his sovereignty to his queen, who now reigns as his successor. She is well obeyed by her subjects; possesses great wealth in flocks, herds and rice grounds and sends frequent presents to her former deserted husband, who still continues to hammer horses' shoes in a Russian colony, while his faithless, but it seems, not quite ungrateful spouse, stretches her sceptre over several prosperous isles.