The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1858-11-04

RDrSo ON rHE HIGHWAY or NATIosss-We onen,
in our intercourse with seamen. hear stor1es y
strange adventures and sshairbreadth 'scapes' m
the course OF their pursuit of the spouting monsters
Of the deep IT the icy North. Boats capsized sno tne
crew .spilled'' into the chilly water areacommon
occurrences, but the brave SLOWS donst mind II.
There was Q case however related to us - eeon1glng
in the Ochctsk this season, that seemed to nov uas
either the danger was very imminents or fnas me
boats crew we're rather scared. A bowhesd' a4er
being harpooned. s sounded, or vent down, sneln
q few minutes came up right alongside the boat, over
which his tail began to describe sundry and diverse
nourishes, the consequence of which was that tne
boats crew. with q single exception "a green mana
and no swimmer,) jumped overheard to escape 'ne
impending blow they expected. The whale however,
did not touch the boat. with his coach-whip flourish
ing, but getting over the first pain, started ON ON
tangent at twenty knots an hour, as q dog would
with a tin pan tied to his tail, while our g~reenhorn
sat amidships holding on to the thwarts. thinking,
perhaps, that he was the tail of the comet. Inc
swimmers were fortunately picked up by q boat near
at hand, but the whale carried the boat which was
fast with its single occupant some ten or twelve miles,
and then }. turned up" and died. When the boats
came up to him, the green-horn was still holding ON
with a firm grasp, and imagined himself going, al
though the whale had been dead half an hour. So
says our informant
THE FIRExEN VS.. THE TAX CoLLEcroR--At the
regular monthly meeting of Engine Co. Mechanic
No. 2, on last Tuesday evening, complaint was made
by several members that the Tax Collector had
exacted of them the horse and dog tax in addition
to that for the support of schools. The law states
that all active members of the Fire Department shall
be exempt from all personal taxes, excepting only the
school tax. The matter in dispute between the ire
men and the collector appears to be as to the meaning
of the words .s personal taxes" By the strict read
ing of the law, a horse or q dog is property, and as
such is liable to be taxed. which tax of course is q
property tax while a c~apitation tax, such as the
road or poll tax is a :" personal tax" There can,
however, be no question but that the intention of the
trainers of the law exempting fremen from personal
taxes, was to exempt them from all government
charges whatever. excepting that for the support Of
schools. The fremen ON Tuesday evening, were
unanimous in expressing their determination to dis
band, if government should insist on collecting the
taxes mentioned, and instructed their delegate to
request the Fire Department to communicate with the
authorities on the subject. Honolulu could ill-aford
to lose so efficient and praiseworthy an organization
as Mechanic No. 2" than which none has done
better service in saving property during the i've or
six years Of its existence. In the question at issue,
the hremen are, in principle, correct; but according
to the present laws, the tax collector has no authority
to release them from the payment of animal taxes.
COMBINATION OF SHIPwRIGHs-Las Monday, the
journeymen shipwrights to the number of twenty or
more, knocked off work in a body, and proceeding to
the open space near the Custom House, organized
themselves into a sort of joint stock association for
the purpose Of carrying ON ship work, Of which there
is a great deal to be done in the harbor just at this
time. One of the independents, . in answer to an
inquiry as to their objects and intentions, stated that
this movemen was not a strike, as they should charge
the same daily wages as before, but it was an organ
ization of the sold hands, who were neglected by
the master carpenters in the apportionment of work
They would guarantee he said, to repair ships cheaper
and better than could be done by the {" bosses" The
ship chambers we learn, have set their faces against
the movement, considering it an irresponsible organ
ization, and the shipmasters view it with disfavor.
Such irregularities in any branch Of business are al
ways to be regretted, and in the business referred to
cannot but result in protracting the repairs on ships,
thus proving a matter of vexation and annoyance to
shipmasters and agents; and it is questionable whether
it will remedy the evil, which is sought to be corrected.
The CALIFORNIA MrNsrRELs.-Since their first APP
pearance on the 18th ult., these mirth- provokers have
continued to draw full and highly respectable audi
ences. Lew Rattler's 6 My love is a saileur,' and
his inimitable personation Of the ancient plantation
darkey, is replete with broad humor, and evinces q
perception of the ludicrous and o thor
ough acquaintance with the original southern type.
His burlesques of some of the popular tragedies, &C.,
indicate no mean talent as an actor g on any stage"
9" Chinese washerwoman" was a striking
and ~laughable imitation of that class of celestials
which abounds in San Francisco and Honolulu, and
was well worth the price of n ticket. Master Ster-
ling's dancing is really graceful and fairy-like, and
proves his sometime connection with a corps de bal
let, while Darling beats all that Honolulu has ever
seen for " heelology.' The burlesque circus, by the
whole company, is a ludcrous imitation by a lot of
darkies, out on a holiday, Of what they
have seen in a travelling circus, including the f" won-
derful la perche and cannon ball act" All who de-
an hours amusement and a hearty laugh, which,
to time-honored authority, '' helpeth di-
and serves to shake the cobwebs out of a
mans brain,' - should pay the Minstrels o visit.
~ A very pleasant reunionatook place on Friday
evening last on the occasion of the introduction of the
Rev. L. Corwin to the church and congregation over
he has been installed. Several addresses were
made, after which the company retired to the base
ment where a liberal repast had been spread, includ-
ing a bountiful supply of ice cream, which to many
was doubtless a novelty. The evening was passed
pleasantly to all present. 1t has been suggested
were similar reunions occasionally held they
would have a tendency to infuse a spirit of harmony
and cordiality into the'society. Indeed we may say
some truth. that one reason why there is so
much want of Christian union and cordiality in our
religious societies is the want of more frequent social
intercourse among their members.
HORSES AND PICKET FEScEs.-A few days ago,
Mr.. Frank Spencer's carriage horse in leaping q
ence, ran q portion of the picket, ten inches in length