The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1859-06-16

KoxA, HAWAII, June II. 1872

KoxA. HAwAu, June III, 1851
n, EnYroR Haskell and Alexander
arrived on the 7th, and with their company start IN
. aav or two for the scene Of the late eruption. Last
.o.o,,ts from the mountsin represent the craters rs
very ouiet. though there is still an underground
eow wh;cb here and there shows itself about half way
Down sbe maintain. Now is the best time to procure
handsome snecimens of the lava, and Prof. Alexan-
der has come prepared to pack them in cotton. After
returning from the flow, the party intend making
trip to Mauna L.oa, and perhaps Will WISH the ou
monster crater of Kilauea, which, hear, has recently
shown signs of new life. I doubt not an entertain
ing account will reach you of the expedition.
A number of the residents here have for several
years past made a practice of eating their Fourth OF
July dinner on top of Mount Hualalai; this year,
with more exalted ideas, they intend to scale Mauna
Kea and toast liberty on the highest point IN the
Pacific Ocean. Should the weather be propitious,
they will get n birds eye view of the whole group. 1
doubt if they will require " iced drinks at an eleva-
ton of over 1900 feet; but should they feel like
being cooled off, there will be plenty Of snow-banks
at hand.
The insect blight, having apparently done its worst
on coffee, has ceased to spread in that direction, but
quite extensively attacks the kukuI and breadfrult
trees. Many of the former are entirely stripped of
leaves ana the SmalleT 1mDS All ueau. Onc pcOuh"A-
ity about the blight is worth mentioning. About
Kaawaloa and Kealakekua, inland, the attack is in
variably noticed to commence on the south side of the
tree. Mauna Loa lies in that direction, and from
thence the cold land breeze comes down night and
morning. but whether there is any connection be-
tween that fact and the blight, 1 cannot say.
Large quantities of tobacco are being raised this
year by the natives. All along the coast extensive
patches are seen, of fine large leaved plants, growing
most luxuriantly, where it would seem impossible to
scrape up a spoonful of soil among the lava fragments.
This proves the extreme richness of decomposed lava.
In south Kona, l have seen huge ohia trees growing
strong and green where there was positively no soil,
the roots cinging to the clinkers and p~ahoehoe for
support and nourishment. In fact, the ohia seems
to prefer such situations, for all along this coast
wherever there is a large bed of clinkers there the
ohia will be found growing. Somewhat so with the
orange too. The thriftiest trees and quickest growth
are found on the f,cis, as they are called,-heaps of
stones gathered from the taro patches and thrown on
one side.
Operations were commenced this week on the new
foreign church at Kainaliu in this district, sufficient
funds having been raised here, with some assistance
from the benevolent of Honolulu, to complete the
building. It is to be a neat frame edi6ce 80 by 40,
and will be erected on a piece of ground adjoining
the farm of I. II. Paris, ESQ.,, who donated the lot for
that purpose. 1t is intended to combine the purposes
of a school house as well as a church, and the foreign
residents. of whom there is a goodly number in the
district, are in hopes to obtain a suitable teacher for
their children. Could a good boarding school be
started here, it would undoubtedly be an object for
many parents in the other districts, and even on
other islands, to send their children to this salubri-
Gus spot. Nothing like a taste of country life now
and then for young as well as old folks.
Yours, &C., HUALALAI.