The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-09-05
Commercial Advertiser.
Rural Sketches

Of The 1jawaiian ,9slands.

RIDE THROUGH rELE's DONIINIoNS
The country lynn, between Ke;tIakeakui Ba,
and kur, IS probably the most barren and unin
VIting portion 0l tine island Of Hawaii Frequen
volcanic crurtiJus from NauHI LOd have sen
streams Of Lava down it, sides, leaving uttei
devastation behind over this rocky waste
attempts hagt. been uld. to construct q horse
road. which ~ places j. perhaps better thar
road at ALL bat nowhere tiTDu, ,ShDUt IT, lengtl
j. il what IL ought - bs, what il might J'
made with proper skill.
IL wa for a ride through this district that ",
srt out for early start the morning Oi thc
9th ult-, well prepared for 4 tedious journey by
hearty breakfast It the generous table Of oaT
friend Capt Cummings, whO>e quiet and peaceful
dJmIcIl leave without breathing
GoiaS u ats kiu'-Leairted host and hostess.
The already uT--uCh a only
shines over the syyslt.riu.s kJut districts Of tl,e
islands. Our mules started OH at good pace.
but thsr. danger Of their running
away tic-.. rua'i-. gave them slack rciI-.
Iur the first ten miles the road runs along th.
coast then gradually up tire mountain till
10 enters che xOJ~- elevation Of SOME three.
four thousand feet. The heat and dryn,ss Of
the lower rua,Is here exchanged for constant
showers and cold, damp atmosphere Rapid
travelling Is out Of the question, and the traveller
unaccustorne.i to the road must d. content To-
move along ut slow pace.
= Night in fhc " ood-.
We hid progressed some twenty-five miles from
k,sIldke.Ikua Bay. when. about . J.. NJ W. reach
ed - cluster Of native houses, which appeared
% offer a good stoppins-place for the night
DlsLaOuntfus. entered & new y-eTccted grass
hDu-t. INTO which tile owner had not vet moved.
but where we wcTt. invited To- make ourselves at
home Hardly had seated ourselves before a
cheerful hTv- when recognized two faces,
which w. had frequently met IN Honolulu. We
soon learned that this Lamiet was located in the
midst Of the fungus district. and tlIat these.
natives. Formerly residents of the metropolis.
were engaged IN gathering this article. No sooner
recognized. than they sat about prcIar-
ing meal for Us, and u fine cock, which IunIed
tine raised sill of the door greet with
"a cheery welcome. was the next moment dancing
about-his head here. his body there. y short
hour found seated around s..ini-ciyiZed meal
consisting of stcwetl chicken, tarO, bananas and
poi, all which were enjoyed with the kecnest
relish. Here we were, On the side of NlauIIst LDi
four thousand feet above the level OF tine sea- in
tine midst Of the dense forests that the
mountain. the chilly and constant rain
making fires u neces<ity-here. twenty-five miles
perhaps from any foreign dwellings. were
enjoying tI,e hospitality Of native Hawaiians.
Say not that thes; rude natives unciyilIzed,
or That they have planted in their bosom the
FIR PRINCIPLES and the spirit of Christianity.
We ssIy it with pride, and point to it an eyi-
dcuce Of the progress of civilization here, that
where else in the world have met from
strangers - kindlier hospitality had our wants
cheerfully supplied, than among these rude
nOuntaineeTs.
sbcut Fungus
We were in the fiflyuS district. and i'm
proving the few hours Of daylight that remained,
took rstmhlc ia company with the natives, to
observe the mode of collecting this article which
is booming 81 important an export. Perhaps all
who read this may not know that fungus II an !
edibl.. excrescencc growing ON the trunks or
limbs OF decayuS trcrS-a ses>ile PrOtuberanc. or
wort from one to three inches long. 50 much /
resembling human ear in form, shape and aI-
Ielr:tncr, that the only name by which it i
known in the Hawaiian language - pepciGO IdOU I.
ire eHT. This eXcrescence grows On the trees ,
n mushrooms grow Il manure heap, crop of J
them starting up after each soaking rain. = {
few days only Oi wet weather are sufficient To /
produce lIrge crop. and the natives told Us
that they generally went over the same ground /
once Il week. gathering 4 larger smaller guam
tity. according to tire amount of rain that has
fallen. The gathering of fungus Is the easiest /
work Imaginable child picking the =. ears a.
rapidly ~ "A man. When the fungus j. picked 1
it j. thrown into a bag which hangs from the .
shoulder or Is carried in rhe hand When .
gathered i5 i generally Wet The fUfUi tree
yiclls by far the larger portion of the fungus
gathered. probably three-iourths. Besides this.
some j. gathered from the kOd, ala and Ian trees.
bat th.. product Of theS. i not considered equal
that OF the fEfui. lt j. only ON the d'Gd trees
that IL grows, consequently many trees cut
down Tor the purpose Or supplying the article.
Ir would s'em hardly possible that the gather
iug of fungus could he made profitable. yet q
little inquiry satisfied that those engaged in il
received better cuInT TeuSatiJn for their labor than
natives living in Honolulu. An active can
easily gather one hundred pounds week. hut
generally each ltborer does not average fifty
pounds owing % the fact that rainy DAYS are
frequent anil there J. no incentive 10 spur them
t. constant industry. The fungus, when gather
ell. X carried by the natives tu their houses
the sa.l y"hcr. a hot sun efItctuallv dries It,
Here il j. packed III large. bulky bales and ship
1,gl bv the schooner h.kogliIloh To Honolulu one
half cent pcr pound being paid for freight. On
reaching. Honolulu il finds a ready market, and
j. eagerly bought up by tine Cinnamon, who
pay seven and halt cents per pound in cash for
1T Thus it will Dc seen that active native can
earn ssreu dollars per week at this new and
almost unknown branch of industry.
What - done with Fungus.
Fungus Is an article Of fpod-a Iuxurv-con-
sumed by the Chinese in and about Canton. Ii
IL used by them III soups and brOths, Use
InaccarOni. aud also serves Is Il medicine, of
which 4 kind of tea Il made and used in some
cases of sickness. To look at these :. ears a.
they lie ali shriveed and dried up, one would not
dream that they could be used as food Yet who
has not relished sweet and tender mushrooms,
when properly cooked. which are considered 4
dainty in large cities 81. too, with fungus,
when cleaned and prepared in the hands of skill
full cooks, no luxury is more relishing. 1t Is 50
extensive that only the higher classes in China
can afford To indulge in it. Formerly, this art-
Gle brought from the Northern provinces of
China to supply the Canton market; but of late
years the troubles of the rebels have so deranged
trade that only small quantities obtained
from thence The Chinese fungus grows mostly
on the mulberry tree, and is far superior to any
that IS imported, being much more tender and
sweet
The Fungus Trade.
When the fungus is bought by the Cinnamon
in Honolulu. for which cash is generally paid, it
ia Ear, IN sfO md III, ~ |