The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1862-07-24
PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
Rural Sketches
of the Gawaiian 8sland5.
HII.O AND kILAI ga.
IImn. Julv 10. ISG2.

ney hOmeward, but there was no vessel in port
bound in that direction The Neuie NerTtH
however, arrived yesterday, and IS TO sail to-mOr.
Eow. We shall embrace the opportunity to visit
the neighboTiug Island Of Maui. Our detention
affords Us i favorable opportunity for exploring
the envirous Of Hilo, and witnessing the progress
of the natives in the arts Of civilization. The
chause has been very great since my first visit to
IIilo, in 1874. | again visited it in 1875, 80
that ! have had a favorable opportunity for OBJ
serving the changes which are III progress. Hilo
Is well laid out. The residences Of both foreign
ers and natives are surrounded by neat yards,
many Of which are beautifully ornamented with
shrubbery and flowers. Some Of these flower
gardens are patterns Of taste and neatnes. You
know those who would cultivate the soil in Hilo,
are not compelled to employ e hose and watering
pots for the climate here is decidedly moist A.,
Hilo has appropriately been styled the E. ,rofer-
fny-piaoe Of the islands ~
Yesterday was Il great day among the Cutho-
lies Of HilO- The Bishop from Honolulu is
here, attended by many of the p~arochial clergy
from different parts of the islands. The occasion
which gathers 50 many Of that sect. is the conse-
Grafton Of a new church-ediice. The site is cx-
cellent, and commands an admirable view of the
harbor. The building is of wood, and slated.
Two lofty towers ornament the front of the edi-
flee, which is really one Of the neatcst Catholic
churches upon the islands. Materials and labor
cannot have cost less than ten thousand dollars,
(S1O,OOO.) The labor has been performed al
most exclusively by lay-members of the Catholic
MissiOn-nOt Hawaiians, but foreign ~Iay-mem-
bers. If | have been correctly informed, but a
very small amount of the expense attending the
building of Catholic churches, is derived from
the natives.
The Protestant portion of the Hilo population
have one of the handsomest church-edifices upon
the Sandwich Islands. 1t is large and commo-
diOus, and finished in the most tasteful and sub
s~tantial style. Its cost exceeded twelve thousand
dollars (Sl2,O0O) The entire expense was borne
by the people of Hilo and vicinity. 1t shows
that the people value their religious privileges,
and are willing TO contribute literally for the
building of churches and the support of the COS
pei.
Last week was occupied by our party visiting
the volcano. kilauea is Il great curiosity. Ii i
one of the great sights Of our mundane sphere,
have seen Niagara and Kilauea. At first
sight, perhaps, both disappoint the beholder;
but they are IrotriHg wonders. Our eyes are
10 smaller objects, and at first, the pupil
of the eyes is not sufficiently dilated to EN-
brace the whole of either Niagara or Kilauea
but, ereIong, when the lenses of the eye get adj
justed, then the mind feels no disappointment.
ut the present time, Kilauea is tolerably active,
though not so much so rs | have witnessed it.
The boiling :. lake of fire. is now about five or
six hundred feet in diameter. The form of the
Is nearly square. Its surface is even vary
At one time, nearly cooled over, and i'll a
lew moments the whole surface will become agi-
tated and broken up. Large spots will become
violently 50, throwing up jets 80, 40, even % feet.
The beholdcr can approach within a few feet of
the river of the crater, or edge of lava oyerhang-
ing the boiling caldron. Our party spent. per-
haps. two hours gazing into the - pit an hun
ired feet below the place where we stood. There
is no such sight anywhere else to be seen upon
,ur globe. There are hundreds Of other vOlca-
iOes, but nowhere can : men, women and chill
walk up to the very brink Of the crater,
IT rather enter the crater itself, and infinitely
and explore any part of the fearful do
main of fire I, No wonder the poor natives, in
ages. peopled those regions with gods and
,Oddesses. As some of our party sat in the house
Ipon the outer edge of the vast abyss, and watch
"a in the darkness Of night, the ascending smoke
rom the burning lake, one exclaimed, as she
the curling vapor and smoke, There,
e. PEE m hoops - Now, if a young lady edu-
ated amid all the light and knowledge of New
and even at that good orthodox semin-
Try of South Hadley, could allow her imagina-
ion so far to outstrip her reasoning faculty, rs TO
lncy the same Pie decked out in the modern
ostume of hoops. alas, surely we ought to allow
large margin for the imagination of the untu-
ored slvagcS. who peoPled those Plutonic regions
Pet and her attendants with hamohodrH,
he King Of Steam Tane-hetiri, the husband Of
thunder Te-o-ahi-tama-tana fire thrusting Child
{ Wal (Vydc EWs' PoiyleSiaH Researches,
81. I4th, p. 24S.) by the way. this book of
Ills, is really the best guide-bDok the traveller
IN take in his rambleS over the mountains and
long the coasts of Hawaii. Mr.. Ellis was ac-
in his tour around Hawaii by MeSSrs.
and Bishop. The account of their tour
well worthy Of the perusal of any one who
rouId understand Hawaii rs it appeared forty
ears ago, the general outlines Of which have
OF changed.
But I find my pen running along and protraet-
lc this communications u an undue length. y
erson travelling with his eyes and ears open.
zen through an Oft-visited region Will always
nd something new to arrest attention but the
-eat difficulty is in making n truthful and accu-
tie report. IF the readers of your paper will
lrdon us for thus intruding upon their atten-
en-. we promise u refrain from future trespaSsi