The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1864-04-09
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
Rural Sketches
of the 5aluaiian cSslands.
Maui Revisited.

Maui Revisited.
We left our readers at the roadside the West
Maui mountain. to listen 20 short narrative of q
returning tourist from Mt. Haleakaa, which lay
stretched before in Of the most beautiful pano
ramas that these islands afford TO travellers With
him we ascended the lofty mountain, bivouncked ON
its very crest. enjoyed the cool mountain air, the
sunset and the sunrise, and painted on memorys
tablet picture OF the wonderful crater in the
world Let US remount rested animals and
hasten down the hill TO the plain that lies at the base
Of the mountains and connects the two highlands Of
this island like isthmus. It is supposed that, at
some very remote period, East and West Maui
separaic islands, aud that the flowed over what
Is now low plain. This supposition is strongly
supported by its general appearance and the nature
OF the SOIL which consists Of sand gravel, pebbles
anil shells, the plain being elevated only few feet
above the level Of the At times, the wind sweeps
across this plain with great force, and clouds of
sand, 500 to 1000 feet high, move over it, present
ing to the spectator on the mountains most beanti
full sight.
Waikapu.
AT the base Of the West Maui mountain that we
have descended, and just before deep ravine or
gorge lies little village with the above name.
Four years ago, when last rode past it, there was
nothing here to attract q stranger,-a few thatch
houses with one two frame buildings, scattered
among taro- patches all that would notice in
passing Now q tall chimney attracts for miles the
eye Of the traveller, and the dark smoke curling up
in clouds froal It's top, tells plainly of the industry
capital, and enterprise that center here 1t Is only
about two years since Mr.. James Louzada, happen
ing to be in the vicinity heard that there was to be
IN auction sale of the estate Of the late John Richard
son, and attracted by curiosity attended it. good
L, for sale hnt
wanted it. Seven hundred dollars only were bid. and
Mr. L. thinking it safe investment, took it at few
dollars over that sum. and for few hundreds also
purchased the taro lands belonging to the estate
Thus without any intention of buying when ne went
10 the SALE he found himself possessed for the paltry
sum of $1,000, of good dwelling house and some of
the finest cane land on the island. He was not long
In finding out that he had located over a mine
destined to be rs productive as gold mine, nor IN
making his plans for the future. AssOciating him
self with his brother-in-law, Henry COrnwell Esq,
formerly of this city, he set to work to erect mill
and commence the manufacture of sugar, the natives
and foreigners in the village promising to plant cane
On their own lands. Two years have passed since
the lucky purchase Of this property occurred, and
already he has sent market some 900 pounds
Of sugar worth perhaps S25 0OO though his mill has
been in operation only about eight months.
A Tide in the Affairs OF Men
But we must not spoil story by telling the
sequel with the preface, only it does seem strange
how, oftentimes. a mans life and fortune turn on
the most trifiug incident. You all know Artemus
Ward,-if not, read his last efusion IN our supple
ment of today. His popular career began quite as
accidentally the location and erection OF this mill
lie was only countr- editor in a small town in
Ohio. some six or eiehs years ago, when stormy
30 Ghaar he M NUN
and wrote a humorous letter, purporng to be from
one Artemus Ward, Snowman. The letter look. was
read everywhere and copied into almost every paper
The writer (whose real name is Chas. F. Brown and
naive Of Portsmouth, n. H. had made happy hit.
and following it up, has made fortune from his ec-
Centric talent having lately received $4,000 for
series of lectures in San Francisco. SO much for
dgrsson, simply to illustrate Shakspearea couplet
There a tide in the Affairs Of men,
whIch taken at the flood. leads on to fortune,
Omitted, all the voyage Of their life
Is bound in shadows and in miseries"
The waikapu Mill.
To return 10 Waikapu. Riding through the trash
field to the mill, dismounted, and entering met
hearty welcome from AIR. Cornwell and his son Will
liar who were hard at work turning cane juice into
gold. The mill consists of large building in the form
oian L, slope, which facilitates the work very
much The machine is driven by SO horse engine,
all the machinery used this plantation Every
thing about the mill is of Hawaiian manufacture,
which can be said of but few sugar manufactures on
the islands. The capacity Of the mill is about four
thousand pounds of sugar per day, though by work
ing nights which is sometimes done, FIVE thousand
pounds can be got off To obtain this product,
Messrs Louzada & Cornwel employ about seventy
fed and mill laborers of whom forty are females,
who are engaged account of the scarcity OF men.
In the cooling house, which as yet IS only half the
size Is to be- what will first attract the eye of the
visitor is the little donkey-engine that drives the
centrifugals Ii made also by Mr. Hughes, and
Is one Of the prettiest toys imaginable, works as
smooth and noiseIessly a sewing machine Near
by 10 one Of Makee's steam molasses pans used IN
boiling down the molasses, which works admirably
We shall describe it when giving account Of Capt
3akee's mills
The Cane-Fields-
The land at Waikapu consisting OF n gentle slope
nom the base of the mountain to the ROAD, irrigated
by the waikapu river is admirably adapted to
culture, producing, when well cared for, very heavy
crops The extent Of land suitable for is limited
only by amount Of obtainable for irrigation
The proprietors Of the mill have purchaced land
largely since they began operations and have now
some two hundred acres. They purchase cane from
ne natives, paying generally about one hundred