The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1864-04-30
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
Rural sketches
OF the 9awaiian Sslands.
Maui Revisited.

We digressed from our narrative in the last
.. rural sketch'' to listen to the story OF an as
cont In the summit OF the West Maui Mountains
bv Mr.. James T. Alexander and we will resume
where we left of-at Wailuku. In ancient
times, Wailuku and the neighboring valleys,
which are watered by streams from these noun
tains, were undoubtedly densely peopled, the eVi-
dences of which fact still remain. Of late years,
however, the population has been gradually de-
creasing, although no portion of the island IS bet
ter adapted to support large population, and
afford it ample means of industry, In cultlvating
taro. bananas, and sweet potatoes, required for
other parts Of Maui, where taro is not raised, as
well as for the Honolulu market Not only
these products do well here, but sugar-cane also
grows with very little care, and yields remarka-
bIy heavy crops. Without infringing on the
land devoted to other staples, not less than four
hundred acres can be irrigated and planted with
cane at Waiiuku.
The waiIuku Plantation
To take advantage Of this opening for sugar
mill about i8 months ago, several gentlemen resid-
ing in Honolulu, purchased the land belonging TO
the late King commenced planting, and ordered
n first class mill from Boston, which has arrived
and is now in process of erection. The buildings,
which are also being erected. are OF stone, ana
locatad on the south bank of the Wailuku river,
where q steep descent gives superior advantages
for n mill site The mill will be driven by water,
of which the river supplies an abundance. Dur
inc our visit the wheel, which is large and pow
erfuI oyershot wheel with an iron frame, was
being erected by Mr.. Robert Andrews. Mr. Il.
Bailey is the general manager of the plantation,
and Mr. n. W. Tallant has charge of the field
operations About one hundred and forty acres
belonging to the plantation are planted ana
growing; besides about hundred acres be-
longing to foreigners residing in the village
The mill, it is now thought, will be ready to
commence grinding in July, or about twenty
months after the first steps were taken to start
ehe plantation. At present every thing looks
favorable, not only for the growing crops, but
Sor the entire success of the enterprise.
An Incident not in the Programme.
The day that we spent in Wailuku chaneed to
ke that of the examination of the English school
xbere. The scholars, who were ali natives or
.half-castes, assembled at the stone church and
-sent through with their exercises with all the
-redit that could be expected in village school
e the kind 4 somewhat novel exhibition closed
.he performances which took some if not all OF
the spectators by surprise. The examination ex-
ercises were concluded, when suddenly an efhgy
was boisted into the air with block and tackle,
amid the shouts and hurras of the audience.
From Its appearance one was at a less at hrst to
guess whom it was intended for, though it bore
Il striking resemblance to Brother Jonathan All
doubt was soon removed, when the whole schooi
rose and commenced singing " John Brown
body lies mouldering in the grave, with an en-
thusiasm that showed that they appreciated fun
When they came to the verse,
wen hang JeG Davis a palmetto tree,''
n gun was fred at the efigy, the ball passing
through its body. The hurraing and deatenInG
applause that followed this tragic execution o.
the arch-rebel, showed that at least the juvenile
of Wailuku were Union boys of the right stamp
sound ON the goose" The incident served t
remove the faint of secession, which the hoistin:
of Capt Gibson's flag in the valley three year
ago, cast on the Wailukuans.
waihee.
Adjoining this village to the northwest, lies tn
district Of Waihce, through which runs sma
stream Of the same name that waters numerous tar
patches in the valley. The main road runs aoou
midway between the shore and the foot OF the noun
tains Below the road, there are numerous san
bills. but above it toward the mountains, the Ian
rises gradually and where susceptible OF irrigation
Is rich land. This site was purchased som
eighteen months ago by Capt Thomas Hebron,
Makawao who erected n fine dwelling an elevs
tiop that commands view Of the whole neighbol
hood, Kahalui. the bay and the opposite mountain
Haleakala. The Captain being Yankee, pOssesst
keen eye for e bargain, and knowing the value
his new estate made haste to order his mill, br
quietly went on improving the place and breakir
ground. 4 few months since he sold out all his II
terest at an advance of tel thousand dolla
over what il cost him. This is probably the large
profit, considering the capital invested, that al
planter has received during the past year, and sug
planting with such profits must be desirable aS
cation Even at twenty thousand dollars, the price
which the waihee is said to have chang
hands, the purchaser has good bargain. for bett
location for sugar of its size does not exist
Waiehu Plantation.
Immediately adjoining is the Waiehu Pantst il
owned by Messrs. Torbert s. Levers. AS we a
preached it, the appearance was that of a thrivi
village. Teams and carts were hurrying along t
road while in the fields either side gangs of
tives employed plowing or narrowing. In
distance numerous frame houses and huts, will
tall chimney in course Of construction, gave indi
tiOns Of industry and enterprise. We soon fou