The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1866-08-04
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
AUGUST !
Correspondence O, the ?. c. Advertiser.

SATURDAY,, AUGUST I.
Correspondence q the =. c. Advertiser.
MAUI. July. 1866.
DEAR Sm:-It was eight o'clock when. in the
good steamer hjla,so. We entered the magnificent
bay formed by the islands in front of Lahaina
The bold and clear outline Of Molokai was on cur
lett, the gentle sloping Kahoolawe on our right,
and behind Us the swelling Lanai. while before Us
lowered the bold. bluff mountains of Maui. 1t was
a scene of grandeur and beauty. and could not hut
remind Us of the entrance into the glorious gulf of
Fonseca, in Central America. with its archipelago
of mountain islands. Indeed the channel between
Mani and the other islands looked like a placid
bay as the hijIaea slowly steamed up to her an
chorage before
The Miniature City of Lahaina,
Which seemed just waking from sleep. in her dense
green bowers that looked aS if they were b~lushiug
with fruits and flowers. The cocoa reared its
stately head above the bread fruit, the tamarind.
the mango and orange groves. The neat houses
were half hidden by the luXuriant foliage, and in
the gorgeous sunlight of morning, there was nothing
to mar the beauty of the scene.
Lahainaluna.
Above the city. on the mountain side. on a site
of romantic beauty, Lahainaluna appears like
some monastery reared by the monks of La Trappe
it seemed 50 quiet. peaceful and silent.
Getting Ashore.
We had many native passengers. and the contu-
sion was great in getting our baggage ashore.
The boatmen are nearly as vociferous as the Fellah
carriers at Alexandria, or the coachmcn. as Won
land on the wharf. at New York or san Francisco.
However, everything was soon adjusted, the boats
were filled. and we landed on the beach To the
music of the light ripping waves. and wended
our way through a dense. anxious and eager crowd.
to Il mansion in the midst of a beautiful kukui and
bread-ruit grove, where we were Hospitality en-
tcrtained.
Having dispatched our business. braced the
inner man with the substantials of life. and dallied
with our mecrschaum in the shade of a tamarind.
We prepared for 4 ride over the mountains TO Val
luku.
Overland"
The horses were hrought-not Tartars of the
Ukraine breed but substantial Maui chargers
that can trace their ancestry back to Andalusia.
Mark Twain's e OaEu.' which he pulled or pushed
50 vigorously mp the cliff OF Diamond Head. was
a Shetland pony in comparison. With good plain
Mexican saddles of the Mameluke pattern. and
saddle-bags well slowed with ct ceterds :" in case
of accident" we mounted and away. Down the
beach in a hand gallop we went, with the dust fly
ing and envcloping the hindermost and unlucky
passenger. pigs squealing and running. sleeping
49, 'N@ fN'l-A- '-> ''NN S"@AAS III
wonder from door. window. house-top and stone
fence. until we began to fancy we were a wonder,
or at least "somc pumpkins We did not pause
in our mad career. but accelerated our gait. The
female of our party, a 10 Lady S~tanhope, took the
lead. and even excited our phlcgmatic admiration
by her daring fcats.
Talk of n stceplc-chase. Why. it was nothing to
our hrcak-neck speed over scoria. cliukers and
rounded volcanic rock. And here let me give the
good people of Maui a coupliment-the roads are
:" villainous. as old Jack Falstaf' would say, to
and from Lahaina. | once heard a convict boast
that he had been a Supervisor himself.
The sea was on the right, breaking gently on the
volcanic cindcr and shingle beach, with the gentle
island of Kahoolawe in the distance; volcanic
debrjs, rocks and sands stretched plain-like on the
left to the base of the mountains, which smiled
grandly and grcenly as they rose from the scared
and barren plain. Deep and romantic gorges,
fantastic forms and peaks, and the cvcr-Shitting
light and shade kept up a continued interest, as
we dashed along. seemingly alone interested in
keeping up our railroad speed.
At the Halfway House.
But the rocks terminated we had passed the
barren strand, and a beautiful plain. green and
bright, spread before US to the pail, \. few native
houses were near by, on the left of the road. We
saw large quantities of fresh fish living in front.
while the nets were spread away costly to dry.
Here we said to oursclf. why should not a man
take his ease in his inn ~ and acting on the thought
we halted the party. dsmounted, pointed to the
fSh, and Said-pOi!
a smile of hospitality-if not of something else
on the face of every native, kGoe, ,rdhjne and
bciLi. | said Z" H." and pointed to the fire. Soon
the scales began to fly. the internal surplus of the
was thrown to the fowls, the salt sprinkled.
some broad Il leaves brought in by a dark
eyed daughter of the land. The fish were quickly
wrapped in these and then covered gently in the
Goals and ashes, as if to give them Il warm and
sleep. While this operation was perform
others were engaged in tempcring that deli
ciuusly fcrmcntcd product of the tarO called poi.
We threw ourselves down on a mat and gazed
on all these preparations with our appetites sharp
ening. The ii leaves came from the ashes, We're
before us. and the fsh-smoking. rich and
savory in their own juice, and giving ont deli
ciUus OdOrs-appeared before us. They were eX-
tended before us ON these primitive plates, a clean
calabash of poi was placed near, and we gathered
round. Shade of Epicurus. Did'st thou hover
cr us at that delicious feast? | thought of thee
the far times when thou did'st teach thy diSci-
piles to admire the culinary art. But could the
Isles of Greece boast of such delicious fish and p0i
as Hawaii nci? But the shade Of Epicurus fitted
from our mind. and we cried again. B." to horse! to
OF. of. and away! y short gallop
brought us to the pail. Then commenced our
winding Way" Over the Alps.
| have travelled on the highways and by-ways of
nations | have crossed burning deserts. and
the misty mazcs of many a lofty noun
| have pushed through gorgcs. where a tor
could scarcely find its way, where the Great
of nature seemed to have paused in His
work but a worse way. to be called n rOad. /
have never seen than the Zig-Zag line for four miles
over this mountain. from the pail to the plain that
lies to the left of Maalaea Bay. We toilcd. pain
fuily toiled up. What could the noblest steed do
though he breathcd thunder from his noStrils and
bad lightning in his limbs.
Views from the Mountain Top.
We were checTed. however, with glorious views
from time to time a. we wound up the mountain
side. The sea, the deep blue sea. spread tran
gully away to orr right. and the wavelets broke
on the shore in an Irregular line of white foam.
kahoolawe quietly slept in the oceans bosom
while between it and Maalaea Bay the small island
II MnInkini .tnnl q: n LllEMlN mrnnnl hntN.nu :