The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-01-04
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
Our Island correspondence.
LsHaINA, MsrI, Dceember, 1867


Having two months leisure before me, con-
,Iaded could not employ the time better than
he making flying visit to these beautiful islnnsis
~. with just notice enough tO pack up light
,-,rpet-bn,., and with il in hand and my port
s,Iio under INV arm, I embarked ON board the
.ub.tantill steamer kGhO, foT Honolulu After
a uIeasmnt voyage with courteous and aeeommo-
.htinr officers. and every convenience To make
Messengers comfortable I hailed the failure queen
eitv OF the seas with emotions Of delight De
laying only bong enough, % examine Honolulu
and its euvfron- feIt that could not rest salts
fed without making tour Of the Islands, and
ON Mon.lly, the 9th, at hallpast p N, went
,on board the hiiaasG tO make my
First Trip 10 Lahaina.
The evening, was delightful, and there was n
.Gs trade wind playing over the green noun
min ridges Of Oahu, and slightly ripPling the
rrntIs waters of the beautiful harbOr. The iast
whistle Of the steamer screamed farewell. the
lines were cast bose, her head turned scnward,
the engine was put in active motiOn, but we did
not move The jsbber and screams Of the Juve-
nile urrhins ON the E-pianade, and the shouts and
wells Of older loterrrs together with the yOeifcr-
Gus commando of the officers, Ornamentsd with
the expIetives used by % our army IN Flanders,
male IL evident that some catastrophe had occur
rrd. In short, we found that we were hard and
Elst aground in the mud ut the bottom OF the
shallow harbor, n circumstance calculated To make
a most unfavorrbIe and di-agreeable impression
on a stranger The wharf should be extended,
or the dredging machine Immediately employed
sur the credit Of the port. After fifty minutes
detention, We finally got under way and steamed
out in the calm lake-likc waters, tiugcd with the
glow Of glorious tropical evening The scenery
WIS worth visit from san Francisco
Honolulu slept in the shadow Of It's luxuriant
green trees at the foot OF the volcanic Punehbowl
which IL but an OfF-shOot Of the green serrated
mountains which risc beyond in picturesque
grandeur. Over our weather-bow rose the bold
and remarkable volcanic peak Of Diamond Head,
which once seen. fixes it, form upon the memory
brewer The air was balmy and the light breeze
scarcely rppled the hke-like waters OF the Pacific,
1ow lit up with the roscate glow Of beautiful
and variegated sunset Two dark eicnds, like
giant pillars, stood the ocean on either side
Of the GOLDEN gateway OF the west, while the
radinnt clouds m rainbow-hued bars, hung like n
gprgeoas banner over the suns farewell ginnees.
Two large ships with all canvas spread, rose like
giant Jbelisks to the right and left. while ON the
verge Of the crimson arch above, right over and
midway between the towering vessels. the eve
ming star gem-like beamed in glorious beauty
The aith Of the ancient Egyptians would have
deemcf il grand approach 10 the gorgeous image
Of Osiris between two colossal pillars, while Isis
radiantIy smiled from the arch The thought
forced itseli upon me. that man might live long
centuries upon the earth and never behold the
recurrence of such n
A the radiant hues OF sunset slowly faded,
and twilight with solemn step spread a gOssamer
veil over the west, the moon poured her silver
light over the waters from the east The long
radiant column beamed in scintiIlating beauty
along the ripping waves, and showed tie canoes
Of the native fishermen as they moved like sea-
birds clcavins the sparkling waves. The azure
night above, the illuminated ocean below, where
the star-shadows danced on the tiny wavelets.
the hazy outline of Diamond and Coco Heads,
and the misty looming Of Nlolokai and lanai in
the distance, the deliciously mellow atmosphere.
all combined to make n night scene Of loveliness.
The light waves spoke in whispers, as the steamer
slowly swept past, like some ocean monster steal
thily pursuing its prey.
For long hours enjoyed the delicious sweet
ness of the night the balny atmosphere, the
almost spiritual beauty Of the scene. The light
fying golden-edged clouds, seemed like the wings
Of beauty waiting through aerial bowers of
delight, where hope strewed roses in our way,
iIIumined By the smile of love. Even when sleep
stole over the wearied senses fancy did not slum-
Der, but wandered into her mpturousdream-land
which was no brighter than the reality around.
There was n rest-a deep quietude and repOse
around and over all-sueh the fevered and
agitated soul thirsts for in the storms Of life
the lightnings Of passion n soothing tranquility
where thought itself could rest it, weary pinions
fold them in quietude and gaze forth as upon the
presence Of the Great Unknown.
At two O'Clock, voice aroused me from this
happy tranquility, by excIaIming, - we are run
ming along close under the lee Of Molokai.''
looked forth on the long azure Of the Island,
rising toward the East in n lofty Mountaineering
lanai appeared symmetrical on the right. and
Immediately in 'front.' booming indistinetly through
their veil Of silver-tingei Clouds the lofty
tains Of West Maui bounded the vision. Every
thing indicated that we were entering magnifi-
cent bay, smooth and lake-like, that spread away
for leagues between It's lofty mountain shores.
30 complete was the impression, that when day
light dawned and revealed to US the island chan
nels, found it difficult to remove it.
As We approached Lahaina in morn's rosy light
the scene was radiantly beautiful. In addition
to MoIOkai, Lanai and Maui, Kahoolawe appeared
in the southeast, and dim in the distance, the
domes Of SIauna Kea and Mauna LOa ruse cloud
like from the bosom of the ocean. HaleakaIa
looked grandIy over the scene; but directed my
attention to nearer objects, and traced the bright
tropical scenery around Lnhaina. From the irreg
uIar truneated pyramid of Kaanapali to the point