The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-11-05

the neighborhood have been considerably cut up,
necessitating a good deal of work by the Road
Supervisor to put them in order again. In the Eva
district, several bridges have been carried away, and
travelling by vehicles has been interrupted, For an
unusual thing in these islands, in fact Almost unheard
of-lightning has struck The chimney of VIII
liams' sugar mill attracted the electricity to that
! extent that one corner was knocked of, and the
lightning descending through the root, played vari-
Gus antics over the beams and rafters, finally burying
itself in the ground outside. Not far off, a flagstaff
was split, a horse killed, and some hogs untimely
slaughtered by the s~wift-winged messengers of
electricity, but we have not learned of any casualties
to the genus homo. On Saturday night last, the
lightning was peculiarly vivid almost a continued
succession of flashes Illuminating the heavens
Nothing like it has been witnessed in Honolulu for
years. The effect on the general health has been
good for the atmosphere is cleared, and we don't
hear people complaining of lassitude,-the only
complaint is, the mud in our streets.
From Kauai we learn that $1,000 worth of rice, nearly
apepe by the freshet. Maui and adjacent Islands have also
suffered, but we are not correctly informed asto what extent.
THE WHEEL oP FoRTUNE.-In these days of ex-
pectancy about the grand lottery over the water, it is
refreshing to see the i~ncipient strides made towards
the heightened civilization of more favored States.
Passing along Hotel street in our favorite amusement
of sauntering g around our attention was diverted
by a crowd of Hawaiians in front of a small yellow
painted crib, with that curiosity peculiar to ourselves
as well as the Yankee, we wanted to know The
little shop was filled with natives, extending out into
the street. We elbowed in, and found a gentleman.
evidently of the Hebrew persuasion, stand ng behind
q counter with a rotary wooden cylinder before him,
and a number of articles, such as wooden shirts,
handkerchiefs, silk and cotton, calico shirts. pairs of
shoes, bead and jet necklaces, watches, &c., all with
numbers on tags attached to them. The cylinder was
filled with checks, numbered correspondingly with
the figures on the articles of merchandise. We saw
a native man pay a dollar, when the thing was set
rpYOIVInO RpVaral times then SfOnnas1 and tho Mo-
phyte was invited to put his hand into an aperture.
which had been covered with a slide, and draw out a
number. He drew one out and became the owner of
a flannel shirt, declared to be worth two dollars and
a half, much to the envious admiration of the by
standers. He came down with another dollar, and
drew a cotton handkerchief; with this, he (the afore-
said native) didn't seem pleased. The kind host told
him that by putting up a half dollar, he could re-
turn the cheap handkerchief and try his luck again,
which doing, he got a valuabie bandanna, and said
he was satisfied for to-day. Another adventurer
tried his fortune and drew one OF the time keepers,
which created quite a burst of enthusiasm. We
were about leaving, when the gentlemanly trader
remarked to us that he lose too mooch, if IT,
kanakas have SO mooch LUCK as he paid three
pounds for that watch. We came along and looked
for the three cabalIstic balls, somewhere In the hori-
zon ; didn't see them, but consoled ourselves viii
the reflection that they, as well as many other good
things, would all come in time, since the steamers
were running, in order to educate the HaWaiians TO
the proper standard.
THE CARANDINIs.-This family of artists have
been delighting Honolulu audiences for several even
ings past, and their concerts well attended, nOtwith-
standing the wet weather. 1t is truly refreshing to
have something genuine come among us, in lieu of
pseudo counterfeits, with flaming announcements to
be able to do everything. which exists nowhere e-
cept in the play bill. These southern songsters have
convinced every one that has heard them, that they
most assuredly are not of that class. Indeed, it is
really the greatest treat in the musical line that we
have enjoyed in Honolulu for many a year, and who
ever suffers them to depart without having listened
to their rapturous melody, will have failed of a de-
light which they may not have the opportunity of
enjoying for a long time. 1t is said that some gen.
tlemen are so fascinated that they can't keep away
q single night. We were incredulous about this at
one time, but after an evenings experience, we not
only ceased to wonder. but feel ourselves fast falling
into the same category. As regards the artistic
execution of this company, it is difficult, not to say
almost i%nvidious, to discriminate among these bril-
liant gems. We are not scientific enough in singing
or music to bestow any just criticism. Suffice it to
say, that they please the uninstructed-and this, we
conceive, is the great triumph of their efforts-like
the sister art of poetry-he only is the true poet who
touches the sympathetic cord of the humblest heart,
while delighting as well the most refined literary
taste. Mr.. Sherwin has a fine rich tenor voice, and
his execution on Wednesday evening in the first
Duet IN Trovatore) with Madame Carandini was
admirable. Nothing could be more side-splitting
than the comical performances of Mr.. Small ; and
we really felt for the unfortunate man." We
want to grleve over him again. Of the sisters
Rosina and Fannie we say nothing-we cannot.
Only that in the trio of Sweet is the breath of the
morning. and again in the quartette Oft in the
Silly night the plaintive sweetness of their voices
carried us back-not exactly to the days when we
went ~gipsying, but to the days when we were young.
In short, if you want to snatch an hour of poetry as
well as music from the dull routine, go and hear
these warblers of the southern zone, ere they wing
their fight to other climes.
A WET OcToBER The month inst passed has been
the most boisterous and rainy that has been expert
enced in Honolulu for a good many years, and No
vember has come in much the same style. Up to the
10Th of last month but 1.28 inches of rain had fallen
at DR.. Judd's residence in Nuuanu valley. and at
Capt. Smiths at Waikiki, 1.50 inches. On the 10Th,
however, a southerly gale set in, a regular kona, the
first in four or five years After the lapse of a week
of varying weather, the 9th came in with another
gale, in which the wind repeatedly varied to every
point of the compass. On that day the guage at
NuuaHu showed a fall of 4 rs inches, and at Waikiki
half an inch more. 1t is noted that when the wind ia
from the south, or light, more rain falls at Waikiki
than at Nuuanu. The following table of the rainfall
for the month, at the two points indicated, has been
politely furnished us:
NuWanu Vaiey. Waikiki.
Oct. 2................. IL inches. 10 inches
Oct 6..............-.. 10 ".-s.......... IL +"
9..-........ .l2 "........ 10 /"
Oct. 0................. rs 1........... 80 q
Oct. 17................ OF "......... .. 10 "