The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-08-24
A Visit to Maui-No. 2.
Isr our owx eoRRrsrOSprSrl
wATLuKU

wAILUKu
Is the centre block, and wsikapu and Wsihee the
two wings Of the finest section Of country in these
islands I once gave Hilo district the palm for rich
and fertile lands, bat I had not then visited Maui,
farther than Lahaina. Here are tN enty thousand or
more acres of gently rolling lands. composed Of the
wash from the ancient mountains Of West Maui, I'M
der the shadow % which they nestle. with \ great
depth Of rich, sandy soil, anu abundantly watered
in every direction by neyer-fAiling streams. What =
country for the agriculturiSt, and especially the
sugar planter The climate, too, is positively deli
cious- The situation being on the wiadward side Of
the island, the health-giving trade winds, fresh and
moist from the face Of the ocean, temper the heat Of
the sun by day. and decreasing in force At night,
fan the atmosphere into a sufficient degree Of cool
ness 10 make sleeping a luxury. There appears to
be no reason that can be giren why a naturally
healthy individual, by taking ordinary care of him
self. might not live to be as old rs he cared TO be.
Here are four plantations with their attendant
mills, situated wialin \ few miles Of each other,
known as the Waikapu. the Union Mills, the Wal
luku, aid the Waihee. So far as / can learn, they
are all prosperous and thriving, though i have
learned another faet--not particularly aew, perhaps,
but one that becomes particularly impressed on the
mind after n personal examination Of the works
and that is, that it custs a vast deal of money to sue
~cessfully carry on a sugar plantation in these islands,
L don wonder that 50 many who began have failed
TO succeed. and that 50 many who have perseyered
have grown gray in looking and waiting for complete
success The planter represents capital, but TO con-
duct his business properly he must himself work
actually harder day and night than any hired laborer
on his estate. Indeed. there may be times when the
hands on these plantations are hard worked, but my
observation has left the impression on my mind that
the poor contracted laborer,'' as he is sometimes
called. has . remarkably easy time of it. in the field
and in the mill. They appeared to be jolly, and
well fed, and decidedly were not overworked. / no
tced q good many women at work in the fields. and
though the sight seemed 10 strike one rs q little odd
at first, | found that their work was Of q light ma
ture, and that they appeared to be lively and cheer
ful, q number being generally in company. Remeui-
hDrinn fhA tho ayara0a notfva rorna has N family
occupation at home, they are certainly much better
off thus healthily employed in earning wages than
ip. loning on the mats, gadding about, or visiting
Honolulu to get into bad company.
u While near each plantation there is o variety store,
1t Wailuku proper. the town boasts of five or six,
Iprincipal among which are Mossman's and Need
ham's,) where about every conceivable article for
mans use can be found for sale Then there are
two butcher shops, a baker, q restaurant, q BARRIERS
shop, two b~lacksmith's. q machinist, n wheelwright,
q saddler, O carpenter, several shoe-makers, q tim
smith, and last, not least. an atca shop. This last,
l observed, was pretty well patronized by the ma
tives, and l was told that the law requiring certi6-
Gates for purchasers, was 9 farce there as well as
elsewhere But the entire population of Wailuku,
with but few exceptions, appeared to have constantly
something to do. One failed to zee the knots OF
oilers such as grace the streets and docks Of Homo
lulu, waiting for something to turn up.
The harbor of Waikiki is at Kahuiui, n shallow
little bay on the east side of the isthmus of sand
which connects the two Mauis-East and West. 1t is
considered safe in most winds, but will not admit
vessels of greater draft of water than the schooner
Ra Moi, which runs regularly thereto-as does the
spry little yHoi Reiki. Here is shipped the sugar
from the plantations of this district as well as those
of East Maui, with the exception of Ulupalakua.
This harbOr, l am told. is gradually filling up with
sand washed up by the sea, and bids fair in o few
years to become closed altogether. How then will
the products of this section find an outietf Perhaps
by making a good landing at Maalaea Bay on the
other side. The cutting Of q road is feasible directly
through and over the mountains to Lahaina, q dis
tnnce of only Some nine hnt II Womb reouira
enterprise, and cost a good bit Of money, which last
our government is not prepared to expend.
Speaking of government expenditures-what o de-
sirable thing it would be if Wailuku could only have
a hotel! The natural charms Of the place would at
tract thither crowds of visitors, if it were once known
that they could find a place at which to lodge and be
fed. What drives and rides among the fields Of
waving cane what picnics in the romantic valley Of
lao what sea-bathing at Kahului ; what excursions
to the top of grand old Haieakala But alas, I fear
that Wailuku's turn for a magnificent hote! will be a
long time coming.
In the matter of Churches, the district is already
well provided. The old native Protestant Church
building is a disreputable looking affair, looking
like a dilapidated barn belonging to some ~unthrifty
farmer the Catholics have q much better looking
building, surmounted with a steeple the Anglican
Church is q small, brown building with a tiny cross
on top, in which service is occasionally held and
the foreign coDgregationalists have q neat little
edi6ce of wood, with a yestry beneath.
A Masonic Lodge has been recently formed here,
and will soon be in working order. The indie
pendent Order of Good Templars has also a Lodge
here, and they are about putting mp a large and
handsome building which will doubtless be a val
liable public Improvement and an ornament to the
town. This worthy Order has already done a vast
deal of good in this neighborhood. Its member
ship is active and jealous in the work of the Tenn
peranee reform. and drunkenness is practically
banished from the town. The people of Maui will
never regret the assistance they render TO the Good
Templars in establishing the Order on a permanent
basis in their midst. 1t will be money invested
safely in view of the future.
Professor Plummer delighted the residents of
Wailuku with two readings, (the last on Wednesday
night and had good houses. lie went from here 4
to Makawao, where he has several appointments, |
and returns shortly to Honolulu, en- route for Cali
fornia. RMAT