The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-11-30
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Obertiser.
SATURDAY. NOV 80.
Letter from a Traveller.

To the Editor Of the Pacific Commercial Advertiser
DEAR SIR - Although you are personally q
stranger to me, yet, as a traveller going about the
world, l have thought that I might send to you, rs
the editor Of what l think TO be a very good paper,a
few Of the many impressions that Il stay Of some
weeks on the Islands Of Hawaii have left upon my
mind.
L possess one advantage for impartial observation,
that l fancy many Of the visitors to these islands
have not kROIC no one. Now you may be ready
to take me up there, and you Will probably think
that L can't judge Of you fairly unless l DO know
you. don't think so. All over the world | have
heard il remarked Of certain people" Oh, you will
like them better when you know them better, and
almost always | have found that this is not so. That
my experience here would be any different, | AIN not
prepared TO believe.
Ia the first place, everybody to whom 1 have
spoken here has been uncommODly civil, and as l
have found that the ordinary ciyilities Of life can be
repaid on the spot ly the recipient, l have preferred
10 limit my knowledge of people in general to that
extent. l prefer that sort of acquaintance that
permits of a kindly feeling existing, without any
sense of having had obligations conferred thht are
often impossible TO repay.
As a people you are wonderfully hospItable.
Whether this trait has been developed through the
force of example on the part of the original inhabi-
tants, or whether it is q spontaneous result Of your
isolated position, does not much matter. You are
very hospitable; aud if such q thing Is possible, L
should venture 10 saw, too much so. Mind you, | am
not yenturing on this assertion through any feeling
Of boredom bred of your social Importantly, for as L
said, l know no one, but as the result OF my ooser-
yations in general.
Ii has been nv pleasure to knock about a good
deal, generally with a we'll lined purse, not without a
letter to drop here and there as might seem best, and
with the general purpose Of enjoyment and not a
! little profit: and IL has often happened 10 me TO see very
well intentioned people like yourselves, get into no
end Of bother by bestowing their hospitality on those
with whose autecedents they had the slimmest kind
of knowledge.
Elsewhere, something more is demanded of q
stranger than a Club acquaintance with A. or g., a
transient business interest with c. or ID. or a tempo
rary Judgement of a moderate sum with agent Il. or
banker +. to open to him the hearts and homes OF
the family circles of A. b. c. u. L. +. Here 1t has
seemed to me as though the amiable desire to play
the agreeable, leads you at times TO admit to your
closest friendships that is, introduce to your wives
and daughters-those who have lacked every other
passport save-the last
Nothing can be more pleasant than a few weeks
stay on these beautiful islands. And still 1 can see
that a stranger, becoming, as 1t were domestIcated
in your midst, might begin TO be bored, just a little
YOU know, with the under current of g gossip " that
circles round him. 1 confess to a feeling of terror,
almost, after having confded to me at different times
by people I did not " know =" you know, little stories
about almost every one in whom L betrayed the faint
est interest: l have felt, / say, q feeling of vague ap-
prehension, lest some one might feel sufficient interest
in me to set ahoat one more bit of scan mag affecting
mu personality.
Now we travellers. Mr.. Editor, are divided into
MANY species. and | think / may class myself with
the .VAGABoNDs." We are fond of pleasant eX.
elements. not averse to a bit of a row now and
then when guides. porters or Landlords get TO ex'
acting. not much in the habit of sticking to any
particular line of travel for long, and hating all
afectations of state-though loving aristocratic
nobleness-and ~despising all nlOneyed pride, and
all that sort Of rot. though we'll pleased with. and
fully approaching TIE value of a good letter oi
credit.
IdIers as we may be called. we are of those who
look on while moving in the huge crowd OF nomads
who wander to and fro OH the face OF the earth
and as such we see many repetitions of the same
old plav. l trust that / may not wound your pride
Il do not propose to touch your feelings) II ven
ture to say that this hospitality of yours is imposed
upon. You may have some faint perception of this
Yourself: and it may be that you find consolation
in the freedom with which you canvass the merits o.
these transient iguests-after they are gone bnl
whether the imposition spoken of is apparent t.
Yourselves or not. it is an imposition, and will be
sure in the end to become unbearable. Then We