New-York tribune., 1873-02-06
THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.
MARK TwAIN's LECTURE.

Stciuwav Hall, as most lecturers know, Is
not easily lIel But last night 1t was packed, even IN
Tie galleries aud the stage, 10 hear the great humor
is discourse upon the quaint and distant Islands OF
the Pacific The apparently unconscious droery OF the
lecturer began almost with his opening sentences in
which be deprecated any criticisms upon his inability to
explain. or even 10 understand, why the Sandwich
Iand. we're placed so far away from everywhere else
Prom that time forth he held the audience III his hand
H.. hearers never laugh IN the wrong place. Perhaps
ths is because he indicates either by voice or
manner he thinks the right place for laugh ana
audience has TO listen sharply In few words
and 10y skfn touches he set before his hearers the
whole structure OF social life on the Islands The house
screamed with applause al his delicate description OF
Kanaka costume HIS sketch Of the condition OF the
Islanders before the missionaries arrived gave an idea
OF the depths Of human savagery, especially
iu tho treatment OF woman that was at once
protesque and appalling. He gave due credit TO
fbe abors OF the missionaries and thinks that all that
Ksnakas were capable Of IN the way of Improvement
had been effected. The charge OF caunbaism was dis
cussed length and the lecturer assured his hearers
that for ms part be would rather 20 hungry for two
days than old personal friend This was apropos to
pe dogs led the through the mixed diet OF the
islanders, including "sausage with the mystery re-
moved 10 an ancient legend Of tough and indgestibe
CAPTAIN Of whaer The lecturer declared in faltering
accents that he could never recall those circumstances
without emotion In this his audience sympathzed with
him He hopes the next time be tells 1he story TO DO
able TO evolve the moral for be sOemnly assures US 1t
Has a moral.
An absolute amount Of Information Is conveyed "a
this lecture which surprising. Matters which would
escape the notice, ordinarily, Of any but specialist
have attracted attention and enabled him
20 illustrate the strange peculartes Of Hawaii. Such
was the statement that ducks there found only Ia
the dry land Of mountain levels where water was scarce
and they sought shelter from The ludicrous mis-
fortunes OF gas company which had not previously as
certaned the customs Of the natives suggested 10 bis
hearers the notion that the lecturer would
be a GOOD pioneer for enterprises the
Islands He believes in sugar, and urges his
audience y the strongest arguments to 20 there and be-
come snearplanters forthwith. Poor Harris came IN
90, share Of descriptions bat Mark Twain wishes IL dis
ntly understood that he doesn't wish 10 dsparage him.
A. the same time, II Portland, Maine, claims Harris
- ~ All light Portland have my share" sn
erh Of the.yOcano Kieauea was the feature
f the perOatOn and ~ telling OF the grandeur OF the
rpiiou of lSiO the audience forgot 70 laugh and the
Iectrer showed how great special correspondent was
lost 10 the world when Mr. Clemens dedicated himself 70
bnmor Perhaps The most remarkable charac-
fer1stic OF the entire lecture was the fact that
40 much genuine information was invOluntarly con,
ved In II In thar delicious preface Roughing It,"
tbe author apologies for the faet that the more ne
.caulks up ali the OF information the more ne
Ieaks wisdom" After you laughed at ms wlld e1-
fayagances for an hour you astonshed 10 perceive
tbat he has given YOU and valuable views OF the
subject discussed Every sentence may be bulesque'
bat the result Is fact And what insures MS success as
Teacher n that his manner irresisDy drO that IL
Onquers the first moment the natural IeVoit Oh 'he
human mind against instruction. Inc Aec'uo - =" "o
eo