The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-01-30
A Strangers Impressions of our City.

a stranger impressions OF our City.
A correspondent of the otagO IN. ~ Witness.
writes a sketcby letter about what he saw in Homo
lulu, and as it is interesting to read what intelligent
observers from abroad say of US, we copy several
paragraphs:
The men are q fine looking set of fellows enough,
but not with the high stamp nor physique of the
true Maori, undefled by Pakehas and rum. Many
of them talk English fuently, and seem ready enough
to laugh and converse with strangers, who ask them
all sorts of questions. A shirt, light pantalooDs of
some kind, and a straw hat, comprise their costume,
and comfortable enough it must be. There is q
strict law against selling any intoxicating liquors to
Kanakas, and a very good one it is Perhaps the
strangest sight to the stroller is the buxom-lookiDg
damsel who canters past him on horseback, with a
seat and carriage like a cavalry officer. The anne
dress does your Honolulu female for al! positions,
and saves a great deal of trouble. Ye heavens
what would an English or Colonial girl think of
dressing in exactly a quarter of a minute. Crino-
lines and petticOats the lady of Hawaii knows not,
and her comely waist is innocent of band or steel or
stays or other such feminine horrors. Grecian bends
and Roman falls, chignons and false curls. high
heeled boots and polonaises, this daughter of Eve
comprehends not. She rises from her couch, puts
her sleeves through a long single garment of clean
print that falls from her shoulders to her feet un-
restrained by girdle of any kind, aings her hair over
her shoulders, ct roiiG tout. In that costume she
will talk with you, ride with you, drive with you,
walk with you and nothing could possibly be more
modest, more decent, and more gracefully becoming
in its charming simplicity than this careless toilette.
On horseback, the young lady sits astride as men
do, the folds of her one and only garment passing
round her limbs IN most becoming fashion. She
puts her foot in the stirrup, with the iron between
the little toe, and in a moment is astride in the sad
die, without the stronghand and &c one, two, three
with which the tight-waisted and long-behabited
white equestrienne is hoisted into the clumsy side
saddle, and adjusting her slight raiment to her pc
culiar position, once settled, she is off like a shot,
sitting as well and firmly, as upright aud gracefully,
as the queen of four O'Clock in Rotten Row. l should
immensely like to see these fashions in vogue in New
Zealand, and intend to send patterns of them to the
Partisan modistes when l get home: Won't the
prudes be shocked
We spent our last hour in Honolulu lionising.
We took no guide, but wandered at our own will,
first into Dixon's curiosity shop, which everyone
who stops at Honolulu goes to see. There you are
shown collections of shells and weapons, of models
of boats, and native curiosities generally, together
with photographs Of all the scenery and chiefs points
of interest in the island. The portraits of the royal
families, past and present, are excellently taken,
and impress one very favourably with Hawaiian
Majesty, for the features all bear the impress of in
tellect and good birth, and are besides those of come
ly, well-made men and women. The best photo
graph of Honolulu is one taken by a young German
photographer very lately, giving a bIrd's-eye view
of the whole town, and bringing out all its distinc-
tive features and buildings In fine relief. A better
idea Of Honolulu and the Nuuanu Valley can be
got by one of these than by fifty pen and ink de-
scriptions.
The General Post Office is a fine stone building,
with a semicircle of pillars in front Of it. and a
commodious room inside. 1t is a Government estab-
lishment of course, and they keep and pay the
clerks, whose work. except at the times of the arrival
and departure of the Cahfol ian steamers, is not
very much.
From the top of a high tower. whence watch and
ward is kept in case of fire, a very splendid view of
Honolulu can be got. You look down on the whole
city and can see every part of it, every house and
tree, far out TO sea, and away over the mountains; a
view that more than repays the climb up the ladders.
A l1lr f.0nn Nhn Nnrar Mill 1fUn tho n1cffar N hoKEnr
idea of Honolulu town and harbor than photographs
or any other means can do; passengers should make
that one of the things to be g done" on their way
through the town. The churches we were unable to
visit. nor are they much to see by all accounts.
Freedom of religion is allowed in this kingdom In
our days. But long ago there were many fierce
quarrels on the subject of religion.
The finest buildings in Honolulu are the Parlia-
ment Buildings which are indeed a credit to the
place, and would be to any city. They stand in o
wide square, at the Waikiki end of the town, and
present a most imposing front to the road Who
was the architect we did not learn, but he has GER
tainly hit UPON the very best design for effect and
for the climate. In the center of the edifce rises a
high clock-tower, the four faces of which have each
a dial showing the correct time, while on the front
face is an inscription TO this mysterious effect ia
mau Ike Ia o ka Alma ka POpo,' sand below that
again 'Kamehameha Films ka Moi There are no
guide-books in Honolulu to tell what this means,
and none of US could translate it.; possibly some of
your readers may, in which case the abracadabra
may be solved. To right and left Of the tower are
colonnades, cool and deep, fanked on either side by
bold wings, running back, and forming the square
block Of the buildings. The material is stone, well
and truly laid as if Freemasons had wrought it, and
the whole appearance of the buildings is one of per-
feet finish and elegance. When l say that it is
superior in every way to your boosted University
Buildings, you will know what Honolulu can pro-
duce. The architecture inside is in as good taste as
the exterior. Instead Of the pOkey rat holes which
are dignifed by the name of offices in the old barn
which is called the Government Buildings in Well
ington, you have here on the ground floor spacious,
roomy Offices, pure aired, well ventilated, and know
ing nothing Of the frousy, musty smell that is asso-
ciated with Offices in Wellington, with kanaka clerks
sitting in their white shirt sleeves over their desks.
and the windows all wide open. Up q broad stair
case you find equally commodious suites Of rooms,
into which through oval openings in the wall the
fresh air ascends invitingly; it looked so well fitted
that one almost wished TO be an official right OF.
After making a highly satisfactory inspection, we
crossed the road, and found our selves opposite a long
stone wall, part of which was well and firmly built,
while q number of kanaka masons were at work on
another portion of il. Inside was q bare-looking
park, with a few trees scattered over it; and beyond
them, with the Royal Standard floating over it, the
palace Of the King. We had no permission, how
ever, to visit this royal residence, which in truth
has very little of the regal about it, being inferior in
size and everything else to many of the private
houses We had seen. A sentry guarded the gate;
but beyond this, there were very few signs of the
vicinity of royalty. The King wants his loving
subjects very much to build him a new palace; but
the Hawaiian Exchequer is not given to running
over, and without the necessary funds. the new