The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-05-20
Letter from the Sandwich
Islands.
IoYoLuLu, Oahu, (O.ah.hoo,) !
April 80, 1876. (


EDITORS OF THE REGISTER On the
Sd Of the month we took our departure
from California bound for the balmy
shores Of the renowned Hawaiian Islands,
aud upon the 18th landed in the metro.
politan city of the Kingdom. We made
the passage in a propeller called the
City Of San Francisco" one of the finest
iron steamships engaged in the Australian
and New Zealand mail service She is
commanded by Capt. James i. Waddell,
whom you will remember commanded the
Shenandoah at the time she destroyed
thirty. eight whaling vessels in the No tn.
ern Pacific ocean just after the close of
the "late unpleass ntness." During the
passage we encountered some rough
weather. and the experiences of individ-
uals were more or less varied. A few
persons were very ill during the entire
voyage One Of the ladies was indis.
Greet enough to leave her diary on a GER
tain occasion for moment, and through
an impertinent curiosity We were tempted
to look at it. First day out very pleas.
ant second day, tempestuous sea--quite
unwell third day, rery i'll, called the
doctor, took two pills; fourth day passed
small schooner-feel much better"
Among the most agreeable of the ladies
was Mrs. Scott Siddons, who upon the
evening before arriving in port gave a
reading, which was enjoyed very much.
Early next morning all were upon deck,
eagerly watching the appearance of land,
when 10 in the distance dim dark
line is seen resting on the bosom Of blue
ocean nearer and nearer it seems to
come, until at lergth the eastern rock.
bound shore of the Island is in view
The approach 10 Honolulu, as the
steamer passes a promontory called Dia.
mond Head, and opens to view extensive
cocoanut groves, and pretty cottages dot.
ting the shore, which here becomes the
border Of quite an extensive plain, the
shipping and the city almost buried in
foliage in the distance with the lofty
background of serrated mountains, and
near foreground of snow.crested break ers
curling many miles to the westward, is
exceeding picturesque and pleasing to the
eye. The enchantment which dista nee
lends to the view is gradually dissolving
as the steamer slowly creeps up the par-
row channel into the little bay, and when
at length the huge ship is safely moered
along side the dock, other novel sights
and scenes amuse the stranger before he
leaves the deck
The peculiar dress, the mixed crowd,
the vehicles, the coral, fruits, goldfish.
shell pedders,the Babel jargon Of French,
German, Portuguese and Kanaka, the
Hindoo. Spaniard, Maylay, Afri.
can, Chinaman, Chiian, Russian, Tahi.
tan, Iudian, Briton, Hawaiian and the
over inquisitive Yankee, children of the
sunny South, the frozen North, the East
and the West, jabbering and jostliug and
crowding to the front, each faithfully 10.
ing his part to keep up perfect me LEY
Of confusion
From this scene you can easily ina inc
what occurred few thousand years ago
at the Tower OF Babel every nation ln-
der the sun, and other. unnamed in ais.
tory are here represented The apo, les
had no better field in which to dis. ay
their gift OF languages on the day of T. On.
tecost Leaving the ship and all his
confusion behind we were driven to the
Hawaiian Hotel, where one is inpre led
at once with an air Of quiet aud comfort.
This elegant establishment stands ia q
central part Of the town 1t was bull, in
1871, is l2O by 80 feet, and is surround.
ed by broad, airy verandah. The pr N.
ises cover two acres Of ground, which is
shaded by SO many beautiful trees, and
such rich profus!on of enchanting top.
ical flowers, as to eIectrify the behol Ter
with the charming power Of admiral on
When Illuminated at night with flaming
torches, one can easily imagine he is
dreamily gazing upon the descripi i've
paintings of the Arabian Nights. 1his
genuine tropical gem cost $3.50, ,0OO The
royal palace Parliament house. churches,
and post office are all within a few min.
utes' walk Of the hotel The streets are
quite narrow and irregularly laid out, but
well macadamized with coral and black
lava SO that they are always smooth and
dry, The site Of the town gradually
rises as you leave the wharves and hus.
iness center, and in the more elevated To-.
cality the residences of native and for ign
inhabitants may be found densely shroud.
ed with foliage, trees and flowers in rro.
fusion. A few are indigenous, such as
the coooanut, palm, the screw palm, the
bread fruit, ohia or native apple, the
roa, the han and the kukui or candle.
nut tree. Many of the handsome trees
have been introduced from foreign coan.
tries Among them are the mangoes, op.
ulent 10 delicious fruit, the tamai nd,
Chinese orange, sweet orange, lime, ALI.
gator, pears. citron, custard apple, fig,
coffee, bananas, papaias, peach date pa IN,
magnolia, algarobas, and samany. Also
varieties of acacia, the eucalyptus, Nor.
folk and Caledonia pine, the royal and
fan palm, Indian banyan, bamboo. loquot
Chinese plum, pepper, cinnamon and
spice trees Coolly shaded by the ich
foliage Of these trees are the dwelling. OF
the rich and poor, each with its gar len
cohtaihlug uelicate representatives II ON
the fora of nearly every country under
the sun
The dwellings Of the io,eign resid nts
are constructed either Of stone or wood,
and surrounded with verandahs. Water
is brought in iron pipe, TO every house,
so that the poorest can enjoy daily hath
and feast their eyes on legion Of fyral
gems. The royal palace Is a neat and
tasty establishment, not particularly i'm
posing in its general appearance. Its
grounds are artistically ornsmented with
shl ubs, trees, flowers, fountains, walks
and driveways, and concrete wall On
the opposite side Of the street and direct.
ly in front stands the new Pariam ent
building, called in the native language
4IiioI011i Hale II was araatad IN $40