Middletown transcript., 1876-09-02
written for the Middletown Transcript
Centennial Notes No. 5.
HAWAI-.

y l.
This island is the largest Of group
Of eight. composing the Sandwich
Islands. which are governed by King
Kalakaua, who paid us visit some time
ago. His wife, Queen Kapiolani, is a
fine specimen Of a royal negress, as is
also the dowager queer, Emma. The
display Of minerals is very fine, and
also the Grated formations. some Of the
latter resembling statuary at distance.
Some oil paintings. by native artists,
are very creditable. especially one re-
presenting an Indian fighting with
grizzlies. A case Of native birds in
this department showed considerable
taste in arrangement. in connection
with the native MOSES and lichens.
Some curious covered, round boxes are
exhibited, which, we learned on en-
quiry were Koa boxes. and were used|by
the natives to eat their food. or mush
(called poey) out of, using no spoons
but their second, third. and fourth
fingers to. scoop it up. Some Kukui
OIL. made from the candle nut tree is
shown; also a fibre called Olona, and
one of the strongest fbres known.
Coffee, sugar, rice, and castor oil are
also seen in this exhibition. A beauti-
full plait. called silver-sword. which
grows from eight to twelve thousand
feet above the sea, is also exhibited !;
different kinds of wood are also shown,
among which we noticed saffron, man.
go volcano, and tamarind Sulphur
and ochre are also among the products.
Among the fancy articles is Tahi-
tian cloak, made from the bark of the
bread fruit tree and trimmed with
shells. Its simplicity was its only re-
deeming quality. Quite, number Of
photographs of idols are given-some
very fat, and some very lean /; some all
nose, and some minus nose. We
suppose this is to suit all tastes. Some
beautiful ferns, pressed in books, re-
called to our minds some shady hooks
in Pennsylvania, where the water
trickled down on just such ferns, near
ly hidden in the rocks and held in fond
embrace by velvet moses.
One of the most curious specimens
here was birds nest, made Of what is
called Pelics hair-this and another
being the only ones known to exist.
The material of which it is composed is
of the same nature as spun glass, and
cannot be handled by the naked hands,
the hair is so fine, go sharp, and so
brittle. How the birds ever managed
it is a mystery. Some beautiful speci-
mems of Grated formations from Kilauea
are arranged in glass case, in con-
junction with the birds nest. A wreath
of shells and MOSES showed some taste
of the natives. The arrow root plant
seems to furnish material for the max
ing of various articles--such as hats,
fans, baskets, &c. A shell necklace is
also exhibited Some hanging baskets
of what is called mushroom coral, and
filled with pink coral branches, are
hung up in one Of the cases This
mushroom coral is white, and does not
look unlike mushroom. Some fine coral
is also seen here. A Tahitian gala hat
in the same case, composed Of bamboo
and arrow root plant. may be considered
a stylish lyle over there, but would not
be much admired by our city lads. A
beautiful table. inlaid with thirty diff
ferent native woods, is also shown.
Photographs of Honolulu and other
towns, and also plenty Of the royal
family are to be seen in several places
in the exhibit. A very sweet, blue
eyed girl has charge Of this depart
ment, to whom we are indebted for in
formation; but we think there should
be with this, as with nearly all other
foreign exhibits, some natives Of Ha-
waii, SO that we could see all the ma
tions represented here.
RosALEINE.