The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-06-13

sky. Much time was spent in reading,
and there was some amusement in no.
ticing the paroquets, monkeys and other
pet animals that had been domesticated
on board. On Sundays, rs was custo-
mary throughout, all hands were sum-
moned for divine service, just as at home
in England.
Z The Society Islands we're reached on
November 26. But for thu rise of coral
reef, these islands would scarcely have
an existence, This is one of the won
ders of nature. Our authoress is at
loss to describe the beauty of the scene.
Submarine coral, forests of every color,
studded with seaflowers, anemones and
echinide shoals of the brightest and
swiftest fish darting and flashing in and
out shells, every one of which was tit to
hold the place of honor in concholo-
lgises collection, moving slowly along
with their living inmates; this is what
we saw when we looked down from the
side of the boat into sthe depths below"
On landing at one Of the islands, the
party were Hospitality received by the
natives. Piles of cocoanuts, fish and
fowls were laid down as presents at their
feet. From the cocoanuts they were re.
,freshed by drink of cool milk offered
for their acceptance. For these gifts
there was proper requital. Mrs. Bras,
lsey says: "The women we're gentle and
kind, and were delighted with some
beads, looking glasses and knives gave
them in return for which they brought
ms quantities of beautiful shells" At
the Island Tahiti there Was similar
exchange of courtesies. Papiette is de-
lscribed as quite a town, With q market
affording an immense choice Of articles
for sale: ~ ~
The pleasure of-a tropical cline are
unfortunately apt to be naarred by GER
tain tormeuts. During the rainy season
water falls in solid masses which no tenn
porary shelter can Withstand that, how
ever, is nothing in comparison with the
invasion of insects. A smGll party which
set out in an American wagon for drive
of two days round Tahiti, passed the
night at an inn where the insect pest was
experienced in an unmistakable way.
The rooms were swarming with cock
reaches "about three inches long," which
climbed the walls and were seen in-every
crevice. s'Then there were the mosqui-
toes who hummed and buzzed about US,
and with whom we were doomed to have
a closer acquaintance. Dur bed was
fitted with the very thickest of calico
MOSQUITO curtains, imperyious to the air,
but not to the venomous little insects,
who found their way through every tiny
openingsin spite Of all our efforts to ex-
cfude them. Amidst sufocat-
ipp heat, in the moonlight, were seen
columns of nasty brown cockroaches as
cending the bed posts, crawling along
the top of the curtains, dropping with q
thud upon the bed, and then descend
ing over the side to the ground" Be-
ing 9 unable to stand it any longer, Mrs:
Brassey arose, emptied her slippers OF
the cockroaches, seized on her garments,
aud fed tc the garden, whence, however,
she Was Was driven back by torrents Of rain.
Such is q picture Of certain incon-
venieuees In these tropical islands. Pro-
digious beauty of vegetation, flowers
magnificent, all seemingly Kind OF
paradise-but the plague of insects.
Making run northwards, the Sun
beam reached Hawaii, one of the Sand
wich Islands, on the 422d of December.
Here was the same profusion of beauty
of flowers. The women and girls are
described as being gsily decorated with
wreaths and garlapds, and wearing q
dress of very simple yet not inelegant
fashion, consisting of "a colored, long
sleeved, loose gown reaching TO the
feet"-no tying at the waist, all flowing
and free, with no restraint in walking or
sitting down.
Hawaii, like all the other islands in
the group. is of volcanic origin. XII
lauea, which is still raging, is reckoned
to be the largest volcano in the world,
for its crater is nine miles in circum-
ference. This extraordinary volcano,
situated at the top Of q mountain 5000
feet above the level of the sea, was visit
ed by Mrs. Brassey, although the journey
to il is fatiguing, and the approach to 1t
is attended with some peril: There hap
pens to be comfortable inn near the
brink Of the crater, at which travellers
are accommodated and are furnished
with guides to conduct them with safety
to points Of interest.
According to Mrs. Brnssey's account,
thescene was horribly grand. eve were
standing on the edge of a precipice,
oYerhanging lake of molten fire, hun
dred feet below us, and nearly mile
across. Dashing against the cliffs on the
opposite side, with a noise like the roar
of d stormy ocean, waves Of blood-red,
fiery. LIQUID lava hurled their billows
upon an iron-bound headland, and then
rushed up the face of the cliffs to loss
their CORY spray high in the air. The
restless heaving lake boiled and babbled,
never remaining the same for two min
utes. There WINS an island on
one side of the lake, which the fiery
waves seemed to attack increasingly with
relentless fury, as if ben2 on hurting 1t
from its base. On the other side was
large cavern, iuto which the burning
mass rushed with a loud roar, breaking
down in it's impetuods keadlong career
the gigantic stalactites that overhung the
mouth of the cave, and ainging up the
LIQUID material for the formation OF new
ones. 1t was all terribly grand, magniti,,
Gently sublime; but no words could
adequately describe such :! scene"
The route homeward for the Sunbeam
from Hawaii was by way of Japan, the
Chinasea, the Straits of Malacca, Ceylon,
the Bsy Of Bengal, the Red Sea. the Suez
Canal and the Mediterranean, about
all which there are many amusing
details. As regards the traffic on the
Suez Canal, the gratifying fact is
mentioned that on the day the Sunbeam
entered the canal the sum of s6, 900 was
taken as dues at the Susz Office alone.
The climate of the Mediterranean, which
we are in the habit of ex.olling as bene-
fetal to invalids from northern countries,
suited badly, as we are told, with the
delicate constitution of The pet animals
brought from the South Pacific and
other warm regions. Although tended
with great care, several pined and died