The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1879-12-03

Cruising among the Sandwich Islands
| was tempted into tour to the great
island Hawaii, to visit its groves of
tropical trees, its waterfalls, and noun
tain-clefted canyons, whose counterpart
is found only in the rocky chasms of
the Yosemite, and to stand on the brink
and gaze into the crater of the largest
living volcano i'm the world. Hawaii
is one vast tropical garden, covered with
a rich luXuriance of blooming flowers,
whose sweet fragrance and daily colors
gladden. its island shores perpetually.
There is no winter in its temperate
cline. The leaves rustic, the vines
Irvine their trailers among evergreen
forests, the fruits ripen, and blossoms
open their fragrant mouths, anda green
coat of grass covers the island every
day i'm the year. Many groves of coffee
trees clad in green berries, and opening
flowers grow along the mountain side,
and orange trees i'm their shining leaves
and golden balls, pine-apples with their
yellow fruit, manages and native apples
among the tall-stemmed groves of CO.
coanuts, with their round tops, grow in
wild profusiOn along the crater slopes.
Plantations, and cane-fields and sugar
mills cover its valleys. Villages of ma
tive huts and grass-thatched cottages
sit among the shade of the cOcoanuts
along the reef-bound shores. Three tall
mountain peaks-the Mountain Broth
ers-rise over the island to "a height of
$1,000 feet, capped in a helmet of snow,
on whose white crowns the tropical sun
looks down in unveiled splendOr. Wild
hogs and ferOciOus bulls infest the dense
forest up along their mountain heights.
Many heather temples of imperishable
masonry, but rude designs, still stand
along the seashore, on whose affairs, in
olden days, the untutOred natives offer
ell up to their imaginary gods, pigs, or
natives, whichever came handy. The
missionaries have now overthrown their
ancient idolatry, and by their ruined
temples and broken affairs erected many
noble churches and cathedrals, whose
slender spires can be seen with their
fingers pointing into the heavens, on
every mountain side, and through ev-
cry native hamlet for miles along the
sea. On the western shores of this is
land Captain Cook, the famous naviga-
tor, was slain. \ monument stands at
the spot where he died, as a tribute to
his memory. The native islanders have
now attained high scale of civilian
ton, are most courteous and kind, and
the most universally educated race on
the face of the earth. The young ma
tive women are, some of them, beauti-
fully formed, and wear long tresses OF
black hair, and loose flowing gowns,
wreathes of wild flowers around their
heads, and garlands of green leaves
about their necks They are of a warm
religious temperament, and enter into
their church services with the ardour of
enthusiasm. L know of no more soul
stirring music than echoes of the chO-
ruses yelling up from the lava church
es among the wild woods of Hawaii.
While the natives possess but little en-
ergy of character las they have allowed
the great body of their landed property
to slip into the hands of foreigners they
levy heavy charges on travellers pass
ing through their beautiful islands. An
old plug of a horse is charged as much
for a days ride as his bones and hide
would bring at public sale. But these
extravagant charges are instigated by
dissolute whites.
The natives still hold the reins of a
limited monarchical government, but
the policy and administrative functions
of the Government are engineered and
shaped by the foreign residents.
The island capital is located, at Homo
lulu. Here King Kalakaua resides,in a
little palace. Honolulu numbers about
30, 900 people. 1t is beautifully situated
at the base of fern-cOvered mountains,
along cocoanut-bOrdered beach, with
waving groves of palms covering Its
squares.
The American Government has a
Minister and consul resident here, and
all the European courts and South
| American republics have representa-
tives at Kalakaua's court. The Native
Government have an elegant parlia-
ment-house at Honolulu, with spacious
grounds and cOmmOdiOus halls. The
Government also has one of the best
appointed hotels of modern days ut
their pretentious little capital. Every
comfort and convenience of domestic
! life are found at this island caravansary.
a great number of passengers to ana
/ from the Colonies and Great Britain
stop over month ut this midway
house in the Pacific for season of trOp-
zeal repose and island ramble. The in
fiated young monarchy of Hawaii has
made many substantial Improvements
over their little kingdom. Good roads
and attractive drives intersect the tour
list but | may say their public inn
provements are not yet paid for, while
their hotel is a bone of contention with
the Government, whose veXatiOns and
rivaling complications resulted i'm "a late
dissolution and dismissal of the Kings
| Ministers. But traveller cannot find
n more interesting spot to spend a
months holiday. The novel, new and
strange objects in natural and human
contrast attract the eye, and leave a
long and pleasing impression on the
mind. The amount of side and hustle,
the governmental blow-outs put Oh
here, and the noise and libel the news
papers can create astonish even the Ma
tives. Two journals have their being
here, and their hands are at each Others
fhroatS CONTINUALLY Whap thav ax-