The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1879-08-30

LaupahOehOe.. P. N
400 A. \.
Thirty-six hours from Honolulu to HiLo, in
GLIDING stoppages to land the mails, passengers
and freight at six different ports must be con-
ceded as excellent time. During all the voyage
the weather was propisiOus, the winds were gen.
tie airs, (for the trades) and not a drop of rain
fell.
Two of the original party left the steamer at
Maalaea, for the purpose of visiting the sugar
estates Of East Maui-someo of the most flourish
ing on the Islands-and more particularly TO
personally inspect the progress of the famous
Ditch and Irrigation Works of the Hawaiian
Commercial Company, of which Claus Spreckles,
Esq. was the protector and Ii. Schussler, ESQ. is
the engineer,-and of which more anon.
Touching at MAIZENA, (Makee's Landing) at
7 O'Clock on Wednesday morning, the steamer
crossed the frequently rough channel between
Maui and Hawaii with much less than the usual
amount of rolling, arriving at Kawaihae at LIS
pm. and at Mahukona, the principal landing and
pO-t of embarkation Of the rich agricultural dis
trict Of KohaIa, at 800. There are six thriving
sugar plantations in Kohala, and room for six
more,-Which it will have when the railroad is
built. Here two more of the excursionists left
the steamer for the purpose of " prospecting
while the main party pursued their way towards
Hilo, whence the land journey vas made to the
volcano. After leaving the landing the steamer
passed rapidly along the shores of Kohala, in
smooth water, and the bright sunlight of a trop-
ical afternoon. The scenery was at once beauti-
full and grand. On the right was the fertile 10
hala district, sloping from the seashore to the
distant wooded mountain range, the white houses
II 4. .uL.hssapFu ofeSn- The lanHcoonn ord
shining in the afternoon sun, with here and there
the tall chimney of a sugar mill amidst the deep
err or lighter green of the surrounding fields of
cane. On the left the Island of Maui, with its
immense extinct crater of Haleakala, showing a
well defined outline above the clouds which, low
er down, chung about the scanned and precipitous
windward side of the island. Steaming around
the North end of the Island Of Hawaii, night over
took the steamer before the tourists could get
more than u glimpse of the grand scenery Of Ha-
makua, with it's steep and rock bound coast and
great ~gulches, down which flow never-failing
streams of water--the district which contains
more rich cane land than any other in the Is-
lands. At ii O'Clock at night the steamer stop
ped at Laupahoehoe Zone Of the big gulches) to
land passengers and mail, and then on to Hilo,
where she arrived at 4 O'Clock in tie morning,
and aroused the inhabitants with the scream OF
her whistle before daybreak.@ In fact, she was
considerably "ahead Of time . all along the
route from Honolulu, and caused people on shore
to inquire :" whats up !"
As our tourists stood on the deck of the steam
err while daylight came over the wide expanse Of
ocean to the eastward and gradually lighted up
the scene, the beauties Of Hilo and it's surround
iDgs drew forth universal expressions OF admira-
ton. just in front was the town Tor whilom
viIlage) Of Hilo, built upon the semi-circle of
the bay, on the sandy beach of which the break
ers reared and foamed, and EMPOWERED amongst
dense foliage of tropical growth were the white
cottages of the residents with here and there a
modest church spire. To the north were seen
the tall c~himneys of sugar mills.
In the background was the towering peak of
Mauna Kea, 10 ,S05 feet above the level of the
sea, the highest land in the group. Farther to
the south east was Mauna Loa, like a huge dome,
only about 100 feet lower than its twin, having
an alt itude OF 1900 feet.
Leaving the pleasant town of Hilo and its hos
pitable residents at halfpast 8 o'clock on Thurs
day morning, the party rode on horseback
through the outrageous wilds along the uplands,
without eneountering a single shower Of rain-a
remarkable circumstance for Hilo, even at this
season-and arrived at the 81 halfway house "
at halfpast u o'clock. Here a rest was had
and lunch, and at 2 pm. at the call of the omni-
present and ever vigilant host and leader (Mr.
Wilder) the party was mounted and away
again on the long upward stretch over undula-
ting q pahoeboe leading to the crater. The
Volcano House was reached at two minutes past
six O'Clock, only two minutes behind the time
previously announced by our host and guide as
that at which we should arrive at the great goal of
our expectations. And here an agreeable as well
as exciting surprise awaited US. That very day
at the hour Of ten ID the morning, the volcano
which, with the exception Of occasional lemon
~strations of life bad been rather torpid-as if in
honor of the strangers who had come so far to
visit it had burst forth in an eruption Of unusual
power and grandeur. From the old pit of Hale
maumau, lin Hawaiian. &" House of Everlasting
Fire y in which although the fire has never
quite disappeared since the memory of man, and
wherein it has sometimes lain for months like a
sleeping giant, it had burst forth with renewed
life. and the Dit was seething like a vast cauldron,
throwing high its pillars of liquid ire and flame,
and sending forth its streams of lava, with loud
explosions and strange subterranean sounds,
"As though an earthquake smaekd its mumblins lips
Ger some thiek-peopled city"
The Volcano House, at which the party were to
pass the night. is a we'll appointed and generally
weIl-managed h~ostelry, situated near the brink of
the grea. crater of Kilauea, on the southern edge.
From Its verandah after supper the tourists had
an excellent view of the magnificent display of ma
lures pyrotechnics going on before them in the
great pit, one thousand feet deep and nine miles
in circumference. The glare of the liquid flowing