The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1881-06-04

"a There will be a contest on Monday ever
ing for the post Of Second Assistant Engineer
the Honolulu Fire Department between Messr,
Levers, Dodd and Lemon. The poll will b
open from : to 9 A. NJ, at the Engine House c
Mechanic Engine Co. No. .,
- Pinafore, as performed by our amateu
lyric and dramatic company, has been a con
tinued success, on the occasion of five differen
representations, the proceeds of which hav
been devoted TO various benefits. The last pei
formance takes place this evening, which vii
be for the benefit Of Fire Company No. 2. w
witnessed the performance twice; and had GU
pleasure, on the first occasion, increased by
second hearing of the operetta by our amateurs
and we doubt not this 9Th presentation of Pin
afore will be the best of all. Go on this occa
sion, not only to be well entertained, but t.
assist a most deserving and important organize.
ton. I
e A couple of blocks along King Street
beyond Mr.. Wards artesian well, Messrs. Cooke
and Peddler have made a successful boring fo1
Nh. Loo Ngawk. This new well is about a hundred
yards makai of the line of the street, and is in
tended to supply water to rice fields now being
redeemed from waste of the rushes that lies
between King Street and the sea. Water was
struck at a depth of 6O2 feet, and a little below
that depth a supply was secured at least twice
as great as that of Mr.. Wards well. We have
some interesting notes on this sabject for next
weeks issue.
e Capt. Browns Mortuary Report for the
month of May, presents only one notable feature
viz the marked decrease in the number of
deaths from smallpox. There are only 80 as
against II in the previous month and 1913 in
March. OF the deaths from other causes in May
10 are recorded as { from old age 1t must be
noted with regret that out of ninety-eight deaths,
no less than thirty-six were cases in which the
deceased received no medical attendance. The
number of these unattended cases has often been
a subject of remark and it is painful to find the
neglect of medical advice so decidedly on the
Increase as this return shows it to be.
- A kahuna's bundle, containing what may
be called death-charms was found by some boys
in one of the streams near town, close to a
frequented bathing place. 1t contained kalo,
fish, ava root, sugar cane, etc. The idea of the
would-be sorcerer is presumed to have been that
the victim, whom he is praying to DEATH"
would go to his usual bathing place and so fall
under the influence of the spell to be communi-
Gated by the contents of the bundle. The
superstition connected with these practices
seems still to be as widespread among the
natives, as the belief in witchcraft was two
hundred years ago in other parts of Christendom.
- During the past week one of the patent
OdOrless Excavators for which Mr.. c. o. Berger
is tue agent in this Kingdom, has been put to
work i'll Honolulu by the Board of Health. The
want of a proper receptacle for the nightsoil of
the city was Immediately felt. To get rid of
that removed by the EXcavator, a series of holes
were dug on u~nOccupied land mauka of the
residences of well known citizens on Beretania
street, and the deposit as received there was
buried at once. But immediate burial did not
prove sufficient to prevent a nuisance arising
from this improvised Manure Depot" Such
unbearable doors were developed during the
process of discharge into the pits, that the resi-
Tents in the neighborhood at once besieged the
of the Interior who, we are glad to |
'ecord, promptly capitulated and ordered the
to be carried off to the neighborhood of
'ome one else's ~nostrils. When is all the talk
sanitary measures for Honolulu to result
N some practical work in that direction ? The
rbc,,r'Sr i heavy rain, like that of Thursday
light, occurs.
g In China they use as a means of identi-
the print of a mans thumb. Whenever
man falls into the hands of any officer of the
aw one of the first things done is to take a
,rint of his thumb: it is smeared with l%ampblack,
partially wiped, and then pressed down upon a
piece of fine white rice paper. Let any one
the print of his thumb taken in this
way, and he will find that it presents a curious
and interesting diagram of tiny ridges or cords
wound round and round in intricate spirals.
And no two thumbs in all the world are exactly
alike. A student of thumb prints is said to
recognize with a great deal of precision the iden-
tity OF an individual. The Chinese police
place more confidence in a thumb print, than in
the photo. of a face as a guarantee of identity
among Chinese physiognomies. Our authorities
would do well to look into this matter. They no
doubt understand doing things by rule of thumb,
and appreciate highly the situation of a man
under their thumb. But let them take lessons
in thumb delineation and when they get their
thumb on a man, to be sure and take his thumb,
in case they may want him again. Thumb
things can be done as well as others.
e A boy who inhabits Beretania street, tried
an old joke on his aunt.
Say, Auntie, have you heard abont Mr..
Brown ?"
"Why no, dear. What has happened to him ?"
This morning he got up early"
Yes, yes, and had an"
'sWait till 1 tell you. He got up early and
rubbing his hands together, said he felt very
WE'LL
"And then one of his turns came on" put in
Auntie in an excited tone.
just wait. He said he felt very well. Mrs.
Brown was doing some popovers at the stove,
and Brown he went out to throw some paddy to
the hens. He came back to the house, still
rubbing his hands and saying that he felt vel"