Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1883-03-03

domicile. There was no bridge over the Wal
luku, the passage being made over plank, laid
from one projecting rock TO another, through
the rapidly flowing stream. Neither, of course
was there any bridge over the other stream,
the Waiakea. There were no sugar planta-
tons, save single one, by Chinese, on the
site of the now Spencer Plantation, which cul.
tivated few modest acres, and boosted a mill
composed of wooden rollers and operated by
OK power. In the harbor were several whale.
ships, the crews Of which were occupied in the
somewhat perilous business of filling casks with
water and rafting them off from the Waikiki.
remember several instances in which the
boats were capsized in the surf, which here
rolls in from the broad Pacific, and one sailor
drowned. There was ten-pin alley on the
beach, kept by Chinaman, named Tohn Ena.
Il suppose they would call him Alma, now)
whose children are to-day respectable and re.
spected members of society. The restaurant
of John Ena and bowling alley were the re.
sorts OF the officers and crews Of the whale.
ships, while the Captains made their head
quarters at Benz Ptmans. Ptman wos at
that time the principal man in Hilo. He had
married pretty chiefess named Kinoole, a
iavorte OF kamehameha Ill, by whom he
had several children. and through whom, un.
der the old system, he was virtually governor
OF the districts of 1ilo, Puma and Hamakua
But iiilo had absolutely no business in those
days, beyond supplying the whale-ships, which,
to the number of six or seven, semi-annucllv
visited the port.
| found different Hio on my visit the
other day The grass houses had all disap
peared, and in their places were neat wooden
structures. | could not find Benz. Pitmans
house or store, and Mr.. Coan's church was
gone, being replaced by prim-looking mod.
ern butt edlhce. Then there was another
church ediice, erected as | was told, 10 sup
ply the wants Of foreigners, whose numbers
have largely increased in Hio in these years, and
who was glad to hear, form very pleasant
society. had the privilege of meeting, during
my brief stay of several hours, Judge f. s
Lyman, of the Circuit Court, MI Severance
the Sheriff and Postmaster, and the Messrs.
hitchcock, Attorneys at Law, experienced
ron them all the expression of hearty hospi-
iaiity which is so characteristic of people on
these Islands, well-outside of Honolulu.
As have said, flilo has grown very much,
and improved ever much, in the thirty.two
years, But am convinced that she has vet a
great future before her, The railway is vet to
make Hilo. The interchangeable sam Wilder
going to build the Hilo and Hamakua Rail-
road, and then, instead of the slow perilous
mode OF shipment by schooners, at the surf
bound landings, all the way from Hilo TO Ku.
kulhaele, on which money is worse than
wasted year by year, the sugars will be con-
veyed by rail direct TO store-house at Waia-
kea, and thence be shipped. direct to the for.
eisn market. | venture to prophecy this result
in very few years.
In sailing along the Hamakua coast, it was
to me like an entirely new region. When |
rode through it in 1851, about the only for.
eigner living in the district was l. III. Mori.
son, (see Hawaiian Reports, p. 272 a supra, }
whose wife, keohohiwa, was the Konohiki OF
the great land of Paauhau. Now, found the
whole landscape, near the seashore, dotted
with settlements, of this and that plantation,
the tall chlmnies piercing the skies on every
hand, and the green fields Of cane spreading
GU, TO right and left and up towards the noun.
tain. Large as has been this development, it
is destined TO be doubled and even quadrupled,
when the railroad shall have been built, for
there are many thousands of acres of virgin soil
IN Hamakua yet to be brought under cultiva-
ton.
Had made the trip by land instead of by
sea, might have given you detailed account
OF the present and prospective riches of this
yet undeveloped sugar growing region, whose
motto ought to be, Excelsior.
II. l.. S.