The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-08-24

that the above named establishments are
nowhere excelled for the scrupulous neat
ness and commodious arrangements sup
piled to ameliorate the lniseries of the af-
fieted.
VISIT To sUGAE PLANTATION.
"Our time being limited to ten days in the
country, we could visit only one of the
famous sugar plantations, which we had an
! excellent opportunity Of doing through the
courtesy of Hou. J. A. Cummins, President
of the Waimanalo Sugar Company at Wal
manalo. By special steamer he conveyed a
| small party, consisting of Captain Morse,
/ Colonel Judd, DR.. Keeney and your humble
/ servant, to his property, where we arrived
/ on the Gath, and spent two days inspecting
the manner in which that great industry is
/ conducted. Hundreds of laborers were at
work cutting down the cane, while other
hundreds were engaged III trimming off the
tops and broad leaves, and piling the naked
stalks in bundles ready for transportation to
the extensive steam power mill on one end
of the grounds. This removal of the cane
is done by means of a narrow-gauge railroad
a locomotive and long train of fat-cars
The road traverses the plantation in every
direction, with curves and switches, and is
many miles in extent. Upon these cars the
cane is loaded and hurried TO the mill as
rapidly as possible where the huge pile is
dumped, when the train whirls away for
another load with all possible dispatch.
Often before it returns, which is not long,
every stick of the preceding lot has been
ground to atoms in the enormous machinery,
and the sugar already dried and sacked
ready for transportation to refinery. And
this is the routine of the day, though at
times there has been such scarcity of labor
that the cane was necessarily allowed to
remain standing so long after maturing that
a large percentage of its product would be
wasted away. The wide expanse of land
covered by this luxuriant plant is grand
sight to behold, and though a small army
were daily cutting the tall cane away, it
looked to me as if as many thousand would
be required to clear the plain of its prac-
tically inexhaustible crop. \ steamboat is !
constantly employed in carrying the sugar
from this single plantation to Honolulu. !
where it is shipped to the reineries at San |
Francisco. l cannot forget to state that as |
approached the house of Mr.. Cummins in |
the morning an American flag 40 feet in |
length was raised on the lofty pole in the
lawn to signalize our arrival on that garden
spot of Oahu. The high compliment thus
paid to this country, by this hospitabIe gen
tleman, was the prelude to series of snch
substantial cOurtesies as strangers rarely
find in foreign land. Next day our host, |
from his own stables, provided rs with
horses and attendants to return by land to
Honolulu, distant II miles. This route
from the plantation inward is through as
PICTURESQUE AND VARIED SCENERY
As may seldom be found elsewhere in so
short a space. Pasture lands with herds of
kline denote the presence of the stockman,
whose judgment appears in the fine quality
of the cattle. Rice fields, or rather rice
lakes, spread out to view on every favorable
location, and the s'taro patch," always near,
are matters of agreeable surprise. Beyond |
the lines of cultivation on either side rise
the abrupt, precipitous, volcanic bluffs, the
product of some mighty effort of nature ages
back in the unnumbered cycles of creation.
Up one of these grand activities, the cele-
brated Pail of Oahu, our party assembled on
horseback, at one point having to climb
over 1900 feet in about three-fourths of a
mile. The stupendous grandeur of the
scenery to be observed from the elevation
then reached can only be described by the
articulate inspiration of poesy, and de-
lineated on the artists canvas. All that
land and sea can give to please the eye of
man is visible from the crown of the Pail,
and already several artists of this city have
added renown to their reputation by trans
ferring those incompara bic panoramic views
into their collections. See Stoddard and
host of other writer's for further particu-
lars.] Here we parted company with the
sure-footed animals, which carried US safely
up the mountain where the slip of hoof
might send both animal and rider to newt
able destruction. The return to the city is
completed in the carriages of our princely
host, and all are more than satisfied with
the wonders and splendors of the trip.
VIOLENT STORM.
''Next day, Sunday, began with heavy,
threatening clouds, soon followed by gentle
rains, increasing to severity, and accom-
panied by rising wind which, first stiff
breeze, grew to gale and then tempest.
furious beyond anything seen or heard by
the oldest inhabitant. In comparison the
cyclone was a zephyr and the Dakota biz
card mere borean whisper. Under it the
beautiful, majestic trees of the city fell pros
trate by the hundred or were dragged up by
the roots like feathers. Roofs were injured,
the wires and poles of the telephone COM
panies broken, twisted or carried away, and
all the people alarmed at the most unusual
phenomenon. You can imagine for your
self whatever you please, but it is utterly
out of question to .exaggerate the violent
sublimity of that stormy night.
THE AMERICAN MINISTER.
cot the many other persons 1 met, and to
all of whom we are under lasting obliga-
tons for their unwearied attentions, there
can be nothing said of interest to your
readers, but permit me to remark that at
last, if never hitherto, the people of this
country are represented bv gentleman