The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-08-28
VIEWING THE RANCHES
(Editorial Correspondence Of the
Bulletin.
MONDAY, August 18th.

hoNDaI, AuSuou is'h'
This morning, there was mounting
in hot haste for Honolulu. Not that
any one really desired to get away
from Kahuku, with its genial hospi-
tality and its panoramic views of
land and water: but the attractions
Of home, the cares of business, and
the hankering after the vain and
Elusive eXcitements of the sanctum
convinced every man that the duty
lying nearest to him is manifestly
to get to Honolulu. A detour through
and over some of the rugged spurs
of the mountains spreads out in one
view the beautiful ocean-fringed
plains referred to in yesterdays let
ter. A short halt is made for near
inspection of Malaekahana, which,
with the aid of its exciting legend,
vivid imagination might convert
into text for long series of phi
losophical and sentimental rehec-
tions. But getting back to Homo
lulu, and not rejecting, is the order
of the day, this time. The settle
ment of Laie is a pretty spot occu-
pied by body of Mormons. A
cluster of snug cottages, and few
cultivated plots, with church and
school house, recall to mind that this
island is inhabited by few of the
'lesser barons" of landed proprie-
torship. OF course, it would be
very much better if these home
steads were occupied by citizens of
a creed more suggestive Of solid
theological requirements; but be
they Mormons or Tartars, there is
refreshing variety in the simple fact
of finding this much of the country
appropriated to the sole use and
service of a section of the human
family. For the next ten miles or
50, sundry habitations dot the road
side at long intervals. Punaluu
boasts of Chinaman's store, heavily
stocked, and where we are told that
buyers can be suited as well as in
Honolulu. 1t is the first telephone
station after leaving Waialua. The
instrument is kindly placed at the
disposal of the homeward bound
Honoluluans, who, of course, create
big sensation in the city when
their expected arrival, this very day,
is signalled. And no wonder, for
has not the capital of the kingdom
been deprived, for whole week, of
the presence of some of it's most in
dispensable residents? Another four
or five miles with the mountains on
the one hand and the ocean on the
other, and if the traveller is of a
poetic turn, the air of Kahana will
surely be the breath of inspiration,
and the more so, if grand mountain
scenery contributes anything of fuel
for the MUSES. flame. Kahana is,
like Laie, known as "a Mormon
settlement" Not much poetry in
that fact, but there is practical value
in the existence of the community,
for it indicates that where people
take possession of these lands to
live on, they can do it. The poetry
of kahana, however, is in its situa-
ton. The village stands at the head
of low valley in an almost semi
circular mountain ridge, the valley
opening and widening as it recedes
seaward. Nesting in the shadow
of the ridge, although the hour is
well advanced towards noon, none
of these roofs have, as yet, been
touched by the rays of the morning
sun. For mile after mile, the road
now continues to wind along the
bases of high precipitous rock built
mountains, or runs close along the