Thomas County cat., 1890-04-17
A TRIP TO THE SANDWICH ISLANDS
Honolulu, 81. L, Mch. 6, go.

GLORIOUS climate of California be-
cause of the excessive rains, snow blocK-
ades. non-arrival of mails, ETC, when
picked up morning paper IN San
Francisco. and my eye fell on the ad-
vertisement of the Oceanic steamship
company. and saw that the AUS
tralia, sailed for Honolulu on January
81. it did not take me long to make
ND nv mind to trip to the Hawaiian
Islands, especially as Hilo. on the
island of Hawaii, is my birthplace. Pro-
ceedlng to the Office of Jno. d.
Spreckles & Bro, 327 Market street, L
soon completed arrangements and had
secured passage for myself and wife to
the Sandwich or Hawaiian Islands.
On Friday, the 31st of January,
we sailed out of San Francisco bay
through the Golden Gate, through
the heads where we dropped our
pilot and were fairly started on a
weeks voyage on beard the steam
ship Australia, H. G. Houdlette, cap
tain Without gong into detail to
tell how each day was passed, suffice it
to say We were fortunate to be on a
ship commanded by SO courteous set
of officers who put forth every effort
for the comfort and pleasure of her
passengers. and that they succeeded in
their efforts was attested by every one
on board.
The weather was beautiful during
the entire trip, and before the time be-
gan to drag or hang heavily we landed
in Honolulu-the capital of tie king
} dom, and for all the trip had been SO
pleasant we We're glad to land and find
ourselves on terra tirma again.
The custom house officials are court
eous and 90 through the forma!ity of
examining baggage with very little de-
lay-in fact it is merely a formality.
and we were driven to the Royal Ha-
waiian Hotel, where everybody stops in
Honolulu. After a hurried attention
to toilets we were soon seated at lunch
the first meal on shore in seven days,
and it was enjoyed, too.
What shall l say of Honolulu? I
wish | could describe it SO your read
ers could see it as [ have seen it, but
that cannot be for the eye alone can
carry to the brain a correct idea of its
beauty. 1t is city of 25,000 people -
and a most hosp;table reople, too; peo-
pie that will turn their houses over to
you if necessary to make your visit
pleasant. Its streets are smooth, well
kept, and bordered with growth OF
tropical vegetation that partly hides
the beautiful houses sitting back from
the street. 1t lies at tho foot o. noun
tains that rise to height of about a
thousand feet above the city, and from
these mountains come the most beauti
full little valleys you can possibly i'm
agine. They are all settled and culti-
waited and the beautiful homes located
in them add to their attraction. They
are really part of the city.
Right directly in the rear of the town
rises mountain that was at one time a
full grown volcano-and the old crater
is still plainly to be seen. This is called
the Punch Bowl, and TIE name is We v
appropriate. 1t is easily reached by a
splendid carriage road built by the
government, and from tie top of the
hill the view is grand in the extreme
Nesting at the foot of the hill is Homo
lulu in all her beauty, the harbor and
shipping. the rice and sugar rlanta-
tions, the banana groves, the karo
patches, fish ponds-the beautiful
homes lying Just outside the city
proper-the Oahu prison, the home for
INDECENT Hawaians, the Palace, and
other public buildings, all taken to-
gether, as sen from the Punch Fowl,
make sight once seen never to be for
gotten. Another place o equal inter-
est is the Pail which means mountain J
This is reached by delightful drive OF
six miles through and to the head of
Nuanu valley. The road continues
over the mountains, but when You
have reached the top, you feel as
though You had gone as far as YOU
ever wanted TO go. and You stand en-
tranced at the vision that meets your
eve. A beautiful valley les before you:
You see the roads leading in all d rec
tions through it. looking like mere
trails from your elevated position. Su-
gar plantations and little villages cover
the entire valley even to the edge o.
ocean in the distance-a beautiful foli-
age adds to the attractiyeness of the
scene.
Waikiki is another of the attrac-
tions of Honolulu. 1t is the place where
everybody goes for ocean bathing. 1t
lies along the beach, and most de-
delightful ride of miles brings you
to the branch OF the ROYAL Hawaii
an hotel-where we stop for our bath.
An elegant swim, and thea an hours
lounging around the Branch on the
broad verandahs. in the lazy and COM
fort3ble hammocks, makes you wish
the days might last forever. I think 1t
is the hest bathing place l have ever
seen. The beach is protected from
rough water by coral reef little dis
tance out. which makes the water
smooth. and it is so Gear that you can
see the bottom at quite depth. The
water Is of an equable temperature.
and many parties are made for a
moonlight ride and bath at Wal
kiki. Ii it is desired guests of the
hotel can arrange to spend portion