Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1890-05-01

LAUPAHoEHoE, Htw All, Mar. Is, ls90.
My DEAR GRANDP. :-Agreeably 70 YOUR
desire. | herewith send you a brief de-
scription of the Hawaiian Islands upon tn.
largest Of which-Hswaii, | am now resjd-
ing, together with short account about
the climate, productions. Industries, habits
and customs Of the people, and which,
should you and the editor Of the AMEkI-
CAN consider of sufficient interest TO merit
publication, you are at liberty To print.
have read the copies of the AMERICAN,
which you have been 80 very kind 10 send
T. me, with deep interest, especially your
Old native town of Bluelill together with
notes and incidents relating to the peo-
pie, with some of whom | was acquainted
in the days of my childhood, and around
whom and the place of my birth cluster
many pleasing and fadeless memories.
With my minds eye | can see the build
ing, the mill-brook, the gardens and the
farms in and around the village, which.
with the beautiful bay in front and the
majestic mountains in the back ground,
would make splendid landscape painting,
copy Of which would be most pleasing
to me.
The Hawaiian Islands are situated about
an eight days journey, by steamer, in a
southwesterly direction from San Francis
co to Honolulu and thence to Laupahoehoe
four or five days are required.
Among this group of islands there are
eight which are inhabited, but only five of
which are of much Importance. The eli
mate is most delightful, being neither very
hot nor cold. The average temperature i.
about 50 degrees, but in the winter month.
il is some colder, especially in the higher
lands and snow falls on the tops of the
| highest mountains.
The atmosphere is very moist and on al
the islands the ground is covered will
| grass which is of bright green the yea
round, especially in the gulches, which ar,
so numerous that on the island Of Hawai-
l
journey of thirty miles. Trees, ferns anC
creepers of all descriptions grow in pro
fuse luxuriousness.
These islands are of volcanic origin ant
on all of them extinct craters are to b.
seen. The largest of them, and, think
the largest in the world, is on the islam,
of Maui 1t is called .Haleakala or Hous
of the Sun" 1t is thirty miles in circum
ference. The sunrise seen from the sum
nit of this mountain is very beautiful
sight and one which tourists, as well a
the residents, often ascend to view
Hawaii is the largest island of the group
upon which is the celebrated and the mos
wonderful and generally the most activ
volcano on the earth. 1t is called "kilau
ca" and to see it many people visit the is
lands.
Before proceed any further am in
clined to give you a short account of Wis
it we made to the crater of this most won
derful volcano. We left Honolulu on
evening on the fine steamer ''kileaua," an
on the morning of the second day out W
were anchored in the charming hay o
Hilo. But before passing on any furthe
must say few words about Hilo; front
ing the bay which is crescent shaped. EN-
powered in trees with the houses appearing
here and there, the mountains in the back
ground and everything in the line of grow
ing things so fresh and green that it is
most beautiful picture as seen from tn
steamer.
We were taken ashore in surf f-boats. q
the water is too shallow for the steame