The Hawaiian gazette., 1891-06-09
THE PEARL OF TUE PACIFIC.
"THE HOME OF THE SUGAR
CANE"
Many Business Advantages of Pearl
City or Pearl River.
10y LIONEL sTAGGE.1

Honolulu is the capital, was first
discovered in 1894, and was then
called Fairhaven. The natives at
the time of discovery were subject
to the most savage superstition, and
it was not until Kamehameha the
Great, who was then chief of the
Island of Hawaii, met in combat Ka-
hekili, the chief of Oahu, and totally
destroyed the feet of the latter that
Honolulu's era of peace and pros
perity set in. Kahekili, in mes
sage to his triumphant foe, pleaded
for q truce. "Wait till the black
tapa covers me-" said he, "and my
kingdom shall be yours" His death
shortly followed. On this island,
then, for the pleasure seeker as well
as for the invalid in search of COW
eted good health, Honolulu presents
the most widely diversified attrac-
tons. Situated in the centre of
Hawaii's matchless group. 1.-The Isle
of OAHU" with its magnificent ship
ping facilities at Pearl Harbor, in a
matchless climate and surrounded
by every natural advantage such as
nature has bestowed upon no other
region, is indeed a most desirable
and popular resort. Here is the
natural home of the sugar cane
(which the venerable Theophrastus,
who lived about 800 years before
the Christian era, the first writer
whose works have come down to us
by whom sugar is mentioned, and is
called a sort of "honey extraction
from canes or reeds" and tells US Of
the reeds in India that yields honey
without bees. The original habitat
Of the sugar cane is not known, but
seems to have been first cultivated
in the country extending from
Cochin China to Bengal. Sugar
reached the West from India at a
comparatively late date. Strabo has
an inaccurate notice from Nearchus
of the India honey bearing reed"
and various classical writers of the
first century Of our era notice the
sweet sap of the Indian reed or even
the granulated salt-like product
which was imported from India or
from Arabia and Opone these being
entrepots of Indian trade), under the
name of Saccbrum and used in medi-
cine. Under the Arabs the growth
and manufacture of the cane spread
far and wide from India to SUI IN
Morocco. and was also introduced
into Sicily and Andalusia. 1t was
through this source of revenue that
Charles ". obtained funds for his
palace building at Madrid and To-
ledo.
At the invitation of Mr.. Benz.
F. Dillingham;, a wealthy gentleman
of Honolulu, and to whom the coun-
try owes much for the enterprising
spirit displayed in building up the
country at large, the writer visited
the plantations of the Oahu Railway
and Land Company, and to this gen
tleman, as well as the efficient super
intendents of the cane and rice
plantations, he is under obligations
for their hospitality and courtesy,
enabling him to see all the beauties
of this Eden spot in our Hawaiian
Italy. Winding through a region
of rich arabic lands, dotted here and
there with lofty cocoanut trees wav-
ing their plumes gently in the breeze,
magnificent royal palms, the bread
fruit and algeroba trees, which fur
nish inviting shade to tired travellers
or well-fed kline, the Pearl River pre-
sents view truly picturesque as it
wanders in and out among the trees
and grassy banks, now tumbling
over its rocky bed of rapids and
again moving lazlly along through
the deep, dark shaded pools where
sport the tinted mullet. Away in
the distance, beyond the foot hills,
are seen the purple mountains with
their crested peaks which seem to
pierce the azure dome, and the deep
shadows of the dark canyons, which
appear like black monsters standing
near their base, the brilliant sun
shine, the clear blue of the sky, the
view OF the sunlit slopes and dane
ing, glittering sea, while all through
the valley vines, towering shrubs,
ripping streams, mystic retreats and
charms beyond description.
Pearl City is so situated as to be
provided with the most ready means
Of transportation for passengers and
freight, while rail and water will be
used in direct competition, thus in
suring for all times the most moder-
ate rates. The coast division of the
Oahu Railroad, leaving at Honolulu,
traverses the foot of many q valley,
passing directly through the heart
of the most productive portion of
the country and tapping nearly
every place of importance. On the
line of the railroad are various
towns, all laid out upon the building
of the railroad and all with great ex-
pectations based upon the develop
ment of the surrounding region. Up
to the time of the completion of the
railroad, this locality was devoted
almost entirely to stock. But under
the management and by the enter
prise OF one man, there have been
planted thousands of acres of sugar,
rice, bananas, etc., all of which pro-