The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1891-12-29

ought to be trained to carry ladies
ana men from the hotel, down the
cliffs and across the bottom of the
crater to the lake of HaIemaunau.
In the Andes mules travel over far
worse lava paths than anything found
IN hl!auea, and there is no reason
why they may not be trained here.
How pleasant it would be for the
ladies, especially those who are not
accustomed to take such walks or
possess ample means to pay any extra
expenses that mule ride might in
volve.
1t has been suggested that q path
might be cut down the bluff on the
west side of the crater, just beyond
the hill known as "UWekahuna,n on
which a flagstaff has stood for many
years. If this can be done it would
land the tourist on the floor of the
crater only few hundred yards from
the burning lake. The suggestion is
worth looking into.
OLD RECORD BOOKS.
Returning to the hotel, where a
blazing fire attracts the visitor to the
social room, he sits down to look over
the record books, of which there
are here three large volumes filled
with thousands of names, some of
them familiar to residents of other
countries as we'll as of Hawaii. The
Oldest of these dates back to 1865, and
the three contain the records of twenty
seven years. The first volume opens
with the date of February 2, 1865, and
on the first few pages of the book we
find the names of Charles Wolcott
Brooks, Capt. J. Worth, o. H. Gulick,
Thomas Spencer, VIM. 7. Brigham,
c. N. Spencer, Capt. Hanham, Abrm.
Fernandez, G. P. Judd, w., Claude
Jones, Gen. Ed. M. McCook, with
of Madame Pele." Captain Hanham
was the owner of the yacht Themis,
then on a cruise around the world
with his wife. Following this entry
are some verses by Mrs. Hanham,
two CT three of which may be inserted
here:
THE VOLCANO OF KILAUEA.
" We roamed DER many foreign land,
I've sailed DER many a sea,
But midst them all, volcano grand,
There's naught can equal thee!
" The simple natives of the land
Deem that goddess great
Lives meath the fiery surging strand,
And deals to them their fate.
" 1t may be ours, our path to take,
Again through chimes as fair,
But naught on earth can ever break,
Thy charm, Oh Kilauea''
JOSEPHINE T. D. HANHAM.
kllauea, Sept. L, 1865.
MARK TWAIN'S EXPERIENCES.
In one of these volumes are pre-
served the full series of letters written
by Mark Twain to the Sacramento
Union, during his stay of six months
in these islands in 1866. There are
sixteen of the letters, some relating
to the Volcano, others to sketches and
travels on the other islands, and one
describes the funeral of the Princess
Victoria, who was the sister of Kings
Kamehameha ". and V. The entire
series are intensely interesting and
full of the humor of that inimitable
humOrist, who is still living and at
last accounts spending the winter in
France or Italy. How these letters
came to be preserved in the Volcano
records is mystery, but they will be
read with much interest, as among
the earlier writings of Mr.. Clemens,
who while in Honolulu was fire.
quent contributor to the columns of
this paper, then owned and edited by
the writer, whose office was his head
quarters in Honolulu.
WHERE ARE THEY
There are two volumes of the vol
cano records, dating from about 1916
to 1864, filled with sketches and pic
lures, while the volcano house was in
charge of Benz. Pitman. These two
volumes were rebound for Mr.. P. by
the writer about 1855, and are sup
posed to have been taken by Mr.. P.
to Boston, when he returned thither
with his family. One of the volumes
is said to be now in the Hampton In
stitute Library, and both may be
there perhaps. They ought to be re-
covered and placed in the public
library in Honolulu, as they contain
much relating to the early history of
Kilauea, aud of visitors there, which
will be worth preserving for refer
ence. II. M. WHITNEY.