The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-06-17
OUR LETTER FROM HILO.
"a. B. LIS" WEEKLY RESUME
OF LATE NEWS.
Agriculture, Politics, Commerce and
Social Doirgs on the Island
Of Hawaii.

ud( just past, SlOMS Dul oOll) SNll'
biton of the rule, for there has been
little, if any, of the attendant festivities
which usually go to mike that day a
gala one among Hawalians. The day
opened with regular old fashioned Hlo
weather, and the cats and dogs which
tumbled in profusion from the sky dur
ing the morning soon converted many
of the streets into muddy canals. The
weather clerk failed to get over his ugly
mood till about noon, after which the
sun took a hasty peep at things, and
finally emerged giving us beautiful
afternoon.
Whether it is the dampness that has
rendered the Kamehameha day Cele-
bration more merciful this season than
at other times, the fact remains that
there have been fewer walls of agony
from the prosecuted pig which at such
times is ruthlessly slaughtered to cater
t. the Hawaiians' inner wants. The
lanais and luaus have been but few,
and the usual cavalcade of peacock
wreathed hats and MALE les sweeping
through the streets this year non est.
Only occasionally some dusky rider,
with spirits afre from superindulgence
in aguardente, would race by shouting
defiance at phleg matte policemen.
So that taken altogether, June nth
just passed has proven rather lugu
brious anniversary, unless the predic
tons of our Aloha Alma friends that
the ex.Queen would be reinstated on
that day, a report which has been cir
culating here for some time, shall prove
to have been borne out in fact
The unprecedented spell of sultry
weather that has held reign so long is
probably the underlying cause o! so
much sickness around lately A regu-
lar epidemic has been raging here, and
there is hardly family but one or
more of its members are hOyS de com
bat with la grippe. Even our genial
DR.. Williams has been Lid low on a
bed of sickness for some time, so that
now the mission of healing all devolves
upon DIR. Frances Wetmore, and what
would happen if she were to prove
vulnerable to the insidous malady is a
contingency we would rather not con
template.
How different the climate on the
rolling upland slopes of Mauna Kea.
There one feels none OF that lassitude
or the facilitating effects such as are
induced by residence along the low
lands Of the sea coast On these high
lands the climate is dry, salubrious
and invigorating. One tract alone eX-
ceeds fifteen miles in length and lies
between the upper part Of Waiakea and
Laupahoehoe, the upper line winding
along the Mauna Kea slopes and the
lower extending from one to three
miles into the heavy Ohia and Koa
forest. 1t is rolling tract of extreme
fertility, covered with Iuxuriant growths
of bunch grass and here and there with
the rich orchard or blue grass. Irish
potatoes, barley and oats have been
successfully raised, and of the former
two crops can be raised per annum as
the frost during the winter months is
not sufficient to kill them.
Pun %, Aahuwela, Puakala and
Keanakolu are prominent localities in
these parts, all lying outside the forest
line at an elevation of from 5000 to
6ooo feet, just outside the edge of the
forest and above the heavy rain belt,
with sufficient rainfall, however, to sup
ply all the moisture needed for the
growth of agricultural products of all
kinds, and there are never failing
springs of clear, cpld water, fed prob
ably from the SHOWS of Mauna Kea.
On the south edge Of this tract a
trail, which could easily be widened,
leads over the flow of 1880 to Hllo
This lava in many places Is exceedingly
friable and scorieceous, and it would
not be very expensive matter to con
meet with the old Judd road, built in
years gone by from Kona for fifteer
miles, straight over the mountain to-
wards Hio.
From Keanakolu on the north dowr
to Laupahoehoe is only a few miles
which could be connected by gooc
cart road, leading over the Kapa'i
ridge, which, according to Old legends
was the last eruption from Mauna Kea
Near Keanakou also are the Douglas
pits, named so after the distinguished
but unfortunate naturalist, who met hi
death in one of them during tht
thirties.
Contained in this belt is nature
sanitarIum for these tired and worn on
from living in the warm regions along
the sea coast Here the health seeke
will find th-giving heights, wher,
ones outing, riding and hunting vii
create new lease Of life, where gooC
wood fires of an evening are not to b.
despised, and where one contentedl
piles the blankets around during tn