The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-21
LIFE AT HONOLULU.
Gossipy Letter From Capt. Cot
ton of the Philadelphia.
GREAT SPORT At sURe-RlolNe.
Uncle SANS TarS Are Center-s OF At
traction - Women Ride A>tride
and swim Like Ducks.


steamer Philadelphia, nov stationed :
Honolulu, writes interesting letters % his
son. G ;. Cotton. Jr. OF ;a4s city. OF iIfe
and manners among the HavaiIans. In
one just received speaking o. Honolulu
proper. he says.
The life here Is very similar TO that
among foreigners IL Chlna and japan.
the difference being that Americans pre-
por1deraie very largely here. There is a
very large number Of refined. cultivated
people in Honolulu and they are most
charming and hospitabl AS rule the
residences are ia the bungalow style.
win large. airy ROOMS and delightful
Nerandas. the houses being detached and
surrounded by lovely large lawns and
gardens containing beautiful tropical
trees. bushes, shrubs. flowers and plants
me streets are mostly Eade, macadam-
lzed and Kept clean and IN fine condition
Tor driving ard riding. and are bordered
on each side by shade trees"
After describing the natural beauties OF
the narooT, the summer resort AT Wal
XIX, four miles southeast OF the town.
the lovely climate. etc, he says:
Everybody rides or drives. the excel
lenee OF the roads and the uniform and
mud temperature uniting TO make those
forms OF recrea ton particularly delight
fGL Vehicles are numerous and excel
lent. and some, In fact many. Of the
horses are fine. The bicycle also l. a ia
voFtte means Of locomotion. many people
81 both sexes INDUCING in that form Of
exercise.
we meet many pleasant people al the
hawaiian hotel from various countries.
but mostly from the United States
Among those who were here last month
was Prince Battenberg. one or the broth
ers Of Prince Louis OF Baftenberg, now a
captain In the British navy, formerly
lieutenant OF the Bachante one OF the
British flying squadron at Yokohama in
49, We found the prince who was here
a charming man. We exchanged calls.
met him out al dinner at the British min
lsters He. oreakfa sted With US on board
last wednesday. when we had some
charming people 20 met him. He was on
board the ship several times, saw our
battalion driH al battle tactics on shore.
when | gave him a marching salute and
ne was delighted with the ship and its
ofheers- tie Is travelling with Col Town
shend. Of the British Life Guards, one OF
their crack cavalry officers. who, as a
lieutenant on leave in our country many
years ago, served through one OF our
Sioux campaigns as an officer on the staff
or our Gen. Augur. who was in com
nland OF the expedition.
our battalion drills ON shore every
tuesday, marching from the landing
through the streets, 'colors flying and
the band playing stirring martial music,
10 the baseball grounds, where our drills
are usually held. II is grand occasion.
and hundreds of people turn out every
week 10 see u. from the president, foreign
ministers. Hawaiian public and military
officers down to street urchins. Scores
OF ladies attend many in carriages, and
some on horseback, riding astride in
divided skirts.
Nearly. If not quite. all OF the ladies
who belong here, ride astride and they
ride beautifully. too. and swim as well.
some Of them being perfect mermaids in
Vhe water, fearless. and diving as well a.
the men.
surf riding in the native canoes. with
skilled whites and natives TO handle them.
Is royal sport here. we were invited by
some friends TO participate one after
noon. and we found II superb. the most
glorious. exciting and exhilarating sport
that | ever experienced. The canoes will
carry In the surf from two 10 eight peo-
pie according to the size of the boat; in
the smaller ones az least two or three
must handle paddles. while in The larger
ones two or three may be passengers. The
man steering must ne strong. skillful
with courage. good nerve. good judgment,
a quick eye, keen perception, and the In
tuition TO do the right thing at the right
moment. or else over you go. neck, crop
and heel and every one spilled out into
the surf in a jifry, after which there is a
grand skifTnish to get back to the canoe.
right her. hail her ont. get into her and
try 70 again.
"Of course Il is dangerous. especially for
those who cannot swim. and also because
one may be struck by the outrigger as
the boat goes over and stunned: and ia
tai accidents sometimes occur; hut new
ertheless the sport is INDUCED In when
ever the surf Is suitable.
"You paddle ont through and beyond
the breakers every one in swimming cos
tumes. turn bows toward the shore and
watch for the particular swell that you
want 20 go In on. when II Is seen coming
every one with a paddle gives way. as IL
FOR dear life. 10 gather sufficient head
way to ride the comher when II reaches
You. on II comes. overtakes you and
away you go like a shot from gun.
bows down. stern IN the air. the crest Of
the breaker just Z your stern seethng
and boiling and making a mighty effort
70 pass YOU or 20 engulf You: hu' 81 can
nof 10 so while the boat is steered by a
true hand and kept stern on. You ny
through the water. the spray from the
bows and outriGEers shooting M into the
air as from the hows OF an ocean grey
hound Other canoes have taken the
same breaker and every nerve Is strained
- w.n in one II the most exciting races
imaginable. SOM lose their breaker ard
drop behind. one breaches and sWamps:
another comes TO Crief and is over
turned. and others 40 on. All Is excite
mert and hiiarity uDtn the breaker ex-
uenFS itself and then the canoes that
were n~sesful i'm keeping right side up
psddlc back 30 aSSis, their less forum
ate companions who are having Jolly
thine lu the water. ladies and gentlemen
as well as kauakas. either trying 10 emp