The herald., 1895-05-04
A MORNING 10 THE ISLANDS
Hawaiian Life Described at the
Friday Morning Club
BY MRS. L. S. THOMPSON
How the Natives Dress and Eat, Their
Customs and Peculiarities
An Interesting Talk on the Flora About Homo
iulu-Tropical Luxurlance Of Woods,
but Few Flowers

A. large audience was present yester-
day morning for the regular meeting OF
the Friday Morning club. Mrs. l.. 5.
Thompson gave an informal talk about
Hawaii, which was illustrated by unique
collection of articles brought from the
islands.
Mrs. Thompson first gave brief des-
cription and outline of the history OF the
islands, their volcanic origin. area,
mountain scenery and lava fields. She
spoke OF the amazing ignorance concern
ing Hawaii of the fact that there are no
snakes there, but there are centipedes,
scorpions. tieas and mosquitoes, which,
although importations, have evidently
come to stay.
The climate is delightful; temperature
varies between "a to S5 degrees; there are
a few thunder storms or tempests, but
hot wind which was graphically described;
Houses are all built with verandas and
earthquakes are frequent. but not vlo-
lent, The natives are believed by some
scientists to be descendants from the lost
tribes of Israel; their superstitiOns. ira
ditions and Observances strangely re-
sembling those of the Jews. Their poetry
and language is also somewhat similar
to the Hebrew. .c
cent animal. an athlete, fighter; and
here the speaker described a feat OF rid
ing the waves. =
The modern native. on the contrary. is
no fighter. He is skilled in the arts and
manufactures, though many OF the former
arts are lOst-such as making helmets ana
feather cloaks, the decoration OF Gala
bashes and making of Tappa cloth.
Mrs. Thompson spoke of the increasing
difficulty in obtaining curios that are
illustrative of the ancient life OF Hawaii.
Implements of war, tools of manufacture
and for use In games are no longer made.
Many wonderful things were found when
the people were converted to Christian
The native sentiment, the speaker said.
Was something after this style: Il don't
care what dreadful thing happens as long
as it don't happen to me-" The native
character is incapable of deep anxiety or
heavy care. The education and customs
of natives we're touched upon, and dress
and the prevalence of Mother Hubbards
among the women.
A native feast was described, the musical
tendencies of the natives alluded to, with
their beautiful voices, correct and ready
a native menu and how food is prepared !;
their hospitality and the native resi-
dences formerly made OF grass and very
picturesque. in some Localities resem-
blance to New England.
Some OF the native beliefs were touched
upon and their superstitions; they re-
tain some of the Christian Bible tales,
and their chief social dissipation is
church-going; they are ready converts to
new creeds, and write miracle plays.
Mrs. Thompson says they are a dying
race rapidly dwindling away because
there are few children born in native in
termarriage. and on account of the style
of their clothes they contract colds and
consumption; foreign diseases are i'm
ported, and last, but not least, there is
the leprosy.
Hawaiian food was next taken up and
the preparation of poi was described.
The wild flowers then came in for consid-
Grafton. and the actual scene was con-
trasted with the travellers ideal.
Honolulu was described as a once sandy,
desolate waste. now made luxuriant by
imported vegetation. Mrs. Thompson
spoke of the cane fields in blossom; of
the ferns and vines in the woods of
glimpses of cocoanut and bamboo and of
the sparcity of wild flowers; and the
lavish tropical color and bloom, the real
tropics being green and ferpy but not
howery. A considerable time was spent
on the fora of the islands and Mrs.
Thompson closed her remarks by saying
that the first view Of Honolulu. low
lying sandy ridge and the apparoach to
Hilo reminds one OF Tennyson's Lotos
EteIs.