The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1896-03-27

| SLAVES. lhCtL tHipOTthllOu ~ D6NeUClai Only
to the large plantations, but an injury to q he
islands, as they labor for twelve dollars per
month and board themselves. 1t is said that
Japanese can live on one dollar per month
sending the remainder to Japan.
was informed that | must lodge with
Chinaman.. The thought was unpleasant
hut 1t was either with the Chinaman or out
o the street A Chinese cook prepared nv
supper, and was then shown to my room
which was situated in a COW lot In close
pr 'Xlmlty to pig sty. 1t was small house
with two rooms and the one on the mOnaka
side was to occupy. MY room was eight
by ten feet. had square table. wash ba
sin, towel. p tcher. saucer with soap in it, a
mirror which by actual measurement was
four by SIX inches, hard bottom chair, a
steamer chair with sailors mattress on the
floor and mosquito netting over it. was
informed that this gorgeous apartment had
been rented to another party who had kind
~ consented to occupy less commodiOus
quarters for my accommodation.
The apartment was supplied with fresh
reading matter in the form of copy of the
Hawaiian Gazette one month and two days
old. Dingy, dark, musty with opium fumes
the place seemed a fit abode for robbers and
cutthrOats. The darkness and dinginess of
the apartment were strongly suggestive of
pitfalls and assassination, while, as il in mock
cry OF the surroundings, some one had pin
ned on the wall the motto: "Nearer, my
God, to Thee" The aroma of the pig sty
was highly favored with the odor of saddles
freshly oiled harness, and smoky kerosene
lamp, which had not been cleaned and trim
med more than once in its lifetime.
AT last ventured to lie down on the bed.
The apartment next to mine was occupied
by Celestials, put for what purpose | never
knew, the sounds issuing from it being some
times suggestive of a sausage factory, some
times of a laundry, dyeing works, or planning
mill. This adjoining apartment was GER
tainly no larger than my own, but. after
nineteen Cinnamon of all ages had entered
1t, L became tired Of counting, and sought
peace in sleep.
At last the sausage mill ceased, the laun-
dry grew quiet, the wheels of the planning
mill ran more smooth, and the mosquitoes,
having satisfied their wants, at my expense,
slept until rosy morn; l might have slept
longer had not a COW poked her head in at
my emily window and awakened me by an
u1earthly brawl. My landlord provided me
breakfast from which a Washington
Square tramp would turn with contempt,
and then charged me nelmonico prices for
his Accommodations"
TO saddle up and leave Pahala was lux
ury. L changed guides here. Taking a
native boy named Harry with me, | started
on three days journey through Kona to
place called Kailua.
At noon we reached the village of Waio-
hinu (Sparking waterl, where we met Mr..
Meinecke, German gentleman, who has
store and coffee plantation. On learning
that it was our intention to stop at the Ku-
huku ranch. the home of Col. Norris, he
assured us that it was very doubtful if that
individual would entertain me, as he was
bitterly opposed to white men. Ten miles
beyond his ranch, however; was deserted
house in which we had better stay, if Col.
Norris refused to accommodate us.
ontn for Ht,t, nh, md nhn1 at
four p. m. By this time dark clouds OBJ
scured the skies and chilling winds, sweep
ing down from snow-capped Mauna Loa
pOrten ded a coming storm. The ranch is a
small village of houses and barns enclosed
IN walls of stone. We soon came upon a.
Chlnaman and Kanaka skinning bullock
that had just been slain, while standing
near them with long stick in his hand was
an old man whose tall form was slightly
bent, and his hair and beard yellOwish
white. = His eyes were sunken and sinister,
and there was "never smiled-agaln eX-
preston on his face.
SIS this Col. Norris ?" | asked, approach
ing him and extending my hand. He made
no answer and only looked at me. l then
remembered the colonel sometimes feigned
deafness, so | wrote on card asking
Can myself and guide stay at your
ranch ?''
"No," answered while his eyes flashed
with fire. "You are missionary, white
man and annexatiOnSt."
81 am neither; | am an author" L ans
wered.
You can't deceive me-" he cried strik-
ing his stick on the ground. "YOu are a
preacher and missionary, white man, OPP
posed to royalty and in favor of annexation.
You stole all of the land of the natives"
l tried to assure him that | had never
stolen an inch of Hawaiian soil save what
clung to my boots, that was not a mission
cry, and being an American citizen, had no
interest in their political wrangle over an
neXatiOn, or the queen. But he was obdu-
rate. In vain | appealed TO his humanity.
to the fact that he was white man himself
that he had 1S6, 900 acres of the natives land
more than all the missionaries combined,
yet it was no use had to go.
For ten miles our course lay across the
black lava flow of 1887. This flow is black
as charcoal and hard as flint with sharp
bristling points on every square foot, on
which not vestige of vegetation can be
found. The blackness is relieved only by
the white bleaching bones of ANIMALS which
have persisted in crossing it. On, on and
on. through the gathering gloom of night
and threatening storm, we pressed for ten
miles. Then we entered forest where the
trees grew far apart, and the ground was
covered with bunch grass and ferns. At
last when our horses were almost ready to
sink from exhaustion. we came upon the
deserted house, and overcome with our ex-
ertion; threw ourselves on the floor and
slept, regardless of the bowls of wild dogs
on the mountains.
Colonel Norris is a mysterious man.
Some say he is from Virginia, and was a
colonel in the Confederate army; others
that he is an Englishman. He has no rela-
tives, is immensely rich, has a large account
in the Bank of England, and will allow no
or child. or white man on his prem
ises, unless assured of his immoral charac-
ter. opposition to the missionaries, and 10y
atty to ex-Queen Liliuokalani.
JOHN r. MUsICK.