The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1896-02-01
. 800. s.
Hawaii THE PEARL OF THE PACIFIC
The Second Of Series Letters by John r.
Musiek; AutAott OF "The Columbian !.
: = : historical Novels Brother
Against Brotner,".eto.

las oeC0u1, pr . S0I1e6 LoCCofS by John e.
Musiek; Author OF "The Columbian
y Historical NoYels.'' Brother
Against Brotner,".eto.
Copyright, 1896, by Funk h Wagnalls Co., N. ~
Honolulu dates it's existence as town
from 1876. Before this date it was a
mere fishing village. At the time men.
toned there we're several white men on
the islands, among them. one John
Young, whose romantic catser almost
rivals that of Captain John Smith.
Young had been q mate on the American
vessel Eleanor. and had beer captured
by King Kamehameha together with a
sailor named Davis from lit IL chooner,
The Fair American. The commander
and all bis crew; save, Davis, were killed
by the savages, Kamehameha sparing
Young and Davis only because they were
expert in the use of firearms. When all
of the islands had been brought under
the" control Of Kamehameha. John
Young was made governor OF Hawaii:
the largest island In the group.
Young was a man of more than ordi,
nary ability. He became & true subject
of Kamehameha, and his successor on
the throne. In:1815 he advised the erec-
tion of fort at Honolulu, to command
the harhor. He was given full power to
direct its construction, and, early IN
January, 1916. the fort was hegun and
completed the same year. This fort was
nearly square, measuring between three
and four hundred feet on q side with
walls about twelve feet high and twenty
feet thick. It was built OF hard rock
and had embrasures for cannon. It
stood on the seaward side of what is now
Queen street, and across the lower part
of Fort street. About forty guns-six,
eight, and twelve p"unders-w were AFTER
ward mounted, and the fort placed under
command of Captain Beck!ey.
In November 1920, the king moved his
court to Honolulu, Mr.. Thurston and bis
wife, two pioneer missionaries accom-
panying him. Evor since, Honolulu has
been the seat of government for the
islands. -
In the afternoon Of the day of my ar
rival I decided to take q stroll about
this beautiful little city of the tropics
and "see the sights"
These "sights" are we'll worth cross
ing continent and an ocean to see.
They are such as no pen can describe, no
camera depict, no painter place on can
vass. The beauties and blessings which
nature has SO abundantly bestowed on
these islands must be seen to be appre-
ciated.
Perhaps the most beautiful tree in the
world is the Royal Palm which grows on
the Sandwich Islands. In her forthcom-
ing book, entitled "Around the World
with white Ribbon" Mrs. Mary Gle
ment Leavitt says!' . " -
''The Royal Palm, introduced here (, ON
the West indies, combining the beauty
OF architecture in it's perfectly symmet-
rlcal; highly polished and beautifully col.
ored columnar trunk, with the swaying
grace OF It's long plum like leaves, easily
takes place second to none IN the
world"
Her description is neither overdrawn
nor incorrect. So smooth and symmet-
rical are these "columnar trunks" that
a gentleman who was with nue., asked a
citizen it they did not scrape the bodies
OF the trees, or sand-paper them.
There are few residences in the CITY
which are rot surrounded with palms.
The city is rich in vegetation. The houses
are not usually grand or imposing,
but very picturesque, and the grounds
are ample. The Honoluluan thinks more
Of his lawns that of his house. The
approach to the house is generally
through veritable flower garden. Usu-
ally there is an avenue Of palms, between
which are numerous plants, or shrubs,
crimson. vermillion and gold. A tall
cactus often reaches the height of twenty
feet, with flowers Of every hue, and the
banana spreads it's broad leaves before
you. Oranges. dates, and figs grow in
the yards and gardens. Almost every
thing is tropical. A few plants, trees,
and howars may be seen which grow
also 10 colder cline, but they reach
such gigantic proportions, and are of
such gorgeous colors as to be hardly
recognizable. Great trees that look as
though they might have had fifty years
Of growth, were planted by people who
are still in middle age. Walk into one Of
the numerous yards where plants aud
trees, and vines are growing, as thous b
on their native soil, and you will tiuo that
every one OF them has been imported
within comparatively recent period
Almost every quarter Of the subtropical
world has been land under tribute. Here
10 tho rubber tree, the banyan. the bao-
bah, the htchee, the avocado, the mango
md yiu1nn ,nnnmoruhlo Hnro also ora