The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-07-30

Cape Horn, or Kepohoni, as the ma
tives call it, is weIl-known part of the
| city which has been immortaIized. or
demoralized, in Hawaiian song. It's
situation is in Chinatown and border
ing on the Japanese quarter. What
ever poetic illusions there may be
| about the place can be dispelled at
once by walk through it's dingy lanes
and passages. Certainly there is no
more dirty locality in the city, and the
fact is made more deplorabIe because
the people who live there are Ha-
waiians
On Saturday nights any one passing
by in the vicinity of Cape Horn may
have heard sounds Of reveIry. and if
he cares to look further into the matter
he can very soon satisfy himself that
these sounds come from different
houses where gin, whiskey and okole-
L..
By no means, however, are the noisy
places the only ones where vice seems
to thrive.
Near the central part of Cape Horn
is low, dingy looking building, dirt
Ter, if possible, than the remainder
packed so closely around it, and here
it is that the Hawaiians who have
learned the most deplorable habit of |
opium collect to satisfy their |
appetites.
For the purpose of gaining some in
formation in regard to the practice
of opium-smoking among the Ha-
this building was visited yes
lerday, and there, from the lips of a
confirmed opium some inter
'sting facts were cleaned.
He was an old man and his hair was
5treaked with white. His face was
sunken and as he crawled from his
lark corner at the farthest end OF a
ow room with sitting atmosphere and
approached the light, his eyes blinked
rs if unaccustomed to ordinary sun
Il
tucked his feet into a pair of old Slip
'ers that Immediately disclosed part of
hem again, and then, with a queer
Rambling walk, approached his Wis
tor.
'Kauhai is my name, and I have
een here for six years, smoking opium
IL the while. Stop it? Did you ever
et in front of a good stiff breeze and
~ to stop it by putting up your poor
weak hands? Well, then, you know
of my position.
Il will just give you a little of my
history. 1t may prove interesting,
ince L believe l was the first native
hawaiian who acquired the habit of
mOking opium.
ut was in 1862, when 1 was working
t Kaupakuea plantation for Frank
Ietcalf. Gilbert Waller was then the
manager. Some of the first Cinnamon 8
yer employed on plantations on the I
stands were employed at Kaupakuea
noticed a peculiar habit that many of
hem had of retiring early at night
nd burning lights in their beds. My
lquisitiveness got me into trouble
fter prying into the matter 1 was in
tied by some of the Cinnamon to take
smoke 1 did, and 1 liked it. The
ensation was delightful. L kept on and
n, and nOw-well, I'm a victim. If
stop for while all manner of aches
nd pains attack me and make my life 7
arfectly miserable Then when [ take
p smoking again 1 find appetite and
ealth returning and aches and pains
sappearing. But mind you, l do not
ant to give the impression that
plum smoking should be encouraged |
Y all means, no. l would give any
ing to be free from the habit
when [ began to smoke, my exam
e ended in all the natives on the
antation, numbering over eighty,
king to the habit. Some are still
ctims, but 1 am glad to say some
Opped before the habit took full pos
ssion OF them.
In this house there are several men
Id women who smoke, and all are
ctims. We get our opium from va
)us sources, and when we cannot get
e pure stuff we buy 'insee' to eat"
As the old man finished for the time,
-shouldered old woman came
t of an adjoining room and walked
st TO get a drink OF water. She look
r all the world like the popular idea
a witch. Nothing was said to her,
d she passed out in moody silence,
sting her eyes neither to one side nor
2 other
She never speaks unless spoken to-
sumed the old man. ''She has smok-
opium over eight years, and like my -
f, cannot stop.
AT night natives come here from
parts of Kepohoni and join in with -
This is the common resort of all 7
: Hawaiian opium smokers