St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-01-24

hcHoS, anu BiNSS IluSu care W lhS
ornamentation OF his grounds, while
the Chinaman's house is implanted,
but picturesque in its Oriental style
of architecture. Chinese houses in
Honolulu are built just as they are
in Hong Kong. They are usually
two stories in height, small and
quaint with balcony fronting on the
street.
The native police of Honolulu are
said to make fairly good officers. |
was surprised to find so many Kama
kas holding Office. In nearly every
department of the government were
native clerks and officers.
In the evening we wandered to
a beautiful park named Emma
Square" in honor of Queen Emma,
who is known as tle good and just
queen" Here the Hawaiin band was
assembled, and discoursed some OF
the sweetest music ever listened to.
The Hawaiians are excellent music
ians, and there are many Hawaiian
airs composed by the natives, some
of which are really beautiful. When
first discovered they had several mu-
steal instruments, one Of which was
a nose pipe, played by blowing
through it with the nose.
Fort street is the Broadway OF
Honolulu. From it branch off nu-
merous streets leading to the right
and left. One thing is peculiar in
Honolulu. No regard is paid to the
points of the compass. The terms
milkai toward the sea, or manka
toward the mountains are used
Eva means on the right and maikiki
for the left. Thus the Hawaiian Ho-
tel is on the monka side of Hotel
street eva OF Richard street. | am
told that these terms are even used
in surveying lands. There is not a
street laid out or house built with
any regard to the cardinal points of
the compass.
lust back Of the city of Honolulu
a mountain rears its head several
hundred feet in the air. From some
supposed resemblance to that article
the mountain is called the Punch
Bowl. Tourists invariably scale its
lofty heights, from which a grand
birds eye view may be obtained OF
the city, bay, shipping, and whole
surrounding country.
Like all other tourists | determined
to pay the Punch Bowl a visit, and
as | learned that many tourists had
walked to its heights | set out one
morning on foot. AS left the city
and entered upon the long winding
road which leads up to the dizzy
height, many of the busy little laps
and Chinese cast curious glances at
me, and from the vine-clad cottages
along the way l caught occasional
glimpses of dark-eyed maidens peep
ing shyly forth from trellised vines.
At last, wearied with travelling
over a road which seemed to have no
end, began to cast glances up the
steep sides of the Punch Bowl and
debate in my own mind the posi-
bility OF scaling it. Determined to
make the trial, lett the road and
started up the mountain side. flew
shrubs and little coarse grass, with
loose crumbling stones were all | at
first encountered, but soon a new
obstacle presented itself in'the form of
a thornv shrub called lantana. 1t is
a species OF mesquite, and is runous
to the clothes. and uncomfortable to
the skin. 1t is hardy plant, -tri-
umphs over drouth, and fourishes in
a flood. 1t thrives alike in rich soil,
poor soil, stony ground, and where
there is little or no soil at all. The
most skilled botanist has never been
able to find a single use for lantana.
No animal will eat it. The islanders
have more to fear from lantana than
filibusters or the restoration of mon
archy. 1t spreads like contagion,
and dehes pillow and hoe. 1t is nearly
indestructible. have been told that
if you cut it down, each joint will
start separate new plant; if you
grub it out, it will rise like the phe.
nix, triumphantfrom its ashes. II |
had an enemy whom | wished to do
a mortal injury, l would SOW lantana
in his fields.
Sometimes half buried in this nox-
ious plant struggled blindly up the
mountain side. At last, making my
way across sort of ravine to some
rocks blackened by time, sat down
almost out OF breath to rest. NV
hold on the rocks was slight. had
scarcely six inches of space to cling
to, and below me yawned a chasm
fifty feet deep. There was no breeze
on this side of the mountain and the
RAYS of the sun were exceedingly
warm. So, as soon as | had partially
recovered my breath, | resumed my
toilsome journey to the top. | after
ward learned there was a path on
the west side of the mountain which,
though steep, is accessible to foot
travellers.
AS seen from the top of Punch
Bowl Honolulu presents charming
picture. The little city, half hidden
in the dense foliage of the tropics,
has a shy, coquettish appearance.
was willing to return bya beaten
path and less precipitous route. On
the way l paused to gaze upon
squad of convlcts at work on the
road. The uniform of the Hawaiian