West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1896-03-12

'S"o A''"uOS. Il NC 'uIncy 10
this volcano can now b. made very
co nfortably. The Wilder Steam
ship Company runs liue of stennl
ers from Honolulu to Hilo which
there connect with stage. This
81 &c takes one to tho Volcano
loase, about three miles from the
crater.
GA December 10, | boarded the
Kinau, steamer of the Wilder
line, for Hilo. The next morning
we were ut one of the ports on the
northern part of the island called
WahumycOua.. where there was a
large sugar plantation for which
our ship was bringing some heavy
machinery. AS the vessel was an
chored half mile from shore, the
transportation of that pondorous
machinery to land was an interest
tng sight. Two Of the boas were
lowered and dashed together with
ropes and heavy beams OF timber.
Then the great iron rollers and
cylinders were let down by means
OF steam derrick and placed on
the two boats, which were then
rowel ashore by the native sailors.
The water in this by Is so clear
that We could see pebbles on the
hottom at the depth of forty or
fifty feet, Schools of fish, some
weighing twenty or thirty pounds,
could be seen swimming about the
ship. The natives on board cast
over hooks and etught one line
large fellow.
When the cargo for this port had
been all taken ashore, we contin.
u'd our voyage down The coast of
THAI great island, which with it's
miles of stone fences and brown
earth seemed barren waste. But
AS we proceeded the scene changed.
Huts and mills in abundance, with
green pastures, cane fields and
forests succeeded barren wastes.
Then soon, as we steamed along
the shore, the snow .c4pped peak OF
Mauna Kea arose before our vision.
IN strong contrast with the tropical
sun and summer breeze that famed
our cheeks.
During the afternoon we passed
the landing called Panilo, where
Minister Stevens daughter, an es.
flmable young lady, was drowned
Miss Stevens had been visiting
some friends ut this plsce, and was
taking the vessel for Honolulu when
the boat which WAS conveying her
to the ship was overturned by the
surf and she was drowned in fifty
feet of water. A native sailor af-
terwlrd dived to the bottom and
recovered her body.
We arrived at IIilo about eight
IN the evening, and going ashore I
VAS taken in hack to the Hilo
Hotel kept by a Portuguese named
Joseph Vierra. From here to the
Volcano House one goes over a
fairly good road through the Puma
district in stage, which makes the
trip every other day.
On the morning of December
Iith we boarded the stage and left
Ifilo. In the suburbs we halted TO
pick up a Japanese woman who
WIS going mp the road, and at the
bridge beyond TIilo We took a m.
tive man aud au empty goods box
on board. Then the four horses
with the stage swept down the road
through a lane with rich cane Gelds
on either side.
After few miles the cane fields
dlsAppeared, and VIC plunged into
vast forests Of AHA wood mingled
with which wild coffee was growing
Occasionally we pissed narroW
D1th leading into the dense Jingle
aud whenever one glanced down t.
iho slantY Of q japanese might
have been seen snugly hidden ava,
Ike a ground birds nest.
The stage carried The mail, and
WIS surprised at the manner in
which this was distributed By m,
driver AZ every path along th,
way be gave blnst on bis stag,
horn, aud threw of q letter or pa
per. Sometimes there was a post
box At the roadside, and ne b.,
wmrlod by Tire stage driver defu,
dropped into 10 che mail for rb,
owner Of tbe Plantation.