The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-01-21
THRO' HILO FOREST,
STAGE RIDE THAT is UNQUALIFIED
IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY.
COFFEE PLANTATIONS WITH 1000
ACRES IN CULTURE.
Fern Trunks for Paving-Typical Estates
"A Rosdbed Like Boule-
ward.

A stage ride is a sickness unless
there is good stock and comfort
able vehicle. Jack" Wilson has
provided these on his passenger and
mail line from Hilo through the
Hilo forest and Olaa coffee district
to Kilauea. Even more than this
has the enterprising stable keeper
and road maker placed at the dis
posal of the travelling public. The
driver for Kinau arrivals is an old
time professional from California.
They call him "Petaluma Ned" and
with the gray hairs of man well
along OH the journey of life he has
the heart and spirit of a boy. Ned
is chock full of anecdote, can tell
you all about every place and every
man along the line and will more
than likely know of the affairs OF a
tourist to you mysterious. Lucky
is the traveller who gets place on
the seat with this jewel of driver
as he handles the ribbons" over
four or six horses.
There are always number OF
Hilo people at hand for the stages
departure from the Hotel. The
last orders, messages and letters
are given Med and he clucks,
loosens the brake, cracks the whip,
and picnic of a start is made.
Just as in the Bonanza days in
California, the outgoing stage was
rolled rapidly through the main
streets of the camp or village, SO II
is done at Hilo, overlooking tro-
pical sea. Solicitations are exchang-
ed and there are shouts as the team
is cleverly swung around the cor
ners. All this is bit after in the
morning.
I The horses are fresh and almost
reach a gallop as they strike the
covered bridge over Waiakea
stream. In a very few minutes
the one mile post is spoken and
the driver remarks that we are
"now upon the $I25,ooo Volcano
road and have but thirty miles
ahead"
For a time there are cane field:
OH either side. Then there is, al
five miles, the plunge into the for
est. 1t analyses in sensation very
much the effect of entering thu
great long caverns of snow sheds OF
one of the California railroads
Shade and shadow are felt.
1t is the forest of Shakespeare, o
L ongfellow and of the Germans
the greatest of all foresters. We
truly it is the forest of Hawaii. l
has the insinuating individuality o
every odd or strange phase Of thu
Islands. 1t is matted jungle, still
neither forbidding nor threatening
The Hilo forest is inviting ant
the solemn, silent entreaty to ente
and make home has been accepted
With but two intervals Of natura
clearing the dense, rich fores
growth stalks away its great hreadtl
from the road till past the twenty
five mile post. One rides througl
twenty miles of it.
All the trees and vines and brus'
T. and flowers and ferns and fruits an
y fora freaks and birds Of all tn
other Islands ard of Hawaii besides
are in this grand wild conservatory
There are guavas, wild bananas
water lemons, papais, kukuis, tn
n koa, the algeroba, the tree fror
which tapa was made, gonrds
r. oranges, lines, wild coffee, kulu
pine, tree ferns and fern trees
golden shower, hibiscus, mornin
d glory, ie-ie vines, pandanus, obi
l. lehua and the timber ohia, an
l. hundreds of other growths. An
how thick and mixed and almo'
a solid it all is. To venture far insid
r would seem like labor seekin
!. death. Yet the domain is bein
N encroached upon. For such so
is rich as Nile bottoms, well waite
ed as Gauges flats and we'll drai
ed as a mountain peak. This ear
quickly absorbs the moisture while
N. fails to run away. The dew is
heavy and certain that no arrang
Id ment is made for watering Il
l. stock browsing about the places.
n The forest instead Of becomii
~ tiresome, grows upon one, and
nc every foot has new aud increas
BY attraction. You study it, and try
OF peer into it and look sharp for t
d birds and hore for glimpse of
us wild bullock or pig and wond
I'd where the people come from W
r. appear out of the trails. And t
S. practical man would like to lea
what it costs to clear such land a
what the chances are for getting
tract Of it.
he To every house on the journ
re there is a walk from the road Of
w. most extraordinary pavement.
as consists of heavy slabs from t
ii. trunks of tree ferns. 1t is soft Ii
OF a sponge and wears like fine viii
IT'S Some of the entrances are arts
IS cally fashioned of this pliable a
NO durable material. And after y
cut your paving stone, the tree fe
grows again. 1t is called pulu. 7
center is good fodder and ne
I'D Kilauea, Stockman Shipman fate
,;s his beeves with it, steaming
strange food over the sulphur pc
'ef There are 1000 acres Of growi
I'd. coffee between the five and
IS. twenty-four mile posts. Most of i
ad young. Some japanese are the first
is. realize. They have marketed I
EN- month 1900 pounds OF coffee. Nea
or all the planters are America
The Germans or haOies born in the
ands. Chicago, New York, M
. sachusetts, Penn, California q
Honolulu capital has found inve
ment here. The outlook is
large profits. Everywhere
coffee trees are strong, healt
free from blight and the drea'
,u red spider has been routed.
RI blight did appear once, but
ladybug from Australia killed