St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-02-07
HAWAII, THE PEARL OF THE
PACIFIC"
The Fourth ofa Series of Letters by John
X. MuSick.
DOWNRIGHT, 1896, by Funk & Wagnalls
Company, New York,

tureSque place. Inc ran, OF pass,
which is the only road by which
travellers can cross the island, passes
over the brink of pre- cipice one thou
sand feet above the level OF the sea.
From this narrow Pail, not wide
enough for two wagons to pass, one
can see the ocean on both sides Of the
island. The view is perhaps unex-
celIed from any other point in the
world. From Honolulu there is a
broad, well-beaten road leading up
to the Pail Tourists 60 up in car
riages or on horseback. decided to
make the journey on horseback, and
so, mounted on tough little noun
tain pony and accompanied by a
young school teacher as guide, on
November 25, 1895, left Queen
Street, and cantered through the
town, Monka, on toward the noun
tains.
1t was a delightful morning. A
gentle breeze was blowing, though
my guide assured me it would be hot
enough before we returned.
Leave your vest at home" he adj
vised. IA coat and trousers will be
all you will want"
as it so hot on the mountains ?" |
asked.
mo, but we will get it coming
down. The wind in the pass, how
ever, sometimes blows so hard that
you can hardly keep your hat on
your head, or hair either, for that
matter"
Our coats werelght summer listers
such as are wornin July and August.
While c9ntering down the street we
sometimes glanced into the open
doors. The houses usually have a
deserted appearance, as the inmates
prefer the cool lanai to the parlor.
But, as we passed one house, we saw
a lady at the telephone gossiping
with some lady friend in a distant
part of the island.
1t is a long ride through the sub
urbs of the city, dotted with pretty
little homes, adorned as only tropical
homes are. Bright eyes and CHEEKY
faces met us on every side, Some
people were busy in their gardens or
lawns, but most of the places seemed
to have been temporarily deserted.
Honolulu, like all cities of the tropics,
has a general air of listless repose.
The most industrious people seem to
be the Chinese. At all hours of the
day and ever late into night these
little people may be seen carrying
loads large enough to make mule
stagger Really, the Chinaman is
the most cosmopolitan person one
meets with except Americans. He
wears all sorts of costumes from his
native Oriental garb to the white
ducking OF tropical dude. He sells
shoes, makes shoes and clothes, works
in every sort of factory, stands in
every sort of store, is on every plan
tation, is every kind of servant, does
every kind of business, walks, rows
boats, rides in carriages, carts, on
mules, and bicycles, in fact he is met
everywhere, and under all conditions
and circumstances.
Passing fine apple ranches, tara
patches, and banana fields, we at
last struck the main road. From
here we go up hill every foot" my
guide explained, as he drew in his
horse, painting from the recent gallop.
On our right, on a rising elevation,
was a veritable palace. An avenue
of palms led from the main road back
up to one of the neat little cottages
some distance in the background,
then winding and turning until it
was lost to view in the dense tropical
foliage. After extending a long dis
tance mountainward, it again came
into view and extended down to the
main road. This avenue of palms
was wide enough for a broad carriage
drive.
The houses soon became fewer and
OF meaner sort.
These are mostly inhabited by
Kanakas," said my guide. Over on
our right, If it were not for that grove
OF algerobas, you could see the grass
houses of the natives"
DO many OF them stlllive in grass
houses p
mot many. Some, however, pre-.
ter grass houses yet to houses Of
wood"
"Why?"
"Because they say mnsnnitns