The record-union., 1896-02-06
HAWAII, THE PEARL OF THE
PACIFIC"
Fourth Of a Series Of Letters by John
R. MuSiCk.
The Pail. a Picturesque Pass Over
the Mountains and a Bit
of History.
Copyright. 1896, by Funk & WagnalIs Com
pany New York;

Copyright, 1896 by Funk & Wagnalls Com
pany, New York;
one of the noted spots on the Island of
Oahu is the Pail. Every tourist to the
island visits this historic and pictu-
rescue place. The Pail, or pass, which
is the only road by which travellers can
cross the island, passes over the brink
of a precipice 1000 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-
celled from any other point in the
world From Honolulu there is broad
well-beaten road leading up to the Pail.
Tourists go up in carriages or on horse
back. I decided to make the journey on
horseback, and so, mounted on tough
little mountain pony and accompanied
by young school teacher as guide, on
November %, 1895, left Queen street,
and cantered through the town, Monka,
on toward the mountains.
1t was delightful morning. A gentle
breeze was blowing, though my guide
assured me it would be hot enough be-
fore we returned.
Leave your vest at home" he adj
vised. "A coat and trousers will be all
you win want
rs it so hot on the mountains?" /
asked.
mo, but we will get it coming down.
The wind in the pass, however, some
times blows so hard that you can hardly
keep your hat on your head, or hair
either for that matter"
Our coats were light summer ulsters,
such as are worn in July and August.
While cantering down the street we
sometimes glanced into the open doors.
The houses usually have a deserted ap-
pearance as the inmates prefer the cool
lanai to the parlor. But as we passed
one house we saw lady at the tele-
phone gossiping with some lady friend
in a distant part of the island.
''She has gone visiting" my guide
explained. Perhaps there is no place
in the world where the telephone is used
so much as it is here. Why the women
will ask Central the time of day rather
than go in the next room and look at
the clock. They often ask Central if
it is raining instead of looking out to
see. Central is the most overworked
person on the island"
The telephone system on Oahu is
perhaps the most complete in the world.
telephone, and up every rugged mount
ain path the wires are stretched.
1t is a long ride through the suburbs
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 indus
trious people seem to be the Chinese.
At all hours of the day and even late
into night these little people may be
seen carrying loads large enough to
make a mule stagger. Really, the
Chinaman is the most cosmopolitan
person one meets with except Ameri-
cans. 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 ex-
planned, as he drew in his horse, pant
ing from the recent gallop.
On our right, just on a rising eleva-
tion, was a veritable palace. An ave-
nue. Of palms led from the main road
back up to one of the neat little cot
tages some distance in the background,
then winding and turning until it was
lost to view in the dense tropical foli-
age. After extending a long distance
mcuntainward, it again came into view
and extended down to the main road.
The avenue of palms was wide enough
for broad carriage drive.
The houses soon became fewer and of
a meaner sort.
''These are mostly inhabited by Ka-
nakas," 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 still live in grass
houses?''
mot many. Some, however, prefer
grass houses yet to houses of wood
''Why?"
Because they say mosquitoes won't
bother one in a grass house,
81 would be willing to live in any
sort of a house to be free of the Ha-
waiian mosquitoes I answered. ''Of
all the pests I ever met with they are
the worst"
There are no native Hawaiian mos
Quitoes,' he answered.
do you mean to say the mosquito is
not indigenous to the soil?"
''They are not"
''Then how did they get here?"
''They were imported"
Imported? Why the Government
ought to have had a protective tariff
as high as the skies against such i'm
portations."
well, you may think this a fish story,
but it's true. Mosquitoes were imported.
Whaling vessels in coming to the
islands brought water from mosquito
countries for drinking purposes, and
family Of the most active mosquitoes
made their escape to the islands"
This story of the importation of mos
quitoes I subsequently had verified.
There have been many obnoxious in
sects and animals imported to the
islands, among them the mongoose, i'm
ported to catch the rats, which not
only attacked rats, but has made a war
OF determination on the chickens, ducks
and all fowls. Toads are being imported
TO destroy obnoxious bugs, and the ma
tional entomologist is studying all in
furious insects and the methods by
,s.,I, -, - I,