Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-01-22
Special Correspondence Herald and Tribune
HAWAII, The ''PEARL OF
The PACIFIC"
The City of HOnOlulu..A Bit Of its His
tory, and Climb up to the "Pnncl
BOWl.1
Copyright. 1895, by Funk & Wagnalls Com,
pany, New York.


from 1876 Before this date it was mere
fishing village. AT the time mentioned
there were several white men on the
islands, among them one John Young,
whose romantic career almost rivals
that of Captain John Smith. Young had
been mate on the American vessel
Eleanor, and had been captured by King
Kamehameha together with a sailor
named Davis from little schooner,
The Fair American. The commander
and all his crew, save Davis, were killed
by the savages, Kamehameha sparing
Young and Davis only because they
were expert in the use of fire arms.
When all the islands had been brought
under the control of Kamehameha, John
Young was made governor of Hawaii,
the largest island of the group.
Young was man of more than ordi-
nary ability. He became true subject
Of Kamehameha, and his successor on
the throne, In 1915 he advised the erec-
ton of fort at Honolulu, to command
the harbor. He was given full power to
direct Its construction, and, early in
January, 1915, the fort was begun and
completed the same year. This fort was
nearly square, measuring between three
and four hundred feet on side, with
walls about twelve feet high and twenty
feet thick, IT was built of hard rock
and had embrasures for cannon. 1t
stood on the seaward side Of what is now
Queen street, and across the lower part
of Fort street. About forty guns-six,
eight and twelve pounders-were after
ward mounted, and the fort placed un-
der command Of Captain Beckley.
In November, 1920 the king moved his
court to Honolulu, Mr.. Thurston and his
wife, two pioneer missionaries, accom-
panying him. Ever since, Honolulu has
been the seat of government for the
islands.
In the afternoon Of the day of my ar
rival decided to take stroll about this
beautiful little city of the tropics and
"see the sights.
These "sights" are we'll worth crossing
continent and an ocean to see. They
are such as no pen can describe, no
camera depict no painter place ON can.
vass. The beauties and blessings which
nature has so abundantly bestowed on
these islands must be seen to be appre-
ciated.
Perhaps the most beautiful tree in the
world is the Royal Palm which grows
on the Sandwich Islands. In her forth
coming book, entitled, "Around the
World with the White Ribbon" Mrs.
Mary Clement Leavitt says:
"The Royal Palm, introduced here from
the West Indies, combining the beauty
of architecture in its perfectly symmet-
rical, highly polished and Beautifully
colored columnar trunk, with the sway
ing grace of its long plume like leaves,
easily takes place second to none in
the world"
There are few residences in the city
which are not surrounded with palms.
The city is rich in vegetation. The
houses are not usually grand or imposing,
but very picturesque, and the grounds
are ample, The Honoluluan thinks more
Of his lawns than of his house. The ap-
proach to the house is generally through
averitabie flower garden. Uusually there
is an avenue of palms, between which
are numerous plants, or shrubs, crimson,
vermillion and gold. A tall cactus often
reaches the height of twenty feet, with
flowers Of every hue, and the banana
spreads it broad leaves before you. Or
anges, dates, and figs grow in the yards
and gardens. Almost everything is tropi-
cal. A few plants, trees, and flowers may
be seen which grow also in a colder
cline, but they reach such gigantic pro-
portions and are of such gorgeous colors
as to be hardly recognizable. Great trees
that look as though they might have
had fifty years of growth, were planted
by people who are still in middle age.
Walk into one of the numerous yards
where plants and trees and vines are
growing, as though on their native soil,
and you will find that every one of the m
has been imported within a compare
lively recent period. Almost every
quarter of the subtropical world has
been laid under tribute, Hereis the rub
her tree, the banyan, the baobab, the
litchee, the avocado, the mango, and
palms innumerable. Here also are the
brilliant and gaudy banyain villaea, the
prolific plumeria, the night blooming
cereus, and the bright and attractive
crotons. We have in this an illustration
of the beneficent transformations ef
fected by the enterprise of the foreign.
ers in Hawaii. From the days of Van.
couver, the foreign residents have been
tireless in introducing ornamental and
useful plants.
A smooth path Of crushed and cinder
like lava usually leads from the front
gate to the residence, which is almost
hidden in its gorgeous surroundings oI
rich tropical verdure. There are thou
sand shady hooks and cool retreats in
viting one to come in and rest from the
dust and heat.
The houses of the Americans are the
most imposing and beautiful. excepting
only the public buildings. They are
most beautifully decorated with the
greatest variety of trees, flowers, plants
and shrubs, tastefully painted and orna
mented. The native Hawaiian alsC
paints his house, and gives much care tc
the ornamentation of his grounds, Will,
the Chinaman's house is unpainted, bu
picturesque IN its Oriental style of arohi
lecture. Chinese houses in Honolulu are
built just as they are in Kong Kong
They are usually two stories in height
small and quaint, with the balcony
fronting on the street.
While passing Chinese restaurant il
company with several of my acquain
tances, we were startled by crash, anC
Immediately there was such commo
ton among the Japs and Cinnamon tha
one might have supposed the Chino
JaDaneSa War had hrOkan ont aires n