The record-union., 1896-03-14


was strange mixture of nationalities.
He was born in Japan, his mother was
native of the Gilbert Islands, and his
father was Frenchman. He had been
reared in California and was only tenn
porarily in Hawaii. Though a very in
telligent fellow, he was unable to solve
the problem of his nationality. I tried
to, but soon gave it up.
Mounting my horse in the court in
front of the house we began the descent.
By zigzag course we found our way
down the cliff into the first crater, which
is over three miles across, our path
| sometimes leading along the side of
the cliff, and the projecting rocks al
| most grazing our knees as we passed.
We gained the second plain or great
| crater at last. This plain is covered
with dark lava plains which in the dis
tance looks like a CONCEALED quagmire.
Once upon this plain we entered a
path made across the lava. In places
ferns were growing out from the seams
in the crust. AS we pressed on over the
chasm- -riven surface we came upon a
wider, deeper crack, spanned by
bridge. There is a story connected with
this chasm, the guide said. One day
party of tourists left the Volcano
House and went to see the crater, which
was then active. While they were there
the island was convuised with an earth
quake. Mr.. Lee, fearing some harm
had befallen his guests, ran to the lava
flow to find this awful chasm from
thirty to fifty feet deep. He was very
much alarmed for his guests until he
saw them coming across the lava flow.
They had scarcely felt the earthquake
at all, but they had to go about mile
above to cross the chasm.
Half a mile from the Lake of Fire, as
the second crater is called, we came
upon a small corral made of lava, in
which we left the horses, and, armed
with stout sticks, proceeded over the
plain of hard, glaring lava, through the
seams of which sulphurous steam con-
stantly Kissed.
At last we gained the side of the lake.
The crater was inactive, and had been
so for year (since Mr.. Musicks visit,
this volcano has been in eruption. Ac-
cording TO the newspaper reports, the
| flow of lava began on January 5th), but
far down into its hollow depths the
faint glow of fires or heated stones
could be seen, while the rumbling of
| subterranean thunders reached our
ears. The fires were thousand feet
below US and almost hidden by dense
clouds of sulphurous smoke. From the
assures of stones on the side, the quiv
ering air bore evidences of heat. There
the guide lighted his pipe by the fire of
the volcano, and I thrust my walking
staff a few inches into the aperture
Though the stick was of green wood, in
few moments it was abIaze; the heat
was so intense that one could not re-
main long at this place.
Going around to the north side we
found great flow holes, where the lava
was piled up in a thousand fantastical
shapes. One of these cones looked like
an elephant reared on it's hind legs, the
trunk and head being quite well formed.
When active the volcano of Kilauea
is one of the earth's greatest natural
| wonders. In the lake or second crater
the lava is continually boiling in a furi-
Gus manner, throwing up jets and fount-
aims, sometimes to the hight of seventy
five feet, dashing against the banks
in fiery waves and throwing up clouds
of molten spray, making one Of the
grandest, most awe-inspiring sights
imaginable.
From the lake we went to the great
sulphur cave. Though the thermom-
eter stands at over 100 in this cave,
we entered it, penetrating our way
through the boiling, Kissing steam. Sta
lactites of sulphur and alum hang like
golden and silver icicles from the dome
of the cavern. 1t was too hot to remain
long, so we hastened out, mounted our
horses and returned to the Volcano
House.
Next day, with guide and horses, I
set out from the volcano for the great
Kona district, the land of stone and
| coffee Hour after hour we trudged
on over the stony earth. relieved occa-
| sionalIy by groves of trees, and now
and then evidences of civilization and
| former occupancy in the form of an
empty beer bottles at the roadside
That night we reached Pahala,, which
| is village plantation of between 800
and 1000 inhabitants. OF these, two at
! least are white, the others being. Japan
! ese, Chinese and natives. I saw but one
white man and one white boy The
great whistle at the plantation mill
/ blew shortly after our arrival, and an
army Of japanese, men and wemen..
/ came in from the fields with hoes. on
| their shoulders, and went to their miser-
able little huts
These Japs are al brought to the
/ islands on the contract labor system.
/ They are called coolies, and are but little
better than slaves. Their Importation
! is beneficial only to the large p1anta-
/ tions, but an injury to the islands, as
they labor for $12 per month and
board themselves. 1t is said that a
Japanese can live on 81 a months send
| ing the remainder to Japan.
I was informed that I must lodge with
a Chinaman The thought was unpleas-
ant, but it was either with the Chinaman
or on the street. A Chinese cook pre-
/ pared my supper, and I was then shown
to my room, which was situated in a
COW lot in close proximity to a pig sty.
! 1t was a small house with two rooms,
and the one on the "monka side" / was
to occupy My room was eight by ten
feet, had a square table, a awash basin,
/ towel, pitcher, saucer with soap in it,
a mirror which by actual measurement
was four by six inches, a hard-bottom
chair. a steamer chair with sailors
mattress on the floor and a mosquito
netting over it. 1 was informed that
the gorgeous apartment had been rented
to another party who had kindly con-
sented to occupy less conmodious quar-
ters for my accommodation.
The apartment was supplied with
fresh reading matter in the form of
copy of the Hawaiian Gazette" one
musty with opium fumes, the place
/ q