The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-01-23

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their native soil, and you will find that
every one of them has been imported
within comparatively recent period.
Almost every quarter of the subtropical
world has been laid under tribute. Here
is the rubber tree, the banyan, the bao-
bah, the litchee, the avocado, the
mango, and.palms innumerable. Here
also are the brilliant and gaudy ban
vain villaea, the prolific plumeria, the
night blooming cereus, and the bright
and attractive Crotons. We have in
this an illustration of the benefcent
transformations effected by the enter
prise ofthe foreigners in Hawaii. From
the days of Vancouver, the foreign res
idents have been tireless in introducing
ornamental and useful plants. \
A smooth path of crushed and Gin
der-llke lava usually leads from the
front gate to the residence, which is
almost hidden in its gorgeous surround
ings of rich tropical verdue. There
are thousand shady hooks and cool
retreats inviting one to come in and
rest from the dust and heat.
The houses of the Americans are
the most imposing and 0eautifua,I
excepting only the public buildings.
They are most beautifully decorated
with the greatest variety of trees, flowers,
plants, and shrubs, tastefully painted
and ornamented. The native Hawaiian
also paints his house, and gives much
care to the ornamentation of his
grounds, while the Chinaman's house is
implanted, but picturesque in its Orien-
tai style OF architecture. Chinese houses
in Honolulu are built just as they are
in Hong Kong. They are usually two
stories in height, small and quaint, with
the balcony fronting on the street.
In the evening we wandered to a
beautiful park named emma Square"
in honor of Queen Emma, who is known
as the "good and just queen" Here
the Hawaiian band was assembled, and
dlsCoursed some of the sweetest music
l ever listened to. The Hawaiians are
excellent musicians, and there are many
Hawaiian airs composed by the natives,
some of which are really beautifully
When first discovered they had severa
musical instruments, one of which was
a nose pipe, played by blowing through
it with the nose.
Fort Street is the Broadway of Hon
olulu. From it branch off numerous
streets leading to the right and left
One thing is peculiar in Honolulu. No
regard Is paid to the points of the COM
pass. The terms mikkai toward the
sea, or manka towards the mountains
are used. Ezva means on the right
and maikiki for the left. Thus the
Hawaiian Hotel is on the mauka side
of Hotel street eva of r ichard Street.
| am told that these terms are even
used IN surveying lands. There is not
a street laid out or house built with
any regard to the cardinal points of
the compass.
The next morning l awoke to find
1t raining, but in the afternoon the
skies became clear. The streets of
Honolulu are not as we'll paved and
drained as they might be. After a
rain they present fully as bad an ap-
pearance as do the thoroughfares Of
New York, Chicago, or St. Louis.
Some streets are paved with a sort Of
cement resembling asphalt, but many
are not paved at all. After rain the
heat seems doubly intense, for a disa-
greeable steam arises which makes one
sigh for the good old days in Hawaii
when people did not wear clothes.
This discomfort lasts only short time,
however. The streets dry quickly, and
gentle cooling breeze fans the heated
face.
Just back Of the city of Honolulu a.
mountain rears its head several hun
dred feet in the air. From some sup
posed resemblance to that article the:
mountain is called the Punch Bowl
Tourists scale its lofty heights,
from which a grand bird's-eye view
may be obtained of the city, bay, ship
ping and whole surrounding country.
Like all other tourists l determined.
to pay the Punch Bowl visit, and as
| learned many tourists had walked to-
its heights l set out one morning on
foot. AS left the city and entered
upon the long winding road which
leads up to the dizzy height, many of
the little Japs and Chinese cast curious
glances at me; from the vine-clad cot
tages along the way l caught OCCASION
al gllmpses of dark-eyed maidens peep
ing shyly forth from trellised vines.
AT last, wearied with travelling over
road which seemed to have no end, |
began to cast glances up the steep sides
OF the Punch Bowl and debate in nv
own mind the possibility of scaling it..
Determined to make the trial, [ left
the road and started up the mountain
SIDE. A few shrubs and little coarse
grass, with loose crumbling stones were
all l at first encountered, but soon a
nc" OBSTACLE presented itself in the
form OF a thorny shrub called lantana.
1t IS species of mesquite, and is ruin
Gus to the clothes, and uncomfortable
to the skin. 1t is is hardy plant
trlumphs over drouth, and hourishes in
a flood. 1t thrives alike in rich soil,
poor soil, stony ground, and where
there IS little or no soil at all. The
most skilled botanist has never been
able to find single use for lantana.
No animal will eat it. The islanders
have more to fear from lantana than
hllbusters or the restoration of mon
aEehy. 1t spreads like contagion, and
dehes pillow and hoe. 1t is nearly in
structlble. l have been told that if