West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1896-02-27

about the fertility of Hawaiian soil.
Lava flows are soon covered with
ferns. which are great fertilizers.
Then follows dense growth OF
forest vines aud thickets forming
an inpenetrable jungle, so that one
is compelled to cut his way
through.
Deep unfathonable chasams and
eaverens are quite abundant in
Pana. Some of these caverns ex.
tend with many branches Leading
oil from the main entrance. 1t is
NO, safe to venture into a cave
without competent guide.
Mr.. Wright, of the Wilder
Steamship Company, has incorpor.
ated coffee association with a
paid d-up capital of $4,000 for the
purpose of opening up the coffee
country in Puma. The company
has purchased three hundred acres
of the best coffee lands in Puma, to
be divided into ten acre lots, and it
is intended to induce industrious
Americans Of small means to
emlgrate TO the islands and engage
in coffee growing. 1t is proposed
to give them one plantation i'm re
turn for improving one for the
company. The company itself will
have one hundred acres in coffee,
fifty IN cocoa, ten to twenty in cit.
ron roots, and will utilize the bal
ance of It's three hundred in fine ap.
pies and guvas for Jelly.
Kama, the rival of Puma, is about
as barren and sterile country as it
has ever been my lot to see. One
travels over miles and miles OF
blackened rocks and lava flow, most
Of it in this portion OF the island
being the rugged flow called by the
natives "aa." On the first dav we
crossed the flow of 1887. This is
black, but after travel of ten
hours. the color changes. The
flow is older, and trees are found
growing on it. Occasionally the
dead branches Of monster ohia trees
could be seen sticking up from the
lava which overwhelmed it in past
years, the top branches white aud
glstening like the bones of skele-
ton.
After We had passed the black
lava flow of 1887, which extends
for about ten miles beyond The
kahkuka Ranch. tho trees became
more abundant, and soon we we're
in forests Of ferns and ohia tees.
The road here is through the lava,
aud straight AS an air line railroad.
Where there are trees the road is
cut directly through them, and il
there are no trees the road is equal.
ly as discernable by the leveling
down Of the lava, which is piled up
in a wall on either side.
For hours at time we wended
our way up hill and down, the
roadbed often ohOked with great
stones over which the tired horses
could hardly step. Whenever
there was a smooth bit Of road, the
guide uttered shout "Wic.ke,
vic ke - and put the horses at a
gallop. This was only for short
time, however, for there is not a
strip Of good road fifty yards in
length in all Kama, after you have
left the Sugar plantations.
People in Hawaii seem to have
no more idea Of miles than they
have Of the cardinal points Of the
compass, and that is nil. When
we were half a days journey from
o village or plantation and asked
the distance tho answer would be !:
ooh, it is too far - III the place
was only two or three miles away
the answer would be: ooh, its
not too fr." White men seem to
hayo succumbed to tbis custom Of
the natives 7 asked a Norwegian
the distance 10 Hookenia, and he
answered
"Four hours"
"But how many miles" asked
81 don't know" he answered
owe never reckon distance by miles.
but by the hours it takes TO reach 8
place. it may be eight, may be
twelve miles, may be six. but ali the
same it will take you four hours to
make is."
At Hookenia ] met several COT.
I fec growers.