The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-07-14
WAVE SLIDING.
The Successor of the Aquatic Sport o
Surf Riding in Hawaii.

The Successor of the Aquatic Sport OF
Surf Riding in Hawaii.
An added attraction has been cre-
ated for visitors at our lovely Waikiki
Beach, says Honolulu letter to the
Washington Star. A number Of eX-
pert native cnnoemen have been or
ganized into company for the pur-
pose of treating the visitors to the
sport of wave sliding, which is mid
way between surf riding and snow-hill
coasting. A light canoe and an ex-
pert paddler are furnished, who will
take his passenger out through pas
sage to the outer surf, where the in
coming bllows begin to comb over.
Selecting high wave just on the point
of breaking, he lets it rise under the
stern of the canoe, mt the same mo-
ment padding vigorously, so as to
keep from being dropped behind the
wave, but balancing the canoe on the
exact point on the front of the comb
ing wave where it will be impelled for
ward nt highest speed. A swift rush
of fourth of mile to the beach may
thus be made in few moments, with
the tossing comb of the wave over
hanging the stern. The charge for this
sport is 81 an hour, time enough for
several repetitions of the ride Very
rarely might one get upset by care
less stroke of the paddle. But the
Kanakas are like fish in the water,
and never let any one drown. The
canoes are followed from single logs,
g,.l Ill ua1 al
with n light outrigger. This sport is
very popular.
The practice of surf riding has be-
come nearly obsolete in these islands.
The natives came to prefer horses to
surf boards, and are now taking to
bicycles. Up to fifty years ago, be-
fore horses became cheap, one could
find no beach with outer surf near a
village where at any time many might
not be seen at this play, of both sexes
and all ages. With the long, thin
! board of rounded ends under the arm,
| they breasted the waves TO the outer
surf, diving momently under each great
breaker as it smote down upon them,
and so evading its crushing blow.
When outside, watching for n wave at
the first moment of its combing, the
rider mounts his board, face down
ward on the front of the billow, and
with few sharp thrusts of the hands
and feet gets in motion on the mighty
comber, which shoots him forward to
the shore. It was very lively, and
to stranger an exciting spectacle to
see the riders thus come flying in on
the high green fronts of the great
combers, with the water squirting
aside from the fronts of their boards
as from the stem of swift ship.
After the first start, which had to he
made in n recumbent posture, so rs to
ply hand and foot in the water, it was
usual for all practised operators to
rise into at least crouching posture
on hands and knees on the boards.
The more skilled would rise to an
erect posture, standing on the board
as they shot forward, guiding it I'M
erringly by automatic muscular action,
like practiced cyclist, with his arms
locked. The "hee nalu" or wave slid
ing, was the favorite sport of roya
pinces as well as of the common peo-
pie. In the entrance of the Bishop
Museum are two immense planks, care
fully shaped to thin edges, which
were the favorite surf boards of the
royal chiefs at Lahaina sixty years
ago. They are made of the cork-likt
wiliwili (weely weely) wood, very rare.
ly found of such size. Their royal
riders were men and women of great
stature, like all the chiefs, and aver
aged 800 pounds spiece.