The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-08-02
''WELA kA HA0!'
Natives Have it Their Own
Way Saturday Night.
GREAT ENTHUSIASM DISPLAYED
Slogan of the Foundry
Team is Heard.
Hammer WieIders Win Great Tug
of-War Portuguese Meet De-
feat In q 1-2 Minutes.

In the Drill Shed, Saturday night,
there was gathered a crowd that COM
pletely filled the place, the object OF in
| terest being the tug-of-war between
the foundry boys and the Portuguese
team, which, through its manager,
Capt. J. M. Camara, issued a challenge
to the former quite a little time ago.
The tug-of-war was advertised to
begin at o'clock, but it was nearly
half an hour later before the starting
shot was fired.
About 10 minutes before the start
the Portuguese team, led by it's big
anchor man, and with the members
wearing a look of utmost confidence,
emerged from behind the screens on
the stage and walked to the lower end
of the tug-of-war platform, taking
their places together. The native boys
came out in a rather straggly manner,
and, falling into their places, grasped
the big rope with a grip, the like of
which can only be attained in the
daily toll with the hammer. The very
slight first man braced himself against
great strapping black Portuguese,
while Joe Morse, the anchor man, had
a good so pounds extra to pull against
in the man who wore the belt on the
other side. In fact, the whole Foun-
dry team averaged about 18 pounds
less in weight than the Portuguese.
care you ready?" came the warn
ing, and the men braced themselves
for the start, each anxious to gain at
the outset The starting shot was
fired. and the rope was freed, and with
a "Wela ka hao," the slogan of the
hammer-wielders, they pulled the rope
fully six inches their way. mighty
cheer arose, showing where the SYM
pathy of the majority of those present
lay. The Portuguese made great at
tempt to gain back what they had lost,
and tried succession of jerks, but the
native boys were simply lying on the
rope, and there was not a bulge. Then
the natives lost a couple of inches, but
it was not for long. In a few seconds
they had it back again. Camara coach
ed and famed in vain, and then
panied expression began to show on
his face.
For about five minutes the rope re-
mained stationary, each team watch
ing the other for an advantage. 1t was
soon noticed that the third man on the
Portuguese side was beginning to show
signs of weakening, and the Portu-
guese anchor had his head tilted back
wards a bit.
Camara gave a signal, and the Portu-
guese braced for the greatest effort
they had yet made, but it was of no
use. The Foundry boys were firm. The
perspiration stood out in beads on the
faces of the contestants, and soon 1T
was noticed that the rope was going
slowly, but surely toward the Hawai-
ians.
All the while the coach on the side
of the Foundry side walked back and
forth past his boys, giving words of
announcement and wiping the perspir-
alton from their faces. His bearing
was quiet. but he never allowed the
Portuguese to gain a single advantage
by lack of watchfulness on his part.
At about $40 the Hawaiians had
TWO lncneS moIe, anu Coupie VI Hill
utes later the rope was over three
feet their way. A minute or so later and
the marker, with George Harris work
ing the ropes, indicated Az feet. Then
there was a Iinal effort by the natives,
and the rope shot to within an inch Of
the winning point Give feet, and then
went back three or four inches An
other attempt, and the finishing shot
was heard. The Foundry boys had
won.
"Wela ka hao" was heard on all