The record-union., 1898-08-21
Honolulu. II. l., July 81, 1898.

honolulu, ii. l., July -, 1898.
My Dearest Mother: This letter win
probably reach you at the same time
| mine of yesterday does, but as this was
a grand day, and / saw a chance to get
away from the ship by sliding down a
rope. After hanging it out of the win
dow, fellow named Leyde and myself
made our escape and determined to
climb to the top of the highest noun
tain on this island
We struck a trail and climbed to the
top, about eight miles. without seeing
much of interest. except cactus bushes.
natives living in shacks under a pro-
Jecting cliff and all the guavas we could
eat. These guavas grow to be about as
large as lemons and taste fine. We
started down on the other side and had
not gone more than half a mile before
the growth became just like a Jungle.
and we We're creeping, climbing and
jumping alternately over rocks as big
as our table, that We're at one time
thrown up by a volcano, which is now q
great cup in the distance, and is called
the ';Punchbowl"
We found bananas. pineapnIes and
We'll, l will tell you the names of tbe
other kinds when | learn them We
worked our way through the growth
about mile, when. looking over a SORT
OF caved rock we saw a pool of watar
which we found later on grew tn he q
regular river, and furnishes the citv
water works at the base of the rno,,nt-
ain with its supply. When we arrived
at the bottom we Were met with q shout
by crowd of native kids" invited
in and given supper, which was coffee
crackers and the finest ho,ne-churnad
butter / ever ate. Then when we
reached the town, an old man took ne
into his yard and showed us evervthino
L think, that | ever heard of as GROW
ing The variety was so great that
cannot attempt to tell you. but some
are: Cotton, coffee, dates. cinnamon
pepper and fruits of every kind. Your
loving son, FRANK
Honolulu. July %. 1893.
Dearest Mother: Yesterday your let
ter of the 10th came on the Philadel-
phia, which brought !, 400 more soldier
boys here. She also brought the San
Francisco papers, telling of their firing
on German vessel, SO that is the latest
war news.
| must tell you about meeting Mr..
Cooke. l guess l told you about meet
ing him in the seminary grounds. when
we met Miss Belle Johnson. cousin of
Mrs l.. T. Hatfield and how he took
five of us home TO dinner, and how we
ate. He is the son of one of the first
missionaries here and he has lived here
fifty years, with the exception of four
years at college in Massachusetts. He
is manager of the Honolulu Fertilizer
Company, has two large residences.
private swimming baths, and must be
very wealthy. He came down to the
boat after Frank and me yesterday
noon, and Frank had applied for a
pass and was all right ! explained
the situation to Lieutenant Boyd. and
he took us through the lines himself.
so | could go without delay. We rode
to his place in his buggy. had swim,
then very light dinner That is the
way here; they eat very light. and are
astounded at our appetites After din
ner he had some business and loaned
us his two wheels, which was a treat
We rode out around Waikiki beach
and park, nearly round the city. and
when We returned Mrs. Cooke gave us
a tin box of crackers to hide in my
berth until the next trip. and insisted
on our coming out to dinner tonight
We ran the lines for that purpose at
p. m. to-day, and are visiting this
afternoon till time to go.
To-day the entire troop was invited