The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-08-22

enemies into the gorge beyond ! met a
number of native women on horseback.
one was old, two mfddle-aged, aa6 the
remainder strapping young girls with I'M
mense limbs and shoulders. They rode
astride, and one of them had wrapped
her skirts around her waist, disclosing a
pair Of neither limbs of magnificent pro-
portions, If not beauty. She passed our
party without seeming TO be aware OF the
extraordinary picture she presented. In
hammOcks and on the beaches they ap-
pear in attire which causes an American
woman considerable discomfort tie first
time she sees them.
Lack ity.
These things are relative, OF coarse.
After a time you become accustomed to
them. and they no longer strike you as
unpleasant, as at first. Nevertheless it
must have some influence upon the COM
munity. 1t is common for an American
woman to take siesta III hammock in
the open air not far from the road, wear
ing kimono or holoku, which is the ma
tive woman's dress. Japanese women. in
stead of walking demurely by with eyes
cast down as they DO in Japan, look and
laugh at passers-by, and in many cases
talk or comment upon what they see loud
enough TO be heard twenty feet away.
Chinese women, who at home would re-
gard it as an objectionable sin to expose
themselves TO the view of the crowd have
no such feeling in Hawaii They can be
seen at their doors and windows, and
when they drive use an open instead of
closed carriage.
In the old savage days The natives pass
81 Of bagr -,
the water near their homes. The health
full practice is kept up to-day and has
been adopted by Europeans and Japanese,
though not by the Chinese residents.
In the Olden time bathing clothes were
unknown. To-day allowance is made for
civilized conventionality, bu; al the same
time the allowance is limited. many Of the
suits worn by bathers beiGg exceedingly
artistic and effective, but constructed
with a view TO enhance tn attractions of
their wearer. Many of the Kanakas take
a pride in their race and preserve ancient
traditions and customs, as Ear as can be
conveniently done.
The HuIa-huia Dance.
The most striking OF these Is tho hula
hula dance which at present l. taDooed
by law and good society but is still Drac-
tiCed for gain in Honolulu anu the other
Citles, and for the mere love OF II in the
outlying districts. The dance IS remark
ably beautiful and sensuUUs. It belongs
TO the same class as the jOnkinO Of the
geishas in Japan, the Nautch dances Of
Berares, and the dance du v6ntre of
Egypt Ii is undoubtedly a survival of
that ancient cult, sex worship, and under
its slnuous beauty is essentially immoral
and revolving.
Before civilization came every mother
taught 1t TO her daughter as matter of
duly. The poor thought that by it their
girls could marry into superior stations;
the rich that theirs shOaid espouse the
great mobiles ana the chiefs or king. In
the Kanlxa family every one knows Of
the dance. and most uf the women can
dance II. They regard Il to-day as I'M
bat not as TeprehcnSible. n
a slttlns-Toom or even IN the fields, where
there IS a patty Of girls together. Il $
common sport for one or two 10 present
cteps or even paris of the famous dance,
l. cls 81 L,Ie instIur.
While the Ksna&ls Sfe brave as lions
and make heroic s1ldicts and superb sail
ors. they 10 not seen 20 have as strong
a life instinct or as strCnL a regdTi for
human life az the TN iiiZod races. This
mental g.titule seems indt pendent OF re-
ligion or civilization and more or less
racic IN character. Many have noticed the
same thing among CITE japanese and me
and amSue tie people OF South
China. n whose yei.s TGns = great deal
o: Malay blood.
In former years IL expressed ltseIr IN
murdsods vars ana wholesale massacre
in the early par II tl.o century in IN
fanticile, arl ~ the present time in a
disregard Of SICK and OH people THIS
attitude mus net te ocrfused With IN
humanity. IL = simply a dineFCu: way
OF viewing human cX.S:cTce. The same
man who VIII go through IRE and flame
and even incur ier.ih'e pain in carrying
out en- ile3 Vii tod h.s arms and AWAIT
death wiihoT, "a struggle the momeult DE
Is convinced OF tire fUti.ty OF further
resistance.
Unlike savage raees Or races descended