The Frankfort roundabout. [volume] (Frankfort, Ky.) 1882-1908, 1899-08-12

and their gain, would dive for pen
MES thrown overheard into the
ocean, and To our Amusement never
came up again without Il broad grin
Oh their sun-burnt faces and the OBJ
ject of their descent In their hands.
They had not the least fear Of the
sharks that inftst these waters,
although at times they have been
killed by them.
The day following our arrival we
We're driven to the points of interest
In and around the city aud shown
the most marked attention by our
newly-inade brothers. We saw the
PuncnbOwl--the remains of once
active Volcano; the famous Spreckhs
sugar plantation, the shares of which
sell for $500 each; the native NUS
made from grass; banana groves; the
museum, containing all the former
war implements and dress of the
chiefs; the table upon which King
Kalakana Is said to have lost one Ut
his best islands in game of poker
with an American naval officer; the
royal palace, with the remaining evil |
dences of its former splendOr, and its
yetinspiringand neutrality-suspicious.;
and last, hut, for beauty, by no
means least attractive point of inter-
est, Was Waukakaii Beach, which Is
said by travellers to be one of the
most delightful for surf bathing in
the world.
| Here we witnessed a very interest
ing and, to those who tried it, very
thrilling experience, that of surf
boating. A long, narrow boat, about
/ 20 feet in length by "a feet in width,
Is rOwed, by native Oarsman, con-
veying his guests (25cents head) out
to distance ola mile or more from
shore to meet an incoming white
capped wave. The rear end of the
boat is very dextrously placed on the
crest of this swell and SO kept there
that the wave gives to the boat
truly remarkable speed, carrying it
/ towards shore with dangerous rapid
ity. However little you may care
for ducking, you are nevertheless,
constantly expecting to be thrown
out and to have the unpleasant task |
of padding yourself all the way into
shore, although you may have been
foolish enough to pay for your ride
i'm advance. We took several trips,
and, thanks to the skill of our pilot,
we were never upset. This is done
on smaller scale by the native boys,
who swim out as far as they care to
go, carrying with them d plank
made for this purpose, and then, sud
denly wheeling and kicking al a
furious rate to get started, they ride
the surf with a grace and ease that is
known only to them. Many of our
party tried this only to be turned
in prOmiscOus manner by thsee nom
respectOrs of persons.
While standing on the lookout
tower, on top of the royal palace, L
heard in the distance the strains of
the sweetest sacred music ever lis
tened TO. l asked the gentleman
who had kindly taken us to this in
spring point Of observation what it
meant, and he replied, ut is POr-
tugese funeral procession" 1t was
then half past six in the evening and
/ was curious to know why the time
for such sad function was postponed
until SO late in the day. 1t was to
avoid the heat of midday and to per-
NIT those of the laboring classes who
cared to do so to attend. :
BY the time this explanation was
gone through with l saw in the dis
lance the pure white uniforms of the
band men, AS they approached to the
slow march time of "Nearer My God
10 Thee" There were no fewer than
Iorty reed and brass instruments in {
play, and to one who had never
hafOr., h n, 81 on nroA ,,nVrosn on v,loxyal |
had not witnessed the sad procession
under martial music, the effect was \
swe-inspiring. Then came the hearse,
lraped In black, the horses (beauti-
'ul blacks from Kentucky, societies :
If which the deceased WAS a mem
Der, all in uniform, the chief stew
lrds of the town, the family and
riends of the dead, and bringing up
he rear was another band, dressed, /,
Is was the first, in pure white, with 4
I'll reed instruments playing slowly a
hat sweet sacred hymn, "Safe in the
Arms of Jesus" 1t was, to me, sac j
ed, lovely, sad. O
e One custom they have far in adj k
'ance Of ours, they do not deposit t.
he remains of their sacred dead and 8
hen have hOrse-race to see who L
an reach home first. a
After coaling for II journey Of over o
200 miles that was to follow, taking
N supplies that were needed and a
bidding farewell to our newly-made y
riends, we turned our bow seward n
gain, all the while wondering how
many of those 1900 souls on board a
would live to greet this lovely spot K
nee more. Who knows? d