The Opelousas courier., 1899-07-08
Letter from Hon o, "a "a.

ON BOARD L. 5. S. IRoQUoIs I
HONOLULU, June 20, 1899.
MY DEAR FArnER:-
I received yesterday two letters from You
dated May and 25, which is the first mail I
have received since left Manila. I wrote you
some time ago telling you [ was transferred to
the froquOls. but did not tel you of my pro-
motion for fear I would not get it at last, but T
got it, and that means more money in my pock-
ct Il mean yours. forgot the allotment ran
and will send yOu some surplus from time u
time. Have you received that set of China I
am afraid you never will.
i have visited several towns i'll the mountains
and gathered shells, different kinds Of nuts etc,
which will send you DIS soon as get a good
assortment
[ am having a good time here ana little to do
l have made a friend here, machInlsr, WHO
proposed TO me to-day 10 buy my discharge
and take charge OF an Island boat here at 1920
per year. do not care 10 purchase my dis
charge, but wonld not hesitate a moment II 1t
was offered me. have put IN this much OF my
time and can put IN the balance. This Is a
good country TO live IN all spring and summer.
Fruit grows and ripens the year round. There
are no forests here-iuInber imported but [
think planning mill and machine shop com
bined would be one OF the best Investments
man could go into, there are two machine
shops and three mills i'll the city, and they
have their hands full In this port there ara
from fifteen to twenty ships at time, and all
seem to he doing a thriving business. THIS
city extends from the sea to the mOuntalnc 1.-TWO
miles, and from Pear! Harbor TO Wdihihl Park,
six miles The park ls ald off III drives among
trees and surrouned by canals. All kinds of
sweet flowers grow there; back Of the park IL
an old crater 1000 feet high. and from ita top II
is Il pleasure to- watch ships away ont ut
disappearing III the horizon AT Pearl Harbor
there is Il salt lake several feet above the
between the two places IS Puncir Bowl crater.
at the foot of the mountain at the lett OF
Punch Bowl is a gap through Which the wind
blows so strong at one corner that yOn cannot
Is almost impossible fer t0otlnan 10 pass
there at all; at the end Of the gap you strike
the Tale of the sea, where this King OF this
island drove his enemies over the preciplce,
and from the height should think they were
all dead when they struck the ground. His
statue Is IN front OF the palace. The lnhaDl
LantS are Japs, Cllnese aud kdTrachles, with
long black K hair
The marriage laws are not very binding.
You can marry woman, and If she don't suit
yon. take her back and marry another
There is a barren island not TAR from here
where birds are as thick as the grass should
be. One species are Wing!ess, short legged.
large birds; the male has two beautiful teath-
ers in its tail they are easy, to catch. and
If you pluck these feathers. they will follow
you and quack until you can't hear 1t thunder
for their unearrhly yels; If you give one OF
it's feathers back lt will carry it to its mate and
come back to you for the other. Another gay
colored bird holows Dewey" as PLAIN as any
man can. This ID Wahe Island There all
kinds Of fish here-sqnare, round, triangular,
ctc one specie Has legs. "ltn a lGatl ike Il n0S
from this island they blast rock for fortIfying.
Tomorrow we sail 10 miles down the coast 10
survey. 1 am sorry mailed those cigars and
papers at Manila. They would have reached
you from here. The City of Columbia is
ch0red outside the harbor with Black Plague"
on board.
The captains son and are great friends
and visit and explore the island together.
Will not get furl0ueh until my time is up so
have Quit worrying about that.
The '.Solace" burned her boilers on the trip
over. Cluvarius is still on the "So'ace." Good
night 1Onr SOD,
J. T. EHUTE