Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-05
DIVING FOR FIREwooD.
Fun on the Beach When the Wood
Box is Being Filled.

run on the beach When the Wood
Box is Being Filled.
From the Youths Companion
Boys whose most dstastefuI task is to
Keep the wood box filled, or who are ex-
pected to split the kindling wood every
night, would undoubtedly enjoy living at
Hawaii. Firewood there is not only very
scarce, but they get it out of the water,
another feature Of the matter which would
probably appeal to such of the boys as de-
light In 'goin' swimmin'"
Upon the shores of Hawaii ffrewood is n
scarce and precious commodity. The pres
ent forests do not grow near the sea and
the labor of bringing wood from the dis
tant timber is great, especially as roads
are rev. Practically all the firewood of the
natives, and much that is used by the Eu-
ropeans in the towns, is drift that is
Drought down periodically from the up-
! lands by freshets that follow heavy rains
Ihere is nothing strange in all this, but
what is strange is the way the natives
gather the wood. Pick it up on the beach?
MOI at all; at least, very little is obtained
IN lnat commonplace manner.
Much of the island timber is extremely
neaVy, and instead of floating in orthodox
1ashlon, as wood should do, it promptly
SINKS 10 the bottom. As the freshet gath
erS headWay, down come the heavy tree
trunks and branches, dashing fiercely
against the rough lava sides of the stream
ana pumping against the bottom till all
semblance of their original shane Is lost
ana they are bruised into shapeless blocks
or split into kndling
Inc current carries them well into the
ocean, where they settle into the sand. The
nrst stage of their journey is over; now for
the second. In day or two the ocean
rises IN its might. and sends in huge
breakers upon the shores, which catch the
logs and splnters and roll them over and
m thn hot
Here is the natives chance He has been
waiting long for just such an opportunity,
Down to the shore come the Kanakas in
troops. No one is left behind save the sick
and the blind. Men, women and children
are all On the beach, having an eve both to
business and to pleasure.
The women are clad in old, loose hoiakus
a garment | may best describe by likening
it to the original Mother Hubbard" The
men dof their garments and don the eco
nomlcal malo, or Waistcloth. The children
follow suit, SO far as doffing goes. and don
well to tell the truth, most of them don
nothing, and if they are satisfied you and
L need not complain. And now for it.
Inc men dash into the breakers diving
under under the big combers and rising on the
crests OF the smaller ones till they are out
shoulder high; then they feel around with
their feet till they find a piece of wood-it
may be only splinter, it may be a log
SO large as to require the aid of a rope to
pull it in; but, large small, no matter
Down dives the Kanaka head foremost to
seize the prize.
The women and children wade in a little
distance to catch the smaller pieces that
get past the men, and soon the piles on the
shore grow from nothing to cords.
"A Marcy native will stay in the water
wadlng and diving, for couple of hours
| and then come out. pretty thoroughly
chilled, to sun himself on the beach in
readiness for another bout with the waves,
meantime solacing himself with the newt
able pipe or cigarette
Hard work is this wood gathering by
diving, what between the buffetings of the
waves, the cold and the labor of Juggling
the logs ashore. But for all that shouts
and laughter fill the air, and one might
suppose the occasion was a summer picnic
Whatever his faults, the Kanaka has not
added to the gloom and discomfort of the
world He endures disappointment and
misfortune with equanirlity and when the
clouds pass and the sun shines he is ready
to laugh and be glad