The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-07-27
CLIMATE OF
HAWAII NE|
---a--a
Facts and Figures For
MaIihinis.
SUNSHINE AND BREEzES
Professor Nyons Able Article on
the Weather Of Our
Islands.

The climate OF Hawaii may be ex-
pressed In two words-sunshne and
sreezes.
The great Pacific Ocean is Pacific
because IT is great, and a great elualiz-
or OF climatic changes. The Hawaiian
Islands are large enough. and more es-
pecially, high enough, to have a
piquancy of character of their own, and
yet In no way to have neutralized the
peculiarly desirable qualities of oceanic
environment. They are an outpost, "a
picket line between tropical and tenn
perate regions ON the one hand, and
Between american aid Asiatic spheres
oil inHuenCe On the utner
The air that Supplies vitality to these
ISLANDS Is what neteoruioglsts term
anIl-cy comic" That is to say, lust
norm ot tins region the atmosphere is
continually DeIhs piled up, added to by
eeaseless overhead currents from the
southwest, wnlcn are there checked by
the temperate zone currents. The
descending air is clear and mellow, and
Tree from any SuperaDundant moisture,
or smoke, OF vapors, as II becomes the
northeast trades. which for seventy per
cent ot the days OF the year flow over
and around the mountains OF Hawaii,
and away on their seemingly endless
DRIFT to the coral-island regions of
Southern Micronesia. Therefore, it is
as IT is,-bright and sunshiny.
The observant traveller. coming from
the smoky haze of continental and pop
plOus regions, is surprised at the GEAR
atmosphere of Hawai-. IL is land
900. which at low levels is absolutely
devoid OF fog,-only actual rain squalls
or the fine driven spray of the sea
producing what is nautically termed
thick weather."
During the first few days too he feels
absolutely saturated with sunshine
unless he strikes rain-spell. Every
thing seems abiaZe with 1t, and yet not
heated with 1t. The broad leaves of
tropical trees glisten ip it's wealth, the
inner foliage Is STEPPED in 1t. 1t seems
as though the cane-fields were only
converting sunshine into warm colored
sugar. The sand beaches reefs and
surf-lines, are dazzling with 1t. 1t
beats pitilessly all day on the sleeps
of Diamond Head, and of Punchbowl.
The artist accustomed to the subdued
tones of temperate zones Is puzzled with
the atmospheric effects of Hawaii
Distance is difficult to render in fidel-
fty to nature, and hardness rather than
richness of tone Ia the first result In
the near ground. cry few indeed, as
yet, have been the successful efforts to
depict the really impressive portions
ocean-view scenery
Next to sunshine, breezes. The new
conner finds himself perpetually in n
current of air, and yet not taking cold
1t Is the old settler that has to keep out
of the draft. Few who have not lived
in environment of the trade winds can
realize how they enter as an element
INTO the affairs of life within the trop-
les. The native Hawaiians have their
Two very convenient words uka and kai,
expanded, mauka and makai. MaulSa
means at the uka, or high land; makai
at the sea, that Is to say these words
mean landward and seward, as terms
OF direction. and they are so used rath-
er than the points of the compass. The
native born think In terms of ''mauka"
and "makai."
Just SO the immense preponderance
OF trade-winds influences Hawaiian
IDEAS and terms of locality. Natives
and old settlers from the standpoint of
Honolulu always speak of going "up
TO Hawaii" and down to Kauai" the
respective points of the compass being
Il. 8. E.. and w. N. w. New corners
as invariably say. down to Hawaii"
because II Is In lower latitude, and the
reverse to Kauai looking at the matter
geographically. or course In this mari
time country. all sailing craft bound to
the Island of Hawaii have to beat UP
70 windward," the strong trades draw
the east. while 1t is the traditional wet
sheet and flowing sea" in the other di-
rectton. In some districts, notably in
Hamakua, Hawaii, the windward half
OF the section Is known as upper (Ha-
makua); the leeward half as flower"
and yet there Is no particular difference
Of level.
The modes of life are also affected |
In former times to find a native house
facing the trade-wind was unheard of, |
except In very sheltered localities, and |
the people generally chose the knobs
for house sites; and even In Honolulu
the price of building-lots Is often more
dependent on the question of weather or |
iee-side exposure. than on the facing |
north-or-south question. Sanitary and !
domestic arrangements all have to take |
the general wind-direction into account, |
IL VIII be seen mat these winds are |
the life or the country. and the banisher |
OF malaria, though II still turks In the |
fairgrounds when not under water |
ana they are the invigorator of weak |
lungs that are sufficiently protected |
The natives of course. have an express
sive term Tor them, the makani ka-
maaina,- winds that are children of |
the country" Like the ancient Greeks
and Romans, they had specific names
for all winds. The westerly winds had
an eplthet rather than name of ma
kani winds that are strang-
ers."
The regularly aeclimated white Ha-
Vaiian IL forlorn creature without his
regular supply OF trades. and hates the
south wind like poison. To II are at
fiDuted all dire effects Imaginable,
though the sanitary orientation allud-
"a 20 above may be a good deal of a
FACTOR IN the case. II must be said,
however. that to the healthy nature
that wearies OF monotony, the change Is
- welcome one, accompanied as IL is by
= change In the cast OF the scenery.
One wearies OF seeing the oocoanut
irees-Mark Twain's Gigantic feather
sters-perpetuaily bending seward.
and 10 see the fur OF nature everlasting-
~ atr0ked downwards
Light passing showers. and sometimes
pretty heavy yet transient rains. are
peculiarly characteristics Of Hawaiian
Tn. -. -. sslF.F-