New Iberia enterprise. (New Iberia, La.) 1885-1902, 1900-07-07

| y
for there was a railing across the
road and hence, we got down.
Walking to the railing, one is alb
solutely overpowered with the
beauty of the place Looking over
this railing, one appreciates, for
the first time, the height of his
position, which fact is very forcibly
impressed, for standing on the edge
of cliff almost absolutely perpcn-
dicular, and 2OOO feet high, is not an
everyday occurrence to most of us.
Beginning at the bottom of this
precipice, is a very fertile, roll
ing valley about four miles long
two miles wide; every inch of which
is cultivated. Beyond this narrow
valley is the Pacific. This green
valley with its winding roads and
the deep blue ocean as back
ground viewed from such an eleva
ton, is pronounced by tourists,
who have seen the beauties of
all countries to be one of the
prettiest sights in the world.
Our party was simply carried
away by its beauty and pie
turesqueness. Not one had seen
any spot to compare with the Pail.
But there is something interesting
about it besides its almost unparal-
leled beauty. Pail is historically
famous as the place over which
Kamehameha | drove the native
army of Oahu in the final battle in
the conquest of the island in 1913.
Naturally, thousands were killed
by the fall. Kamehameha | was
king of the island of Hawaii; and
it was he who finally conquered the
other six islands of the Hawaiian
Group, besides his own, and made
himself king of all.
Returning to Honolulu, in the
afternoon we took drive through
town and to Waikiki on the beach,
The gardens in Honolulu are what
| call matchless. In every yard are
flowers, ferns, palms, cactuses,
evergreens, all varieties of shrubs,
climbing vines, and trees including
the banyan.
The beauties of tropical countries
are indescribable; while Honolulu
seems to surpass other spots. The
party unanimously so declared.
Waikiki was reached late in the
afternoon. The sun was low; and,
as it were, just about to take a
plunge in the deep. And here was
another pretty sight. The chang
ing color reflections of water and
sky looked like a sea of smashed
rainbows. We stopped at a bath
house, got suits, and went in to en-
Joy the surf. Near us, in the water,
were hundred or so Kanakas,
mostly children, either swimming
about, or riding on the crest of the
\ waves in boats or.on boards The
boards mentioned, are like our
ironing boards. The native carries
his board with him for half mile
or so out, when he waits for large
wave to come. Holding it upright
in front of him, as the wave reaches
him, he makes leap, falling on the
board, and comes riding in as fast
as an express train. Foreigners
who have tried this for couple Of
years, tell me that only once in a
while accidentally do they sue
ceed in riding wave on a board.
The boat used is canoe to which
a piece of wood the length of the
canoe and about four inches in
diameter is affixed parallel to it,
about two yards from it, by means
of two cross pieces of wood. This
is what the Kanaka calls his safe
boat, and safe it is.
The island of Hawaii is 120 miles
from Oahu Island; and until lately,
the natives went from one island to
the other in this small boat. On
July, ,'99, Capt. Freitsch, in his sloop
"Coke," alone, arrived in Honolulu
from Frisco. This lone voyage was
considered very ordinary by the
natives, for this was "ancient his
tory" to them.
The next day, the Oahu Railway
Co. offered US a free trip over their
road, which nearly encircles Oahu.
On the road, we stopped at the Eva
Plantation Co. This is the largest
sugar plantation on the islands. 1t
employs 7S5 laborers; and this
year, will net a profit of 81 ,5OO,-
600 making $4,000 tons of sugar.
The average yield of sugar on one
fourth of crop ground, up to date
of our visit, was IL tons per acre.
| At the terminus of the road there
is a large hotel called Haleiwa
beautiful Honey Hotel. This is
a famous summer resort. There
are very few hotels in the U. s. to
compare to this one; the scenery
being beautiful, situated as it is on
the seaside in the mountains, and
having all the modern conveniences.
i Quarantine at Honolulu had not
been raised when we were there,
but there had not been case of
plague for very nearly three weeks.
Out of the SO cases there had been
there, 81 had died. Only three
white men had had it, and one sur
vived. On Jan. goth, some con-
denned houses in Chinatown were
set on fire, which got beyond con-
troll, and fourteen acres, including
. large church, Of the town burned
down.
On the night Of April 26th, the
Royal Hawiian Band played at the
Palace Grounds. l went to hear
, them. They play very well. A
number Of the pieces played was
from their native music, which is
very sweet indeed. Especially is
their national air (Aloha) pretty.