The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-04-11

or pandanus leaves were also laid out
in preparation for weaving into coarse
mats. A locality much frequented by
us was a rocky cove at the shore,
where we often bathed wearing fan
mel gowns. After the bath we stepped
a little inland to a house where the
native women would empty over US to
wash out the salt, calabaShes OF brack-
ish water from little pool or well
four or five feet down, a sort of cave
in the lava. There was variety OF
animal life in the small pools of the
cove. and an occasional live shell. The
beach sands abounded in damaged
shells of no special beauty, but desir-
ed by children.
Among weeds on the shore, IN the
also mustard. Pepper grass and wild
tomatoes appeared about 1885. Indigo
was introduced into gardens on Oahu
a little later, and in the course of If
teen years became cetested weed,
nearly disappearing, however, aftef
1870 Guavas were choice garden fruits
in the later thirties, Eot becoming
wild until some thirty years later.
Calling at the end of 1889 at Eimao,
near Tahiti, wondered to see the hi Is
overgrown with wild guavas. Our
ship took on a supply OF guava fire
wood, some of which went to the cap
tain's lathe for 'scrimshawing," in
teeth were also consumed. This re-
minds of a lorg walk over the black
lava knobs north of Kailua which we
once took to little sand beach where
lay the vast rotting carcass of a
whale. probaly killed and lost by
some whaler cruising in those waters:
We used to look from the village off
to those black points in the north
where in storms enormous clouds of
spray like great ships flew up from
the angry attacks of the waves.
While, in those days, horses Were
rarely seen in Kona, there We're quite
number of those animals in use on
"Paniolos," or Spanish cowboys, with
whom were also natives and half
Spaniards. These cowboys manufac-
tured their own heavy Spanish saddles
and brides, with their lariats, all of
cowhide save the wooden saddle frame,
and the cruel iron bits and spurs,
made by some "armorer' or smith.
be handled only with the merciless
lasso, and the high pommeled saddle
to enable the trained pony to lean
back and keep up the strain on the
noosed beeve, or bipi. The Australian
tame English breed Of cattle required
saddle has no pommel. Horses were
always called lilo" by the natives,
probably a shortening of the Spanish
''caballa" (cabal-eeo).
My father wrote and received a good
many letters All were sealed with
waters or wax, envelopes being I'M
known. United States postage was 25
cents for every piece of paper, large
or small. The proper folding Of a let
ter sheet was cutie ~ at. and the
portions O. tile rll:r rsLg v.,ic1 were
turned inside wcaid Il c; refully filed
Paid % Cents" would be written with
a pen by the postmaster at the sea-
port. At one time several large vol
umes of an Encyclopedia with many
wonderful plates, came from some
where to engage our interest. Among
the plates especially wonderful were
some illustrating anatomy. This par
ticular volume soon mysteriously dis
appeared, no doubt being deemed I'M
adapted to the childish mind. But an
enduring fascination in that subject
was then created. Such is forbidden
fruit!
We were not rich in toys. AT a visit
to Honolulu in 1885, we were enabled
to see a considerable assortment of
cheap toys sent out for the Mission
children. We awaited the distribution
with intense anxiety, our desires being
especially fixed upon a Noah's Ark
with its inhabitants. How deep then
was our chagrin and resentment when
the mater, with view to utility, Sc
lected for us diminutive iron skillet.
1 think that was one OF the most Sc
rious grievances of my early life; but
no remonstrance awaited, or was toll
Grated. That skillet became promi-
nent in the domestic economy as
glue-pot Utility held much place In
our education. I learned sewing with
my sister, and became skilled with the
needle, an art not wholly useless In
later life. But I never learned to throw
a ball straight; indeed, I never saw
a ball game before reaching America.
Most prominent in our education was
religious instruction, although for some
reason we never made the slightest
acquaintance with the Shorter Cate
chism. Indeed, I doubt if either of our
parents had ever learned that famous
compend of doctrine, both having pass
ed their childhood in the pioneer life
of the Onondaga and Genesee from
tiers. Family prayers came twice
vout and impressive in petitions and
discourse. We all read verses in turn.
1 began to take my turn soon after be-
ing four years old. Some practical
Observations" always followed from
Scott's Commentary. The Bible became
an exceedingly familiar book, both In
its history, and in it's general system
ted. Indeed, 1 have not very radically
diverged in later life from those old
of Divine truth. Singing
was confined to our weekly prayer
but considerable number of
the Village Hymns" were memorized
in childhood, and have never been for
gotten.
The instruction of the natives was
conducted exclusively in their own
language. I remember only one child
to whom my father taught English,
and she was a grandchild of the Gov
ernor. Nearly every new missionary
undertook to teach some English to
the natives, but soon became satisfied
Of the futility of the effort. Foreign
visitors very uniformly censured the
for not so teaching the
natives, and opening to them the wide
treasures contained in the English Ian
yuage. 1t was simply impracticable.
Even now, after more than forty
years of diligent teaching of English
n the common and high schools, not
1ne native in five so taught can read
In ordinary English newspaper. Much
success, however. has been secured in
boarding schools, where the pupils are
required to converse only in English. !
The language has gradually made it
,olf a. homo in Sl1ph schools and w