The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-30
The BEAUTIES OF HAWAII
Wonders of the Islands Described
in Letter.

Gorgeous Color Effects That Dazzle
the Eye and TIensc the Refined
Senses-The Mountain Tops in the
CIOuds-A study of the Natives.
BALTIMORE. Md. Aug. 81 Z Jew
ell in a communication from Fort de
kock. Sumatra, Dutch East Indies. aid
dressed 10 the Baltimore Sun" writes
most interestingly Of the beauties and
wonderful natural resources Of Hawaii
He says:
The Hawaiian Islands are called The
Paradise Of the Pacific and they wei de
serve The name. J have never seen any
thing 50 beautiful as their vordure-covered
rugged mountains. and nothing SO piCtUT-
esque as the city q Honolulu. its suburbs
and the country generally. No colorinE
that I ever saw in America can compare
with the delicate gradatious i'm tints Of the
distant Hawaiian mountains and head
lands. hathed IN sunlight darkeued by
shadows or half hidden by clouds
The seashore and ocean form perfect
Kaleidoscope of brilliant blues and green's,
or soft puppies. violets and Frays. Many
Of the effects OF light are wonderful To
say that both landscape. form and color
ing are lovely hardly does IT justice. II is
land where every prospect pleasCs and
only man is vile.
Stopping i'm Honolulu on the way to
SUmatra some Of the leading citizens gave
our eclipse observation party a reception
the evening after we arrived in Honolulu
and Profs. Barnard and Skinner and Mr.
Abbot gave talks about their work. ] did
not have the pleasure Of attending the re-
ception myself being off on an excursion
party to Diamond Head with Dr. Ormond
u-I Ia 81 in Fp1
more, and who saw to it that l had fine
large time and visited the chief places Of
interest The party 20 Diamond Head was
n cstly made up Of the teachers from the
kamehameha School. including one pure
blooded native teacher, Miss Kahuna.
Diamond Head is large extinct vol
canic crater nearly loo feet high with
thin crater wall affordiug a precarious
foothold difficult to walk along. The out
CT slopes are very steep and comparative
" smooth, except where seTrated by
g"rSes. IT is a steep hard clint. not de
void OF more or less danger from slips
and consequent falls. but the view will re-
pay one with interest The crater basin
is fairly deep and Of immense extent al
though somewhat less than a mile in di-
ameter. There is a small, shallow lake
within the basin. The scenery is different
from anything ! ever saw. The noun
tains are rugged and almost constantly
clOUd-capped. The clouds often come
down very low and are sometimes in
masses Of immense cumuH towering into
the air TO a great height, above the high
est mountains But the chief charm Of
the landscape is the vivid coIoring or soft
translucent tints in the distance. The
shallow parts Of the sea are in many
places a strong bright green, inclining 10
al L in No. will
b. u cobalt blue or a violet, and there are
all possible gradations between these col
OTIS. In the distance the colors are Ereyer
and more inclined to a deep violet grey
] thought the coloring could hardly be
SURPASSED until ! visited the Pail
The view toward the city, with the sea
TO the left and tE- mountains 10 the
right. is artistically perhaps the finest Of
al, views which include the city. The
composition is almost perfect, but was
seen at disadvantage. as the city was in
a smoky haze. which also gave only faint
glinpscs Of the other large islands to the
east.
The party remained on top until sun
set, then climbed down by twilight and
moonlight and took picnic supper at
Waikiki beach.
The evening before we left Honolulu
some Of US went TO Waikiki beach and
took a moonlight swim in the Pacific
Ocean on the evening Of February =.
The weather was delightful and the wa
term warm. Excursions were taken to
various other places, including the
Punchbowl, another volcanic crater on
the outskirts of the city. but 1t is much
inferior 70 Diamond Head.
An interesting trip was taken on the
Oahu Railroad 20 the Eva sugar planta-
ton. where we saw the various sugar
making operations at the Eva sugar mill
TIE most interesting part Of the trip,
however. was the many picturesque pas
toral scenes all along the road. The ma
tives only work when they have TO- and
the farmers are mostly Chinese, who
rank with the most skilled Of all agricul-
turists. There are various kinds Of truck
ing farms, but most Of the men We're en-
gagged in planting and cultivating rice.
The water buffalo, or cariboo, is the only
domestic animal used for rice cultivation.
and is a gentle and patient but strong
and unsainly beast Their horns are
long. fat, and curved backward. but
what possible use the animals make Of
them ! have failed TO discover.
Besides sugar cane and rice there are
many banana fields, and toro patches. the
latter looking like fields Of pond lilies
furnish the root from which the natives
produce their poi the national dish Of
the Kanakas Many walks were taken
around through Chinatown" and the ma
tive quarters. also to one Of the native
rice mills and the cultivated fields lust
outside the suburbs.
Honolulu itself is q beautiful CITY
with the houses set in perfect forest Of
tropical trees and plants flowers and
vines Some Of the flowers are Of the
most brilliant color. particularly a mag
nenta or puTplish pink flower which al
LA 80 l.F q
OF vivid color There are other varieties
OF the same flower which have different
color These brilliantly cOlOred flowers
however. when looked at more closely
give one the idea that they are made Of
tissue paper and when taken In hand look
Ike the colored leaves Of plant in
stead OF the petals Of a flower.
The most beautiful views Of ali how
ever, and the lOVeliest and most exGui-
site effects Of light and color / have ever
seen. were witnessed when visiting the
Pan he Pali is a steep precipicc over
which kdHehamcha drove several thou
sands Of his enemies when he conquered
the Island OF Oahu. The view Of noun
tam and iowland. seashOre and ocean as
seen from the Pail, ! can scarcely con
celVe il possible 20 surpass The c0I0rine
was something truly wonderful There
were Just enough clouds TO give cOutiuu-
ally changing effects OF light and shade.