The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-08

ways cheerfully welcomed. The F{a-
waiian is generous, and will share MS
last meal with you if you ask it.
In the afternoon the children cannon
skate, but they go down to the beach
for swim or ride in the surf 1t is al
ways u pretty sight. The yellow sands
Skirted with cocoanut pa Inns from Sc
to 100 feet high, the green waves. the
white foam on the coral reef, and be-
yond the blue water of the tropic sea,
form picture one does not readily for :
get. Parties of eight or ten get into
the SURF boats or canoes These are
quite narrow, and log, light as 8
cork. Is fastened parallel to the canoe
by wooden poles six or eight feet n
length, to keep the craft from capsiz-
ing. A man with a paddle sits at each
end. and they take you out nearly a
half mile from shore, then, watching
their chance, they dexterousiy turn
the canoe around between the waves.
and wait for a good roller. After a
whlle big one is seen to approach. All
shout, Here 1t comesi" Then the
men begin to paddle, and soon the huge
waves strikes the stern and the boat
pitched at an angle of thirty degrees,
starts for the shore with the speed
OF a race horse. You almost hold your
breath till at last you near the beach,
the canoe is guided to skirt the shore,
and you face the sea again. Here one
waits to catch breath, and then paddle
out for another ride-just as in our
climate you pull a sled up hill again
for another slide. You must wear a
bathing suit. for the spray will wet
you through; but no one cares as the
air is soft and balmy and you never
catch cold. Others ride on surf boards
or swim about and dive: all Hawaiians
are good swimmers.
And now let me tell you a fish story.
Sometimes the natives ride on sharks.
40,
sters inside the reef, but beyond it Is
not safe to swim. When / was told
that Hawaiians rode on sharks backs
I did not believe it, but l afterward
learned that it is true. In the shoals
at Pearl Harbor natives often swim to
sharks, mount them, and ride about
with great glee. The explanation is
that the shark cannot bite till 1t has
thrown itself upon it's side. prepara
tory to a leap. and this 1t cannot do in
a shallow place When the shark and
it's rider near deep water. the native
quickly dismounts.
The Portuguese element in Hawaii
celebrates Christmas with great enthu-
siasm and noise. They are mostly
Roman Catholics-not like those In
America, who are enlightened-hut they
are often quite as much heather as the
Chinese and japanese. / have been in
the joss houses and observed the Chi
naman bow down to his idols; Into the
temple of Buddha, where the Japanese
celebrates heather rites, and have seer.
the Portuguese worship the Holy
Ghost Now / had never before seen
the Holy Ghost, and l had considerable
curiosity as to how it looked.
well-to-do Portuguese had prepared
his home for its reception at Christmas
tide. The veranda was strung with Chi
nese lanterns, and within the house there
was erected an altar. a cheap wooden
table draped with muslin and covered
with lighted candles. Gilt paper orna-
ments were In profusion. and a bright
chrome of Mary and the Christ child
was suspended above. When evening ap-
a great procession, headed by
q iscordant band, came to this Portuguese
house, and in the midst of the throng
a priest IN long robes bearing
a black velvet cushion and in 1t was the
Holy Ghost. It was a silver dove with
wings outspread, quite well wrought. and
II looked very pretty on the black velvet
background. II was placed on the altar,
and all had the opportunity of worship
ing II during the night. While the band
played outside and the boys touched off !
the master of the house
treated to wine all who came He had
several barrels for the occasion. 1t was
.