The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-07-13
FAVORED ISLES
THE LAND OF THE AFTERNOON.
By Burton Mcknight.


O~O~O~O~O>o~O~ O>O~O~O~o~O~
Land of the Afternoon it is called
land of the setting sun it is. The bril-
liant coloring of the evening sky. with
its riots of pink and green, purple and
crimson, may be we'll thought an lntensl-
fed reflection of the myriad hues which
are found in tree and flower, on plains
and mountains. The Hawaiian Islands
have about them charm which whispers
romance and forgetfulness, of the silver
moon and the shining sea, and so great
is their hold, so tense their grip on the
heart-strings, that he who once has felt
their spell, walks forever as IN dream,
and perfect peace comes again only I'M
der the shadow of the palms and within
the sound of the surf. Hawaii, whose
story is told with pathos and bathos as
well, has ever been the alluring perspec-
tive. and now that travellers turn their
eyes to the West, its manifold advan-
tages claim the attention of the world.
Honolulu is to-day more definitely the
mid-ocean capital than ever before, as
travel on the Pacific, increasing with
great leaps, draws new ships and capital
to it. The globe-circ1er now sees
wide-awake thrifty, wellgroomed and
rather attractive city, where few years
ago there was only fringe of good
business houses along the beach. It's
harbor is deep and fairly wide. Three
battleships, four cruisers and two col
Tiers, added to the normal merchant ma
rine, failed to crowd either fairway
or dock room. The greatest ships atioat
may come up alongside the wharves.
Its commerce claims the best steamers,
the largerst sailers fly the American flag,
and cries for NOR, since 25 per cent. OF
its output passes through the Golden
Gate for shipment for New York.
So much for the commercial side of
the city treated specifically. There is
another. Scenic Honolulu is one of the
gems of the world. Perhaps nowhere
else, certainly nowhere within the en-
vironment of a great city, exists such a
natural sight as the Nuuanu Pail. This
is the cliff over which the first Kameha-
meha drove thousands of his enemies,
after pitched battle. 1t lies at the head
of a valley at the back of Honolulu,
and this narrow pass makes funnel for
the trade winds of the north, so that the
constant thing is to find a gale blowing
IL, d.. l, J,r~1,+ ~,
down town. The story of the scene of
blood enacted there reads like a fairy
tale. We sight narrow gap to the sea
of the north coast, across stretch of
ranches, and the impression made is one
of peace and happiness.
Encircling the city are the mountain
chains of the backbone of the island of
Oahu, and these, with their many peaks
and cutting valleys, combine to form
changing pictures as the rainbows arch
over them, or the clouds hang low, glow
ing in the sun and giving a color to
the soft skies rivaling that of Italy.
The foliage of Honolulu is distir1c-
tive 1t is impossible to convey in words,
the impression made by the combina-
tions of many greens of the Towering
trees and vines, the brilliant yellows
and puppies and reds, which shine
through the mass of palms everywhere
Looking towards the mountains, the
shades in the foliage are many, and yet
blend exquisitely. Varieties of palms
are encountered throughout the city and
its surroundings, while tropical shrubs
and northern neighbors, which have be-
come gloriied by their transplanting,
make jungles of the house-yards and
public squares
In Kapiolani Park there are examples
of tropical arborculture, which are not
excelled in any known tropical or sub
tropical ground. All over the city may
be found avenues of royal palms, date
palms, of cocoanuts, acacias, ironwoods,
and eucalypti, with cocoanuts nodding
here and there in the background. The
elimination of the display of tropical
verdure IS found in the Moanalua es-
tate, few miles west of the city,
reached by fine road. This estate is
threaded by boulevardS. There, too. is
the polo field and golf grounds, the for
mer in a natural amphitheatre and the
latter rolls over the hills near by
On the mountains back of the city are
clustered villas where the Honoluluans
take their outing in summer, seeking the
higher levels for change of air. Tan
talus at 1000 feet elevation bears on a
plateau a score of attractive summer
places which are delightful rendezvous
for a days outing. The winding road up
the mountains backbone passes through
forest of eucalyptus, and here and
there are afforded glimpses of the noun
tain tops, of valleys on either side, of