The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-01-01

tall graceful cocoanut, with its crooked,
sky-roeket shaped stem growing so and
so feet high, holding its head far aloof
from everything else. This graceful
tree lent more to the picturesque feat
ures of the city than any other form of
tree or shrub. Here my wanderings
We're cut short for I learned that the
steamer I was to take for San Fran
cisco was off port, two days ahead of
time, and reluctantly soon found my
self aboard the S. S. China.
This beautiful Paradise which I had
discovered soon disappeared below the
horizon. but not the vision which had
made such a lasting impression upon
me. 1t was a strange fate that again
found me steaming into the harbor Of
Honolulu less than two years later. A
second time I had visited Hawaii and
again returned by way of Honolulu;
but this time I was determined to stay
long enough to thoroughly explore the
place. I arrived on Easter Sunday at
A p. m. early in April, 1899, experiencing
a very rough trip on board the famous
steamer "Kinau'' and found that the
boats reputation for acrobatic perform
ances in a choppy sea was well earn
ed for she INDUCED in such disagraceful
gymnastics that she shocked the feel
ings of all the passengers, and never
condescended to stop, even in the har-
Dor of Kihei, where, according to the
sworn statement of an old seaman-a
fellow passenger-she turned a COM
plete somersault during the night while
at anchor in the harbor.
As a round bottom stomach pump, she
was huge success. So much so, that
when I arrived in Honolulu 1 was not
physically in condition to indulge in
sight seeing, and so endeavored to find
lodgings in the hotels, but to my
cl1agrin found that all accommodations
were engaged. This was occasioned in
part by would-be spectators from the
other islands and from the coast. who
had been attracted here by the sugar
boom in anticipation of annexation. So
I started out in quest of private lodg-
ings, and although it was Sunday
morning, could not but help noticing
that there was an air of business about
the place that was not evident on my
former visit
But what struck me as particularly
unusual was that not one person in
twenty whom 1 met was wholly of my
own race. There were the Chinese,
japanese. Hawaiians, Polynesians, and
an unlimited assortment of crosses
among these; and the style of their
dress was as varied as their complex
ion. Wandering, I found myself at the
Palace Grounds and this time the gates
were open and the soldiers gone. On
entering to find a seat in order to doZe
off the effect of the sea trip, I soon saw
that 1 was not the only one who haQ
sought for a nap in a park seat in
lien of unobtafnable beds; one poor fell
low telling me that he had been there
all night. must have dozed for sew
eral hours when 1 was awakened by a
church bell, and guided by it's tones,
a magnificent house of w rship,
built of lava stone. To my great joy,
I saw that I was in the midst OF an
assemblage of m. own race: and al
though I did not know a soul in that
packed throng. felt as though I was
well known friends. To me it
was the most inspiring service I had I
ever attended. 1t was Easter, and the
pulpit rostrum and choir gallery were
.xquisitely decorated with palm leaves.
ferns and flowers in gorgeous array. 3
Never before had I beheld any thing !
30 extrayagant in decorations even in I
California, and strange to say. the last ;
lynn of the service sung was Amer ,
ca 1t thrilled my very soul with
owe of home. and patriotism, and effect
rally cured my seasickness. Securing
odgings that afternoon in private :
amiIy. I decided to remain two or three :,
veeks-and / am here yet. On gong :
nto the heart of the city next morn !
ng. / could not but notice the narrow
Unequal width of the streets and their :
and the little narrow side
ralks (ff they could be dignified by that :
ame) with their offsets in some places