The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-01-20


higher than So degrees, and it seldom
runs below 81 degrees. The growth of
the banana tree was described with
the dark maroon blossom or bud. Mr..
Towne spoke of the love of the Hawaii
ans for flowers and music, women and
men wearing flower wreaths around
their hat, their neck or on their hair
Besides decorative trees, one of the
most brilliant is the golden shower,
which looks very much like our wistaria.
There the night blooming cereus grows
on the stone wall, along the roadway,
and there are thousands of them in
bloom The good things to eat were
told of the native fruit, quite different
from that which grows in this country.
The palaces of the old kings We're spok-
en- of, and it was noted that the old
government was overthrown when
Queen Liluokalani was deposed in 1898.
Mr.. Towne said that Immediately on
the arrival of the party they We're be-
sieged with invitations. He spoke of
their entertainments and said that the
dancing was not alone instrumental,
but the musicians sang all the time
the music full of charm and senti-
ment, and sometimes in almost heart
8
had a quicker and almost wild music
in native dancing. The bathing at the
beach with the seven rows of breakers
was spoken of as delightful, the native
canoes with outriggers described and
the riding of the surf on boards, the
natives standing on the board as it
went over the breakers. One of the
songs dear to the islanders is the ''Wai-
kiki Mermaid" The quartette sang
this song, which had been anglicised,
and it proved very enjoyable, the
young men being obliged to respond
to an encore. Mr.. Towne gave a splen-
did description of the early settle
rnent and the naming of the islands
and described the Hawaiian flag, and
named the different islands which
constitute the group. The origin of the
people is doubtful, some believing them
a lost tribe of Israel. The volcanic
nature of the islands doubtless accounts
for the fact that no animal life originally
existed there except what could fly
or swim. Accordingly the islands are
free from wild animals, reptiles, snakes
or venOmous insects, even mosquitoes
being unknown until brought there by
a sailing vessel early in the 10Th CEN
fury. The speakers memory failed
to recall the presence of the house fly,
even though meals at hotels and resi-
dences were served in piazza dining
rooms.
Mention was made of the native
witch doctors, kahuna, one of whose
offices was in praying people to death
for a consideration from those who de-
sired the demise of their enemies The
victim, being informed the operation
was in process, frequently succumbed
from pure imagination, if not by a dis
Greet dose of poison, which kept the
witch Doctors reputation good. The
native dress was described and after
this a song, called ia Like No Like, .
was sung by the quartette. It was the
same song sung when the party left
Honolulu, the word like" signifying
cCnstancy.
From Honolulu a visit was made to
the island of Maui, and the great ex-
tinct crater of Haleakala described as
being the largest this side of the moon.
1t is about 21a miles wide by seven miles
long and 5000 feet deep, an impressive
and awesome sight.
AT Maui there are many Chinese,
ed, that of the throwing about the
streets of thousands of slips of paper
with nine little holes cut in each 1t
is believed by them that Satan in his
pursuit of the, soul of the dead must
pass through each of these nine holes
in each piece of paper, before which
time the relatives manage to entomb
the remains. Furthermore, paper
;ol-, h.
grave. Mr.. Towne spoke of the attrac-
tiveness and beauty of the Chinese and
japanese children, who were seen
everywhere. At Hawaii the party
visited the active volcano of Kilauea,
and a vivid description was given.
This is the largest active volcano in
the world. Descent was made into
the hot pit where internal fires were
sending their heat through cracks in
the lava. Over these the guides cook
ed meat, made coffee and otherwise
prepared dinner for the party. A most
thrilling description was given of one
of the ladies of the party attempting
to make the circuit of the crater. be-
coming bewiIdered and lost and out
all night in imminent danger of death
from falling into some gaping crack
in the volcano, there to be burned to
death. The final rescue by the native
guides was graphically given. The re-
turn to Honolulu was of interest, and
Mr.. Towne told of the natives bringing
wreaths and adjoining the visitors with
the beautifully arranged garlands of
flowers. AS the party slowly passed
out between the coral reefs, there came
to them the strains of their song,
aloha De-" Farewell to thee.
In connection with the address Mr.
Towne showed some interesting curfos
and objects purchased in the islands,
including a grass skirt or hula
Wreaths. poi-pounder for food, mos
quito switchers, models of canoes with
outrigger, shell and bead necklaces,
model of a straw hut; various woven
articles fan, napkin ring. etc. sam
pies Of lava, rush shoes used by the
natives when walking, various articles