The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1906-08-03
OUTLOOK FOR
CIVIC BEAUTY IN
THIS CAPITAL

In recent issue OF Park and Gem.
etery. Charles Milford Robinson. this
civic beautifer. writes as follows:
The Hawaiian Islands, called 1.-THE
Paradise OF the Pacific" are coming
more and more into public thought as
a goal, as dreamed-of haven, where
in the happy Sometime one may GO
to find rest and beauty. And those
| things are found there. No one comes
back without testifying that the dream
is true. and year by year the tide of
| travel rises, more persons journey to
| Hawaii. realize the dream, and return
to awaken a keener interest In those
tranquil little islands-the farthest
| from the mainland of all the inhabited
| islands of the world-where the broad
Pacific is a sapphire sea.
If one could go with his eyes closed
from Chicago to the Golden Gate,
, there certainly would be no sense of
| disappointment in the first impression
made by the vegetation of the Hawai-
| ian Islands after six days of sailing
on the ocean. But all the way across
| the ocean ones eyes are very much
open, and going as I did by way Of
Southern California, with frequent
stops OF several days at a time-and
always saying to ones self, ''Those
palms are fine, but wait for Honolulu:
these flowers are lovely. but think Of
the tropical blooms that we shall see;
and these green fields, and hillsides
verdant beneath the warm rains and
Hal 10 HxyfT1 fnr
are well in their way; but one must
be temperate in admiration since the
tropics are yet to be seen"-if one could
go to Honolulu with some of this ex-
perience, there could be no disappoint-
ment But after the roses of Califor-
mia, after the riot of flowers In park
and garden, by wayside and in wood
and field, which California offers to
the winter traveller, the first views of
the Hawaiian Islands and of Honolulu
are not quite all one hoped.
The northern side of the island Of
Oahu, which is the first land seen at
close range, is bleak and bare. Rocks
jut into the sea. extinct volcanoes
raise bleak sides in gaunt and naked
sternness that the tints of softening
distance scarcely hide; and when the
end of the island has been rounded,
and skirting the southern shore one
comes into the harbor, the land Is yet
so far away that in the larger features
of the scene-in the beauty of peak
and crater and OF shadowy valley, and
in the interest of the structures of
the city-one quite forgets to notice !
the cocoanut palms. which in pictures
give the necessary touch Of tropical
ness.
In the first days there is recognized
the beauty of the hills. but they are
not quite as high as one had expected
mot really mountains, on the island
upon which is Honolulu; and one
misses wealth of garden flowers.
There are no roses, Japanese beetle
having destroyed them all some years
ago and successfully prevented their
culture since, and the few flowers
raised in gardens--as petunias, gerani-
ums, and nasturtiums-seem no more
than in the eastern states.
The banana is stunning but scraggly,
and its big leaves have become ia
miliar in California. The graceful
pepper tree Is not as beautiful here
as on the coast: the orange and lemon
trees are IldTuly as 6Oou, uilu iOI lhc
common date and fan-leaved palm one
had no need to cross two thousand
miles of ocean. The whole effect is
not, in short, the sum Of many addi-
plus and plus-and in
he first recognition of Its algebraic
character, that there are deductions to
De made, one does feel a little pang ..
# disappointment.
BY degrees, however. one turns from
to additions. There is
,ere the wonderful royal palm, its +.
great white trunk making 1t the most
of all Gods trees, so that
/ row of the royal palms is a natural
there is the ever-pictur- :.
sque cocoanut palm, Its long stem :
hooting off on grotesque curves. like :
sky-rocket: there is the far-spread- .
ng, hospitable banyan OF childhood's
'icture books: there is the Poinciana
egia, or flame tree-in February a
eafiess skeleton rafting long and ugly
but to be gorgeous later on;
here is the marvellous travellers palm.
he useful algaroba, and such vines
nd hedges! Waste and nearly stag
ant ponds are covered with the lotus
nd with lilies, white and blue; and
lsewhere rice fields paint the land =.
cape with their peculiarly fresh green; =
nd the sugar cane waves In the wind
Ike corn field yellowish green. Up =
n the mountain--on Tantalus-onel -
cts among the tree ferns and the
onderful giant vines, and knows at =
Ist that the north temperate zone .
/, indeed, far away. y
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