The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-05-03

me on the return trip, so | had to be
content inside. Another day we took a
ride on the "seeing Honolulu car
listening to a young native tell OF the
most interesting points as we passed.
We could not repress smile as he
pointed out, "the Monkey pod tree"
''the castor oil bush" and "the ducks
that had their own incubator
Our most enjoyable trip was on Sun
day, March 25th, when we went by rail
some 60 miles round the coast to the
other side of the island. Leaving Homo
lulu at $40 a. m. we soon passed out of
the city, among the banana groves, rice
fields, sugar plantations and through
the fields of Sisal, from which Sisal
binding Irvine is made. Sugar is the
chief product of the islands and we
passed thousands of acres in variours
stages of growth. 1t requires about
1S months to mature the first crop, and
from 30 to 80 tons being produced on an
acre. They get second crop after the
first is out, which natures in from six
to eight months, but is not nearly so
heavy. l do not know much about the
sugar business as we have not yet been
to the mills. This is funny country to
me, everything is upside down as it
we're. We find a fruit, papai, which re-
sembles our musk mellon, in shape and
flavor, growing upon a tree from six to
ten feet high. The apples -Pineapples
grow in the ground, and the chief
feed for the horses and cattle, they tell
us, is the pods OF the various pod bear
ing trees. The men, Japs and Chinks,
wear the dresses-llimonos- the
, women (Chinese) wear tho breeches.
The native women wear a loose "Holo
Ku"-mother hubbard. The men wear
, shirts and overalls. Sometimes you see
: men, and women too, dress as neat as do
Americans, and again you may see then
, with scarcely anything on but a "Lei
) and a pleasant smile.
We were fortunate indeed to select
/ this day for visit to the other side Of
the island for soon after arriving at the
5 beautiful hotel Haleiwa we learned
t there was native Sunday school con
l vention, with big Luan (feast) at 8
l nearby church. Needless to say we
. went over and found about 800 natives
: assembled in and around the church.
: wish you could have seen me standing
: on bench among natives, Japs and
t Chinks, curious like myself, peerine
: eagerly in the window to see and hear
a but not understanding myself. Thu
). other boys had crowded in the churcl
d in the mean time. To all appearance
: the whole proceedings were carried OF
r in tho good Orthodox style though,
r. must admit, do not know how a Sun
,, day schoul convention should be con
t Quoted. The Royal Hawaiian band fur
e nished music and l could apprec lat
e that. We soon tired of this and pre-
IS ceeded to investigate the preparation
a for the Luan. We found in larg
1T building nearby great vessels of Pc
1T the staff of life here, and made b
20 pounding up the root of the Taro plan
e and roast pig-perhaps dog, as they ar
rs very fond of dog, but guess this was
ID porker as it smelled like pork. The por
"a was baked or roasted in leaves of i
80 tea, which they say gives it a peculia
Or savory flavor. Soon tables were pre-
t. pared with benches on either side wit
Dr. bowls holding perhaps three quarts {
a Poi, which is of grayish color an
about the consistency of thick mus
a placed about every three feet. I'll
n guests being seated deft waitresse
Ii served to each portion Of pig goo
n and hot and, Grace being said they pr
er ceeded to eat. They scorned knive
es forks and spoons and the process WE
~ very simple but effective. They site
n one finger in the Poi and by few de
at twists and turns extract that whie
1T, adheres from the rest and introduce
ey into their mouths, finger and all, tt
IN finger of course returning for anoth
u; mouthful, some five or six eating fro
he the same bowl. The pig is likewi
ng manipulated by the fingers. The bow
nd being replenished from time to time
to occasion requires.
he They cordially invited us to partial
in of the Luan, but we declined wi
of thanks but have been sorry ever sin