The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-01-28

scheduled for a visit to this place it
did not impress US as possessing spe-
cial interest, but We had not been in
the building long before we were all
roaring with laughter at the remarka-
BILE specimens of the finny tribe here
collected. Language can not do this
subject justice. No words can accu-
rately portray what one sees here.
The fish are odd in shape and have all
the hues of the rainbow The tintS
are laid on as if with brush, and yet
no painter could initiate these-shall
we call them pictures in water color?
Some were long and slim. some short
and thick. One had a forehead like
a wedge, another had a very blunt
nose Some looked like thin slabs OF
pearl with irridescent tints; others had
quilts like a porcupine. One otherwise
respectable looking little fellow had
long nose, upon the end of which was
a fiery glow, which made him look ike
an old topper; another, of deep pea
cock blue, had nose for all the world
like a stick of indigo, which it wiggled
as it swan.
There were convict fish, with stripes
like those worn in penitentiaries, ana
of these there were all sizes; some
moving slowly and solemnly ike
hardened criminals, and others sport
ing about as il enjoying their nrst
taste of wrongdoing. one variety
wore what looked like an orange col
ored ribbon tied just above the tail
The color was so like the popular flow
err of Hawaii that we were not sur
prised to find that the fish was called
the lei In one tank the fish had
habit of resting upon the rocks; they
would brace themselves with their fms
and watch the passers-by. At one
time two were perched side by side.
and recalled the familiar picture OF
RaDhaePs "Cherubs' Besides the
fishes there We're crabs of several
varieties, all brilliant in color. one,
called the hermit crab, had cover
ing like velvet, with as delicate a pat
tern as ever came from the loom. Ana
then there was the octopus, with the
under side of it's arms lined with valve
like mouths. 1t was hiding under the
rocks. and when the attendant pokeu
it out with a stick it darkened the
water with its inky fluid, recalling the
use made of the subsidized American
newspapers by the trusts when at
tackled.
No visitor to Honolulu should fail to
see the aquarium. Every effort TO
transport these fish has thus far fail
ed. and to enjoy the dudes, clowns anu
criminals of f1shdom one must see
them in their native waters.
sURF-RIDING IN CANOES.
The tour of the island closed with u
tho oh a
surf boats The native boat is long
narrow, deep canoe, steadied by log
fastened at both ends to the boat ana
floating about ten feet from the side
These canoes will hold six or seven
persons, and are propelled by braWny-
armed natives Our party clad them
selves in bathing suits, and, filling
three canoes, We're rowed out some
distance from the shore. The natives,
expert at this sport. watch for large
wave and signal each other when they
see one approaching, and then, with
their big. round paddles, they start
their canoes toward the land. AS the
wave raises the stern of the canoe they
bend to their work, the purpose being
TO keep the canoe on the forward slope
If the wave. 1t is an exciting expert
ing over one while the canoe flies along |
before the wave. Sometimes the boat |
men are too slow, and the wave sweeps |
1nder the canoe and is gone. but as d |
.l1le they know just how fast to work,
md there is great rivalry between the
;urf riders when two or more crews
ire racing. 1t is strange that form
# sport so delightful has not been
transported to the American seaside
escorts. There is surf bathing the year
ound at Honolulu. and few beaches
an be found which can compare with
Waikiki.
The Oahu Railroad. which carried US
ut to the sugar plantation. and which /
as seevnty-one miles of track on the
Stand. passes within sight of Pearl Il
Iarbor. which is the only large inlet
n the islands capable of being deVei-
ped into a harbor. The United States
government is already dredging TINS
arbor and preparing it for both naV2I
nd commercial uses. the Hawaiian
stands occupy a strategic position as
ell as a position of great commercial
and as they are on direct
ne between the Isthmus Of Panama |
nd the Orient their value as a mid
.ean place will immeasurably in =
ease. The ialsnds being now Unit
l States territory the advantage Of
le possession Of Pearl Harbor is ac-
,mpanied by a responsibility for its
roper Improvement. No one can visit
lie harbor without approaching its i'm a
7rtance 70 our country and to the
orld.
When we departed from the wharf y
nightfaE to board the Manchuria
. were again ladened with flowers,