The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1906-10-26
A CALIFORNIA WOMAN
IN THE TRANQUIL ISLES

the emerald and sapphire waters =,
clear that In some places fish may b,
seen swimming to n depth of sixty fec
to the great plantations and forests OF
tropical vegetation, with their luxuri
GUS fruits and foliage festooncd in fan
tastic shapes by graceful trailing vines
where every conceivable shade and tint
of green, gray and brown are blended
with the splendid coloring of the flow
ers, from the most delicate to the mos
gorgeous tints-from this to the rain
bowed valleys beyond, where almost
continually may be seen the brilliant
bow of promise, reaching from one pre-
cipitous wall to the other with repeat
ed double reflections until they disap.
pear in the mist shrouded peaks above
and over all this scene a canopy of
soft opal lights.
The city of Honolulu has n popula
tion of $4,000 and there are few more
cosmopolitan communities anywhere.
The native Hawaiians comprise about
two-ffths of the population; the Amer
leans are one-fourth. The remainder
of the population is made up of Chi
nese, Japanese, English, Portuguese and
Germans. There are sprlnklings also of
Norwegians, Polynesians, French, ia
vanese and Chlleans. So far as modern
improvements go, Honolulu is thorough
ly up-to-date. 1t has elaborate tcle-
phone and electric lighting systems, the
best of macadamized roads, a public Ii.
brary of $4,000 volumes, numerous lit
tie and finely kept parks, handsome
public buildings, hospitals and school
system.
One of the first things that the visi-
tor in the city notices is the large num-
Der of barefoot men and women. The
natives and Chinese go shoeless most
of the year, and the poorer white peo-
pie lapse into the same custom. When
Robert Louis Stevenson and his fam
lily were at Waikiki in the year 1888
and 1889, they went barefoot common
ly about their home, and even received
formal callers barefooted. Then the
prevalence of cotton clothing is notice
able. Everyone wears loose cotton gar
ments here to some extent, and the
majority of residents all the time
Another fact by which Honolulu diff
fers from all other cities is the album
dance of horses and carriages. 1t is n
very poor family here that does not
keep an equipage of some sort People
who would have to constantly count
their pennies to make ends meet in
other countries and conditions, here
keep team and a big, stylish carriage.
Single horsese and low victoria style
of vehicle are here by the hundreds.
In the afternoons and early evenings.
when Dame Fashion in Honolulu rides
abroad, the smooth hard roads made of
Lawn nrnxrInI N
description from the elegant clarence
with dignified coachman and footman
atop in gorgeous uniforms down to
basket phaetons drawn by jaded
mule. This is the land of cheap things,
and servants, horses and fodder are
the monuments of cheapness. The ma
tives are fine horseback riders. The
women ride their steeds astride, and
they are superior in horsemanship.
The visitor to Honolulu is daily i'm
pressed with the curious mixture of a
primitive condition of affairs with the
outward signs of an advanced civiliza-
ton. Here may be seen the crude
grass hut home of n native, having one
glassless window, dirt floor, no door
and beds of leaves, and rifle shot away
is the stone administration building,
Formerly the Queen palace, built of
cut stone, iron, plate glass, planned and
furnished under the eye of one of the
famous Chicago architects. One sees
every hour on the streets, Americans
and English in the latest and most elab-
'rate styles of equipages, alongside of
natives trudging on foot, barely dress
I'd in ii leaves so as to conceal their
,akedness and bearing great pots of the
aboriginal poi on their black haired |
reads. AT the tourist hotel and in the |
beautiful residences of American and |
English, who came here a generation |
go, and got rich by growing sugar for
he American market, one may part axe
# the most up-to-date menu. Scarcely
rifle shot away are natives in their
'rass huts, squatted on the floor, de-
curing raw fish or uncooked herbs.
The children of the present genera
ion in Hawaii are kind of conglomer-
tie of eleven distinct nationalities. The
ative Northumberland from the
'olyncsian family from the southwest
rn part of Asia-the Portuguese, the
'nglish and the Chinese predominant.
he cleverest and shrewdest are the
iawaiians and Chinese, the most beau
lful the Hawaiians and English, the
est-well, perhaps it would be better
OF to be too inquisitive. No doubt by
one might find absurd and
ernicious customs, but happily that is
OF the duty Of a visitor.
The so-called half whites are surely
the most beautiful people in
10 world-up to certain age. TheyI
ave healthy brown skins, fluffy, dark
m nnut .,h, 81