Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-12-05
A PULLING CLIMATE.
The Curious Way Rain Falls In
BaImy Honolulu.
A PERPLExING SPECTACLE.
Downpours Half a Mile Away Tina,
Threaten to Dreneh You Every Mo-
ment, but Never Arrive-A Riot Of
Broken Up Rainbows In the Valleys.


The most perplexlng thing about
Hawail's climate to the new arrival
is the matter of rainfall. You begin
to experience this perplexity before
you have set foot on the dock at Homo
lulu. when you consult anxiously with
your fellow travellers as 10 the advisa
biity Of digging out an umbrella or
rainproof before you go ashore. The
chances are that you are az convinced
that the heavy veil Of black clouds |
which shuts out portions Of the noun
tain scenery from view and the few
drops Of rain which the fresh shore
breeze dashes In your face like flash
Ing Jewels torn from that bit Of rain
bow are warnings too plain 10 be L.
nOred. and you prepare accordingly for
the downpOur which seems imminent.
You observe with some surprise that
none Of the wearers Of the dainty cos
tunes you pass on the street appear TO
be in the least perturbed 10y the possi-
bllity OF getting caught In the ilnpend-
Ing shower until after awhile Il dawns
on you that the storm keeps right OH
impending and nothing more As you
ride In street car along the flashing
scabeach. vivid with color Of break
Ing surf and of flowers IN trees and
hedges along the way. the sunshine
never appeared so brilliant. But off to
the left In beautiful little valley
tucked like a deep pocket in the noun
tains and seemingly scarcely half
mile away there can be no doubt Of
the fact that a good. heavy rain is fail.
ing The sunlight striking through
the falling drops fills the valley with
glory Of broken up rainbOws-a riot
OF color that causes one 10 gasp and
exclaim in admiration There can be nc
doubt that the rain we have seen fall
ing Is real and that II Is rs near as Il |
seems. for the wind now and then car
rics refreshing dashes of 1t into the |
open car. causing few Of the passen-
gers TO change their seats to the oppo- |
site side But still the street is per
fccily dry and the sunshine as bright |
rs ever
Five minutes later we leave the car
at he foot of great Jagged pile Of
volcanic rock that marks the vent OF |
prehistoric volcano and the red base
and sides which support a stunted. |
mesqulte-like growth and Il few cacti !
look as though they hadn't had good |
shower for six months And they prob |
ably haven't
Ia time one learns that lIawaii's eli |
mate is purely a matter Of locality: |
that the report of the rainfall for any
given time, published 10y the United |
States weather bureau does not mean |
for every place In the territory nor for |
the island Of Oahu nor even for thu |
city of Honolulu. but only for the |
place where the rain gauge stands. II
would not bc true for a place half o.
threc-quartcrs Of a mile away. Ons |
learns that he may live In Honolulu /
under very different conditions aS L.
precipitation. according to location IL
some ~ the valleys rain fails practi
cally every day OF the year and varies
In amount In different parts of the
same valley, which may he only II milo
or two long There are other sections
IN which the splendid lawns and bow
ers Of green foliage which surround
beautiful homes are only possible
through constant irrigation. And there
are to be- found almost every degree Of
moisture between these extremes.
Like everywhere else. one finds PEG
pie of every turn OF mind in Honolulu
as to the most desirable places IN
which to live. In sections where the
rainfall may amount To two or three
hundred inches per year vegetation
flourlshes most luxurlantly and with a
minimum OF attention. There is also |
an absence of humid feeling In the at
mOsphere or diSagrecable dampneSs /
which one usually associates With /
much rainfall, This is accounted fol |
by the fact that the rain comes Ia |
showers, Of which dozen or more |
may come In day and may occul |
while the sun is shining brightly. |
while the never failing trade wind. |
and porous soil dry up the surfac,
moisture within few minutes after 1
shower has passed The heaviest PR /
In the dry sections. II one has plenty /
OF water with which To irrigatc tand /
Honolulu has a splendid system Of WA /
terworks with ample supply. one may I
more easily control what lac would |
grow and at the same time escape the 4
Inconvenience of oft occurring show
ers. Some Of llonOlulu'S most hcaut- /
full residence districts as we'll as the 4
beautiful KapiolanI park, one Of the /
most beautiful tropical gardens IN the /
world. was originally barren sand I
plains, practically devoid If vegcta 1
tion and once thought 10 10 worthless
The newcomer is often puzzled 10 hear |
an old resident refer to the plains
when speaking Of section Of the city |
In which are located some OF the |
most magnificent homes and beautiful /
grounds IN the whole TERRITORY
The variation of rainfall torpfbp I