Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-11-06
TRIP TO THE Orient
Clarence e. Edwurds Touring the
Eastern Countries.
He IS OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.
INTERESTINGLY WRITTEN IN WEEK
LY LETTERS, WHICH WILL Ap.
PEAR IN THE RECORDER.

PEAR IN IHE RECORDER.
Papeete, Tahiti, July 19:-Dur-
ing the festival all the dancing,
singing and other sports were car
ried on during the morning hours,
the afternoons and evenings being
given over to merry making Of all
kinds. I find that humanity is
much alike all over the world, and
there is little difference between
the Tenitian method Of amusement
and that Of other people | have
seen. They have the same ideas
regarding how to enjoy themselves
wherever they may be; and what
difference there may be is entirely
between individuals. 1t may be
mentioned, however, that the peo-
pie of these islands do not find it
necessary to get drunk in order to
have a good time. During the en-
tire fete l have seen but three
drunken natives, and these were be-
ing carefully taken home by friends.
| cannot say as much for the whites.
for quite number of them, and
this is especially true of the crowd
of hoodlums that came down on the
Mariposa, from San Francisco, got
disgustingIy drunk every night.
was walking down the street
with Salmon when we reached a
block that was prohibited to vehi-
Giles. The street was lined on each
sides with booths, and the roadway
was crowded with gaily dressed ma
tives and whites.
"This," said Salmon, lis the
street of Joy. You do not have
to go there if you do not want to,
but if you do you must take every
thing in the carnival spirit, and not
get angry if you receive treatment
that does not conform with your
dignity. The people are all having
fun and mean no offence"
I remember the carnival of New
Years Eve in San Francisco, and
thought that if Salmon could have
seen that exciting time he would
not have wasted his advice on me.
The scene on the street of Joy was
like small edition of San Francis
co.'s Market street on New Years
eve.
The booths on the street of Joy
were filled with sheap and gaudy
trinkets, and with things to eat and
drink. One enterprisings individu-
al had wheel of fortune, and if
you were lucky you might get any,
thing from a fan to a sack of -four.
At the stands where eatables were
sold there was pitiable display OF
wares, and for one centime, or one
tenth of cent in "good money"
as American coin is called, you
could purchase any article. Tahi-
tians are happy-go-lucky people
and never look toward to tomor-
row, or to the necessity of needing
anything in the future. Their
wants are so few that' Nature sup
plies them lavishly and living is re-
duced to minimum of cost. For
a few cents one can get on nicely
all the year round. The native
will work only when it is absolute
lily necessary, consequently they
make few articles for sale that can
be carried away as souvenirs. A
few woven fans or hats, few
strings of shells or seeds as beads
about sum up all thatone can get,
unless one counts the mats they
weave for their floors and beds.
Many people buy these in order to
have something to take away.
The reason for this condition is
explained by the cheapness of liv-
ing and the ease with which one
can get q living on these islands.
For clothing all they need is the
paren, or lain cloth, and for food
they can get all the fruit or coffee
for the picking. The sea and rivers
TEEN with fish to be had for the
catching. Ny driver told me that
he had made seven dollars good
money" since the arrival Of the
Mariposa, and said that it would
keep him and his family for two
me nths.' The philonophy of the
island is a good one. Why should