Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-01-22
TRIP TO THE ORIENT
Clarence e Edwards Touring the
Eastern Countries.
he IS OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
INTERESTINGLY WRITTEN IN WEEK
LY LETTERS, WHIcH WILL AP.
PEAR IN THE RECORDER.


Avarua, Rarotonga, August 5:
In the early morning, some hours
before the sun showed his face
above the waters, the cessation of
motion of the snip and the gentle
tapping of the waves against the
sides of the vessels, told me that
we had come to anchor off the is
land of Rarotonga. A warm, soft
air, sweet as Elysium, laden with
enticing odors of the tropics, came
through my portfolio, and | went
out on deck to witness again that
marvel a tropical sunrise. The
break of the water over the reef
made sweet music, and few lights
Pickering in the palm leaf huts on
shore indicated where the little
town of Avarua lay.
Daylight disclosed a lovely island
with background of jagged and Sc
we're mountain peaks, standing like
giant sentinels, reaching into the
clouds. Two great tiers of vegeta-
ton cover the hills with green to
their SUBMITS. The highest hill is
2 200 feet, and there is a most pc
culiar green to its verdure In all
the foreground, toward the beach,
is fringe of cocoa. palms-thous-
ands upon thousands of them, form
ing a most beautiful picture. This
is the island of Rarotongo, and
those who told me it was more
beautiful than either Tahiti or Raj
atea made no mistake.
With the coming of daylight the
people wokelup, and by the time
the sun rose the vessel was sur
rounded by catamarans, with their
queer outriggers of poles, which
were pulled alongside by the lusty
armed natives. Other boats, filled
with laughing and chattering ma
tives, pulled alongside, and as we
were eager to get ashore we did
not wait for the breakfast gong but
took the first boat that offered and
went dancing over the reef to the
landing. ] have seen blue water,
but surely nowhere else in all the
world can it be so blue as it is here.
On shore is a most wonderful
panorama of tropical beauty. We
were welcomed by women and girls
in gay shalls, and men clad in pink
shirts and gaudy pareus. Most of
these people were lolling or squat
ing in large shed on the beach
and they scarce changed their atti-
tudes as they sent their CHEEKY CO.
ranas" after us, as we passed along.
Along the main road, if it may be
called a road, of Avarua is present
ed such a picture as makes ones
heart ache to think that he must
leave it and 60 again to the land OF
toll and struggle. Cocoa palms,
laden with nuts almost to breaking
sway in the trade wind, which con-
stantly sings melody Of the South
Seas, while the giant fronds Of the
lower bananas sing in minor key as
they sway to the gentle breeze. AL
around are orange trees, paplaS
Called here by the English, paw
paws, but they are nothing like the
pawpaws of the southern states,
manog and breadfruit trees all la
den with their fruits. The broac
leaves of taro and the sharp spikes
of pineapple form lower and dit
ferent green, while now and Their
a small cleared space shows the
distinctive green of sugar cane.
Tall, graceful bamboos wave ovel
great beds of most beautiful flow
ers, of most gorgeous colorings.
wish it were in my power to Sc
paint this picture with words tina
YOU could see!it in all its wonder
full beauty. 1t is a lush OF tint