The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-07-31
1t is getting late so / must continue
this in my next. With much love.
GRACE


this in my next. With much love.
GRACE.
Volcano House, Hawaii, June %, II.
My Dear Mother: Here we are at
thevo lcano and last night after we had
seen the burning lava it seemed as if
we were millions of miles from home.
Il was so awe inspiring that | would
have enjoyed it more if every one near
and desr to me were there TOO.
We left Honolulu at 10 o'clock and
you can't imagine the scene at the
dock. We went down to the dock rather
early but there was already a crowd
and the Hawaiian women were there
selling wreathes of flowers. They we're
seven of us who had been OH the
Sierra" and seveal of the others came
down to see us off, also the onicers
of the Sierra The Hawaiian band
played for at least an hour, and it was
When they played "Auld Ling
Syne" ana the Hawaiian Aloha, '
i; was very pathetic. There were
tears in almost every ones eyes. The
trip is rather rough. At lunch the
smell of cooked things was enough for
me, but soon got to feeling better,
but about o'clock it got very rough
again, and went to bed feeling quite
bad. The boat stopped several times,
but the passengers had to be taken
ashore in small boats because there are
no good landings until you get to Hilo.
We landed there about seven in the
morning. Instead of coming directly
to the Volcano House, we stayed there
until two o'clock A man who had
been a passenger on the boat asked
us to go with him in his automobile,
SO we rode all over the town and out
to a pretty spot about three miles
away where there are some lovely
falls. The town has a population of
about 5000 and is very quaint. There
are so many Chinese and Japanese
houses and stores. The Japanese
vegetable peddlers are the funniest
women, who ride horseback and carry
two immense bags on the saddle. It'll
rains mc3t Of the time, but it comes
down much like fog, so we didn't
mind, and, besides we had my umbrel-
Ia They say it has rained every day
for four months. At two o'clock we
took the train and rode and then
took an automobile bus and rode for
nine miles over the finest kind of a
road through the ferns. Our ferns at
home are mere infants in size these
are trees which grow like palms. When
the first leaves die the others sprout
cut above. We arrived at 5 AS, per-
fectly famished. Just after dinner we
started in an auto for the crater of the
volcano. 1t looked so close, for we
could see the red reflection, but the
road is nine miles. The volcano itself
is beyond description. The walls of
the crater are 400 feet from the burn
ing lava and as it boils and spurts up
the sight almost takes ones breath
away. We stayed and stayed, perfectly
fascinated. The pictures are not at all
like it.
This morning eight of us walked to
the crater by way of the trail-three
and ona boIf ,,,iIoe Tbo 6re+ hole Will
was through the ferns. Then the rest
is over lava, the overflow from Kilau-
eau. 1t is not the easiest thing to |
tramp over, but the path is well made. |
Some of the fat members of our party |
d;Gn't gu g appreciate the walk, h,t
were very glad that they went. We
burnt some postals in a crack at the |
side of the crater. l didn't take mine, |
but we are going back tomorrow and |
take some pictures, if we can. 1t has
been sunshine since about 10 O'CLOCK,
but it was raining when we started out. |
We will stay here several days, then
60 back to Hilo and be back in Hon
olulu on the first We will stay in Hon
olulu for a week and see everything
worth seeing.
will close this so that it will get of
with the early morning mail.
With much love to you all, GRACE.
GERMS ARE AWFUL.