The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-04-04
(From the Ashland, Or, RecordJ

of Honolulu, Feb. 26, l9l2.
Editor Record.-In writing you these |
lines from time to time | am trying
to fulfill the promise I made you in
an unguarded moment. | have kept no
diary nor even rough notice OF our
sightseeing trips, and as a result this
account of our movements is discon-
nected and broken.
In Honolulu on Tuesday morning
February thirteenth We stood on deck
of the steamer Mauna Kea and again
saw our autos hoisted aboard. We
were bound for the Island of Hawaii
to see that world-wonder, the volcano
Kilauea. 1t is only twenty hour run
from Honolulu to Hilo. Leaving Ho-
nolulu at eleven in the forenoon we
reached Hilo at seven in the morning
of the following day. The steamer
trip was without special incident, the
majority or our party made it with
out having to suffer the discomforts
of seasickness but two of them fed
the fishes again. Arriving at Hilo,
a city of about 10000 with a white
population of say 1000 to 1900, our
machines were properly unloaded and
we drove up through the city bound
for the volcano, thirty-one miles dis
tant. Through error in directing us
we got onto Ahe wrong road and fol-
lowed it some seven and one half
miles before discovering our mistake
and then we were compelled to come
clear back to Hilo and take a fresh
start. However, we had time to spare
so did not especially regret the blund-
er as it gave us an opportunity of
seeing additional country. On our
second start from Hilo we followed a
splendid road of easy grade and traV-
eled a country that delighted the eye
and every mile of which furnished us
strange and interesting sights. Oul
surprise at the excellent roads is new
er ending. Great care has been exer
cised in establishing the grades anC
the soils here seem to lend themselves
to the making of excellent road beds
Another important factor that has
been of inestimable value and assist
2nce 10 them here is the abundance
of cheap labor. In every locality We
have visited we are impressed will
the fact that the plentiful labor sup
ply has enabled them to develop anC
establish industries, redeem land an,
in many ways. beautify and improve
these islands to an extent that would
have been impossible with our high
er priced white labor, incidentally lie
us add that white labor at the highe
wage is what we want in Oregon.
With a delay of an hour en- route
on account of tire trouble We reach
ed the Volcano House-the hotel TO
the care of tourists. This resort il
not very pretentious affair but new
ertheless offers very satisfactory tabl,
and good beds at five dollars per day
We were told at the hotel that the!
served dinner until nine o'clock il
order to allow the guests to remain
at the crater until after dark. The
hotel is about seven miles from thu
active portion of the volcano so a
five in the evening we again boarded
J our cars for the seven mile run. Th
roads-with the exception of a small
portion still under construction-is a
smooth as the pavement on our boule
ward. One can drive to within tire
minutes walk of the crater rim. w
took this walk and then looked at tn
grandest sight of our lives. We shal
attempt no detailed description, it i
utterly beyond us. The boiling cault
ron of molten lava varies of cours
! from time to time. At our visit it wa
gourd shaped lake of fire about 60
: feet east and west and 225 feet nortl
and south at it's widest point. Bull
bling and bursting and boiling, steam
ln5 anu hloSlhS oiAOhlhS5 ~ " -
an awe-inspiring sight. The first il
spection of it is said to influence
person toward a better life or els
drive him to strong drink. The men
bers of our party promised themselve
and each other never to do anythin
naughty again as long as they livet
That was two weeks ago though an
there are already evidences that tn
influence of the volcano is waninl
Seriously, the view of this world-woI
4 der has been worth all the inconver
fences and expenses of the trip. On
can sit on the rim and watch for hour
the ever-changing varied hued molte
mass six hundred and fifty feet belo
\ and as darkness descends the scene
of course intensified, almost magnitie
too, and finally one almost sinks ava
from it all with feeling that he
mighty small potatoes and few ia
hill" Back to the hotel for a lat