Semi-weekly herald., 1913-06-23
MRS. HERR
DESCRIBES
THE ORIENT

returned from tour of the Hawaiian
and Philippines islands, Japan and
China. On Nov. % of last year Mrs.
Herr in company with an eastern
friend boarded the Mongolia at San
Francisco, on the way to Honolulu.
The ship is one of the largest and
finest equipped vessels afloat on the
Pacific. Both ladies are good sailors
and were prepared to enjoy to the ut
most the two thousand mile journey
between the seaports. Everything on
board was the epitome of comfort
and their travelling companions the
most congenial of people.
After many days on the water the
Hawaiian islands doomed rugged and
auster in appearance in the distance.
AS they drew nearer their aspect grew
less forbidding and the beautiful YER
dure came to view. When they landed
at Pearl harbor they found the coun-
try surrounding perfect riot of
tropical beauty.
For two months Honolulu was their
headquarters where they were domi-
ciled at the Hotel Royal, the hostelry
erected by the Royal family to enter
tain those of equal rank. Comfort
seems to be the first consideration in
Hawaiian house but in this structure
artistic architectural designs and ar
rangement for comfort seems happi-
ly combined. Two wide, porches, des-
ignated by the native term lanai,
were among the attractive features of
the place. These were furnished with
easy chairs, hammocks, rugs and at
tractively laid tables where plates of
delicious fruits were invariably to be
found. AS an ideal spot for enter
tainment and recreation the linai
around the Hotel Royal are without a
rival
In every way they found the city
all that story had pictured it-a
wealth of beautiful trees, ferns, flow
srs, wors;ersul birds sand a climate
that left nothing to be desired. The
mosquito that once welcomed all com
ers to the place, has been practically
exterminated. Under the Hawaiian
skies perfect mantle of contentment
seemed to fall upon them. There
seemed to be perfect happiness in
existence, had not all conditions work
ed together in a most harmonious
way.
Immediately across the street from
the Hotel Royal, the palace of Queen
Liliuokalani stands, Once every fort
night the royal band, which, by the
way, has been under the same leader
for forty years, serenades the elderly
queen as was their custom when she
was the ruler of the islands. At the
point in the entertainment where two
native women sing, the aged queen
comes out and bows acknowledgement
for the courtesy extended to her.
Just three miles outside the city
limits, the finest surf bathing in the
world is to be found, and is one of
the greatest attractions the islands
have to offer. The year around the
water seems to be tempered to just
the right degree of heat. For those
who are sufficiently brave riding in
the surf boats is great delight.
The country surrounding Honolulu
is a paradise for the motorists. The
roads are excellent and are beautiful
beyond description in their wonderful
borders of mangoes, bread fruit and
cocoanut trees. The immense sugar
plantations extend over miles and
miles of territory as far as the eye
can reach. Everywhere nature re-
spends so generously to man energy.
On one occasion the ladies motored
through the center of the island and
returned by way of the sea. On an
other day they visited one of the
large volcanoes and motored around
the side of the mountain to the very
brink of the crater.
Mrs. Herr mentioned a visit to one
of the large sugar factories where
hundreds of tons of sugar were man
ufactured daily, the cane being con-
veyed to the plant in open cars. The
different processes and the machinery
were almost human in their work
ings.
Hospitality is the first religion of
the Hawaiian people whether natives
or by adoption. The quaint old Ha-
waiian customs are in high favor with
the Americans in their entertainment.
One of the popular ways of extending
hospitality is at a luau, feast where
the table almost groans under its
weight of delivious food cooked by
native methods.
The place might easily have been
the land Of the Lotus Eaters-the
longer one tarries there the more en-
chanted they become. 1t was with
genuine regret that they boarded the
Mongolia on Feb. 23 for other points
they were scheduled to visit on their
journey.
Crossing the international date line
they found their week contained only
ak days, Thursday being lost. On