Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-07-03
BY GEORGE HAMLIN FITCH.


No alien land in all the world ha
?Hy deep. strong charm for me bu
that one, no other land could 50 long
ingly and beseecbingly haunt M
sleeping and waking, through more
than half lifetime. as that one ha,
done Other things leave me. but II
abides; other things change, but it re
mains the same For me it's balmy
airs are always blowing, its summer
seas finishing In the sun; the puls'ng
Cf its surf beat Is in my ear; ! car
see its garlanded crags. its leapine
cascades. its plumy palms browsing
by the shore: its remote SUBMITS
floating like islands above the cloud
rock: ! can feel the spirit Of its wood
land solitudes; can hear the splash
q its brooks; in my nOstrills still lives
the breath of flowers that persisted
twenty years ago.-Mark Twain
In these eloquent words Mark Twain
has EXPRESSED perfectly the feeling
with which any svmpathet'c visitor
looks back uoCn Hawaii and the Ha.
waiians Many countries do not fulfill
the expectations Ct the tourist, but
though one NAV have read much about
Hawaii. he will f'nh IN these Islands,
set in the midst Ct the vast expanse
of the Pacific. much that will he novel
and singularly attractive. AS lovely
and green as Ireland they present
the bold and rugged outlines that
mark any volcanic land. Here within
six days sea voyage Of San Francisco
is genuinely tropical land. with the
feathery cocoanut palm and the luXuri-
ant vegetation that Is found amid the
South Sea islands; yet In Hawaii one
may enjoy the scenery. the fruits and
the foliage of the tropics without the
intense humid heat, the insect pests
and the other annoyances that make
life a burden I'm Samoa or Fiji. II
makes one pause when he thinks that
hut for the work Ct few score New
England missionaries nearly 100 years
ago these Hawaiian islands would new
be in the present condition If tire Fiji
and Solomon islands. with the natives
only one remove from their savage
forefathers. ...:..
The Choice Of Steamer.
Many Californians are. deferred from
making "a visit to Hawaii by the sea
voyage of six days. but unless storms
prevail the trip should be made with
out sea sickness In selecting a steam
er for this voyage II Is wise to choose
one that vs. known as good sea boat
broad OF beam and steady even in a
rough sea. Swift boats roll when the
sea Is rough. A half day of time may
be sacrificed with profit If one escapes
the inserts Of sea sickness. A sim
gle day of sickness at the outset
however. may do you world of good
and give you keen appetite for the
remainder Of your vacation. In choos.
ing ship. care should be taken to Sc
lect one which is noted for its good
cuisine. One of the finest ships on
the Pacific, running from Vancouver
10 Honolulu and Sydney, is notorious
for its bad meals. due to an unskillful
cook MANY complaints have been
made TO the management OF this
steamship line. bot the directors are
evidently men who believe that the
travelling public makes kicks" with
out cause. The Matson line is the ia
vorite with Hawaiians. and its steam
ers always call out the largest crowd
in Honolulu on their arrival or depart
ure.
First Sight Of Honolulu.
After six days of travel over an
ocean that. is singularly destitute Of
all marine life. il Is a great relief to
see land again. The dark volcanic
shores of Oahu loom up against the
sky. their bases marked by fringe of
foam. Soon the steamer rounds Koko
Head end one gets a glimpse of long
sandy beaches fringed with graceful
cocoanut trees. Another promontorv
Is soon passed-Diamond Head-and
the visitor catches his first glimpse
OF Honolulu, the prettiest CITY on all
the islands of the Pacific. Here is
great semi-circle of beach. with an
outer reef which is marked bv a line
Of dazzling foamy surf. while the shore
waters within are pink and green, &C
cording to the depth of the sea- Be
yond the beach is mile or so of ris-
ing land that meets the spurs Of the
dark mountains in the background.
All this shore is fringed with green,
the roofs Of houses peeping through
the trees, while beyond are simmer
ing fields of vivid green sugar cane,
which meet the deep blue of the hori.
zon. The mountains back of the city
are no higher than Tamalpais. but
they seem far loftier because of their
deep blue which is accentuated by