Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-07-03
Why Californians Should Visit
Hawaii is Well Told By George
Hamlin Fitch Of San Francisco

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mits The foothills are masses Of dark
green tropical foliage, marked b.
patches Of bright red earth
Welcoming the Travellers.
The steamer enters the narrow en-
trance 10 the har5Or end soon is pass
ing long rows of wharyes. Little Ha-
waiian boys. in swimming trunks,
shout to the travellers to throw them
coins and when nick.es and dimes hit
the water the boys dive like a flash
and come Up with the coins between
their teeth Soon the steamer nears
the wharf, which is crowded with PEG
pie waiting for friends The Hawaiian
band discourses the national air and
many other tunes. leis or wreaths of
flowers hung about the necks Of trav-
elers by their friends; lines OF blue,
red and yellow streamers are thrown
from the dock TO the decks of the
ship. This same spectacle is repeatad
en- the departure OF all the big ships
Hundreds seem to have the leisure to
go TO the wharf and speed the parting
guest. The vivid colors of the leis,
which are hung about the neck or
wound around the hat, the strains of
muse, the shouts of "Aloha!" the wav-
ing Of handkerchief these fea-
lures impress the scene upon the me-
mory and makes 1t typical of Hawai-
ian welcome and hospitality. Certain
~ no one who has witnessed the ar
rival or departure of passenger
steamer at Honolulu will ever forget
this spectacle, so full of life and color
GIimpses of Exotic Life. 4
Honolulu is a modern American city
In its business section, but on a first
ride around on the street cars some
glimpses of exotic life may be caught,
such as the row of natives on Hotel
street with vari-colored leis for sale,
the fishmarket. with its strangely
colored fish of all the hues of the
rainbow. a Japanese quarter that looks
like bit of Toxic or Quote, or an old
residence almost hidden among feath-
cry cocoanut palms and flaming bou-
eainvillea. Nearly all the men on the
streets are dressed in white linen suits,
With canvas shoes; the women are
mainly in white, save the Japanese
who cling to their beautiful native
dress. and the Chinese. who wear the
trousers and coat, with which San
Franciscans are familiar. The street
car gives you the first idea CT the cos
mopolitanism of Honolulu. The con-
ductor is a Hawaiian, the motorman
half Chinese and half native. while the
passengers are types of dozen ma
tionalities, all sitting together in per-
feet harmony. without a trace of ra-
ciaI antipathy that would be seen IN
any other land Here are whites, Ha-
waiians of many mixed bloods, Chi
nese, japanese. Koreans, Portuguese,
East Indians and several South Sea
islanders. The mixture of races is as
great as in Singapore or Colombo,
without the white mans air of DONNA
ton and superiority that is felt
throughout the Orient. biz .-.~
Fine Homes and Lovely Gardens. Y
The first thing that impresses one
in Honolulu is the comfort and beauty
of the homes. The architecture OF the
houses is generally ugly, but this is
redeemed by gardens of SURPRISING
lovliness and by rows of the stately
royal palm, which lead up to many
doorways. Here are magnificent alga-
robas, date palms, cocanut trees, ban
vans and other trees, many of them
masses of brilliant blossoms; the hibis-
Gus, with its pink and flaming red
flowers which is the favorite hedge;
the bougainvilleas with its splendid red
or magenta blossoms that form great
masses of color; the magnolia, STEP
hanotis and ylang-ylang. Under their
broad verandas or lanais the Hawai-
ians spend most of their time in the
open air. Many take dinner under the
shade of trees in their gardens. |
The nearest place from which one
may get panoramic view OF Honolu-
lu is Punchbowl, an extinct crater
about 500 feet high, directly back of
the city. On Easter morning / climbed /
the face of this hill to see the services
held under the charge of the Saliva
ton Army, and old hymns sung by 100
people were singularly impressive.
From the top of Punchbowl you may
get one OF the great views of the
world. Honolulu lies at your feet, with
tic Slldi u iluc vi SuII ludI uldEhS Tie
reef cutting clear across the deep blue
of the outer ocean At the left is
Diamond Head and Waikiki beach; at
the right the distant view of Pearl
harbor, and beyond the contrast of
green between sugar cane, pineapple
and rice fields. ..... /
On the Beach at Waikiki. !
The most novel sensation in Homo.
lulu is surf-riding in a native canoe at !
Waikiki beach; the second is to watch
the native swimmers coming in on the
great rollers on their surfboards. The
beach is protected from sharks by the
outer reef; this also adds to the length
of the waves that come rolling in from
the sea. The native canoes are not
over Is inches wide, about 90 feet
long and are provided with an out
rigger that saves them from capsizing
in rough seas. With two or three ma.
tives in the stern you take your place
near the bow and all paddle out some
distance from shore. Here the leader
of the natives wait for a large roller.