Vol. IV. T The Pacific Monthly. MAY, 1900. No. 1. The Hawaiian Islands-the Paradise of -the Paradise of the Pacific. By H. B. METCALF. O the man or woman who has never seen a tropical country, the first sight of the beauties of Honolulu is an experience that is little short of marvelous. As the ship rounds Diamond Head, and the visitor for the first time beholds the groves of stately cocoanut trees that skirt the shore, he feels a thrill of ecstasy, such as he never felt before. The magnificent scene has burst upon him like a revelation. The luxuriant tropical foliage, the fruits and flowers of the sun-bathed city, the heavy fragrance with which the air is ladenall combine to make him imagine that he has landed in another world, as he sets foot for the first time on the streets of Honolulu. the fruit is always ripening, where As he Of course this sensation of estatic admiration, even in the most sentimental, after a time, to some extent, wears away; but to me these scenes of surpassing lovliness never lost their charm. Here are the giant Pride of India, with its blossoms of scarlet; the majestic Algeroba, swaying its graceful branches in the wind; the queenly Oleander, with its gorgeous bloom; the fragrant Monolea, sweetest of Hawaiian flowers; the hedges of flaming Hibiscus; the perfumeladen Jasmine; the tropical Begonia, with its drooping limbs enveloped in purple; the rows of creamy NightBlooming Cereus; the great Rose trees, covered with beautiful roses, and over setting sun. The lavish expenditures of and above all, the majestic Royal Palm. All these impress upon the mind of the new arrival the fact that he has indeed landed in a clime I do not think it an exaggeration to say, considering all things, that Honolulu is the most beautiful city in the world. The old saying, "See Naples and then die," might very appropriately be changed to "See Honolulu and then die." The Bay of Naples that has been the subject of so much laudation, is no more beautiful than the placid bosom of the broad Pacific, as it stretches away from the feet of Honolulu toward the "Where everlasting spring abides And never fading flowers;" A clime where the leaves are always green, and the flowers never fade; where Nature in attractions for our Island City, have received so many additions from the hand of Art, that the result is a combination of the best effects of both. In her bestowal of flowers and foliage, Nature has not been more prodigal with Honolulu and vicinity than she has in the way of fruits. Oranges, pine apples, figs, grapes, bananas, limes, mangoes, guavas, bread fruit, grape fruit, papaias; pomegranates, avacadoes, Chinese gooseberries, cassavas, tamarinds and tangerines grow to great perfection, and most of them are indigenous to the soil; while cocoanuts, betel nuts and cacainuts are produced in unlimited quanitities. Among the vegetables are the Taro plant, from the root of which the Hawaiian's principal article of diet, poi, is made; sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peas, radishes, lettuce, cabbages, in fact, nearly everything that will grow in a temperate climate is produced in the Hawaiian Islands. The oranges and bananas are superior to any that are brought to this market, and there is no reason why the orange industry, could not be made as profitable as in California or Florida. But with all of Honolulu's beauties, there is a dearth of singing birds. There is a sort of feathered scavenger, called the Miner bird, thousands of rice birds, that make the Chinese rice grower's life unhappy, and a sort of native dove. I did not see a butterfly in the islands. Hawaii, the most southern of the group, contains 4210 square miles, or 2,000,000 acres; Maui, 760 square miles, or 400,000 acres; Oahu, on which Honolulu is situated, contains 600 square miles, or 350.000 acres; Molokai, a part of which is occupied as a leper colony, contains 270 square miles, or 200,000 acres; Lanai, 150 square miles, or 100,000 acres; Nihau, 97 square miles, or 70,000 acres, and Kahoolawe, 63 square miles, or 30,000 acres. These islands now support probably 150,000 people, though they could easily support a million, if their resources were developed. Unfortunately, a very large proportion of the present population are Chinese and Japanese: probably more than half are of these two nationalities. The latter are principally penal contract laborers, brought over to work the sugar plantations. Of course, this will cease when the United States gets complete control. Without these objectionable hordes, the Hawaiian Islands would indeed be a paradise. Some people might not make as much money, but on the whole, it would be better for the islands. It is the Mongolian, with his generations of inherited disease, that brings the fearful Oriental maladies, such as the leprosy and the bubonic plague. They work for comparatively little; but in the long run they are an expensive luxury. The recent epidemic of bubonic plague brought from Japan, made it necessary to burn a large district in Honolulu, costing many thousands of dollars, besides the additional expense of taking care of the thousands of Japanese and Chinese, whose means of making a livlihood was destroyed. This, in addition to the reputation given the city as a plague-infected spot, will more than offset the amount saved by hiring these creatures at starvation wages. The bill now before Congress providing for the government of the islands will, doubtless, to some extent at least, remedy this evil. The rest of the population is made up of natives, Germans, English, Portugese and Americans. Of the first named class there are about 30,000, with a constant decrease, as shown by the successive census reports. The natives deserve more than a passing notice. They belong to the great Polynesian family that inhabits most of the islands in the Pacific ocean. Physically, they are large and well-formed; their color is nearer that of the American Indian than of any other class, though they are not quite so copper-hued as the latter. The Women have graceful, well-rounded figures and pleasing faces. In disposition, they are gentle, docile, kind-hearted, hospitable, generous and yielding to a degree, that is gradually though surely working their extinction as a race. In 1854 the question of annexation to the United States for protection was agitated; the king favored the proposition; but the missionaries opposed it, on the ground that it would prove injurious to the natives. Whether their fears had any foundation in truth, is an open question. That their contact with the whites has been injurious in some respects, there can be no doubt. Whether their conversion and civilization have been an offset for the detrimental results is a matter of opinion. Their kindness of heart is proverbial. There is no record of anyone ever asking a reasonable favor of a Hawaiian and being refused. They are hospitable to prodigality. "The man who dips his fingers in my poi-pot is my brother," is a saying among the natives, and this sentiment is conscientiously carried out. I have often heard our soldiers say that if they were hungry and had no money— two conditions that frequently came together they always went to a native for something to eat, and that they were never refused. knowledge, and they are making good use of the excellent facilities at their command. The Hawaiian public school system is as good as the best, and it is not saying too much to make the statement, that the public schools, especially of Honolulu. compare favorably with those of any city of similar size in the United States. There is an excellent high school, a normal school for the education of teachers, and a college that any state in the Union might be proud to own. The superior educational advantages are largely due to the publicspirited men who have guided the affairs o fthe islands. The Hawaiian Islands may be benefitted in some respects by annexation, but they will not be better governed than they have been by the men who are now at the helm. The climate of the islands is as nearly Their patriotism is worthy of a better fate than that to which it seems destined. The love they bear for their dead monarchy is touching in the extreme. Their memory goes back to it as to some loved one of their own household, and they still cherish the vain hope that somehow, in the Providence of God, royalty will be restored, and that they will come into their own again. If there is any subject that will bring tears to the eyes of a Hawaiian it is their dead monarchy. I was not present when the Hawaiian flag was hauled down from the government building, and the American colors run up in its place; but I have been told that the cheeks of every native present they call a "hoolaca," known in the states were wet with tears, as they beheld their beloved flag come down, never to go up again. They are a tractable, law-abiding people, and have more intelligence and patriotism and fewer vices than some of our imported Americans. During a discussion of their eligibility as citizens, it was objected that they were undesirable and unworthy of the franchise. To this criticism, Austin's Hawaiian Weekly replied as follows: "The native Hawaiian is better fitted for American citizenship than the rank and file of the inhabitants of the United States. The percentage of Hawaiians, educated in the English language, is higher than that of the Americans in the United States; in proportion to numbers, those holding positions as clerks, artisans, mechanics, and skilled laborers, is greater than among the inhabitants of the United States." While it may not seem patriotic to say so, the statement, with the condition that it applies to American voters generally is true. The rising generation especially have a great desire to acquire perfect as anywhere on the earth. In the lower altitudes it can be described as sub-tropical. It is always warm, but sunstroke is unknown. The people, especially those to the "manner born," dress with due consideration for the weather. The native women wear what as a “Mother-Hubbard." Many of them go barefoot, and wear on their heads a broad-brimmed straw hat, with a band of brilliant colors around it, so that in general, the every-day attire of the native women, consists of a "hoolaca” and a straw hat. They are splendid horseback. riders, but they all ride astride. The white women also ride in the same manner, as there is not a side-saddle in Honolulu. A parted skirt, adapted to the purpose, makes a neat and becoming habit for the island equestrienne. It is a picturesque sight to see a dozen of these dusky Amazons come galloping into town on their trim litle ponies. Public hacks are liberally patronized; for everybody in Honolulu rides-those who can and those who cannot afford it. I have seen a barefoot Kanaka woman pay twenty-five cents for a hack to take her two blocks to the fish market, buy a fish for ten cents, and then pay twenty-five cents for the carriage to take her home. This is a fair sample of the improvidence of the natives, men and women. While the Hawaiians have probably made greater advances in civilization than any other nationality in the same length of time, they naturally retain some of the customs of their previous condition. One of these is a feast, which is given at stated times, called a Luau, and at which baked dog and raw fish and poi are the only dishes. This is a relic of their primitive state, to which they cling with relentless tenacity. Everybody present at one of these feasts is expected to partake of these viands, or else give mortal offense to the host. On these occasions they have what they call a "hula" dance, performed by young girls dressed in the most fantastic costume imaginable, which is sometimes curtailed to an extent not entirely consistent with a due regard for modesty. But the "hula," like the feast of roast dog and raw fish, is one of their native customs that they are reluctant to surrender to the demands of civilization. Of course, it takes time to eliminate all these old practices, that have prevailed for generations. The churches and the schools are doing much toward leading these people into the new mode of living. While on this subject, I want to call attention to the good that is being done by the Young Men's Christian Association. During the time the soldiers were in Honolulu the Y. M. C. A. was to them a priceless boon. Writing tables, stationery, postage stamps, bathing facilities, use of library, reading room and gymnasium were furnished free, and the way the soldiers availed themselves. of these privileges, showed how much they appreciated them. There is a great future in store for the Hawaiian Islands, and as soon as Honolulu adopts proper sanitary measures, such as sewers and strict regulations, compelling the Mongolians to pay due attention to the laws of health, it will be one of the most healthful, as well as the the most beautiful city in the world. T The Legend of Mount Shasta. By JOAQUIN MILLER. HE Indians say the Great Spirit made this mountain first of all. "Can you not see how it is," they say. He first pushed down the snow and ice from the skies through a hole which he made in the blue heavens by turning a stone round and round, till he made this great mountain; then he stepped out of the clouds onto the mountain top, and descended and planted the trees all around by putting his finger on the ground. Simple and sublime! The sun melted the snow, and the water ran down and nutured the trees and made the rivers. After that he made the fish for the waters out of the small end of his staff. He made the birds by blowing some leaves, which he took up from the ground, among the trees. Af ter that he made the beasts out of the remainder of his stick, but made the grizzly bear out of the big end, and made him master over all the others. He made the grizzly so strong that he feared him himself, and would have to go up on the top of the mountain out of sight of the the forest to sleep at night, lest the grizzly, who, as will be seen, was much more strong and cunning then than now, should assail him in his sleep. Afterwards, the Great Spirit wishing to remain on earth and make the sea and some more land, he converted Mount Shasta by a great deal of labor into a wigwam, and built fire in the center of it and made it a pleasant home. After that his family came down, and they all have lived in the mountain ever since. They say that before the white man came they could see the fire ascending from the mountain by night and the smoke by day, every time they chose to look in that direction. They say that one late and severe springtime many thousand snows ago there was a great storm about the summit of Mt. Shasta, and that the Great Spirit sent his youngest and fairest daughter, of whom he was very fond, up to the hole in the top, bidding her to speak to the storm that came up from the sea, and tell it to be more gentle or it would blow the mountain over. He bade her do this hastily, and not to put her head out lest the wind would catch her in the hair and blow her away. He told her she should only thrust out her long 1ed arm and make a sign, and then speak to the storm without. Note. This quaint and charming legend was first told by Joaquin Miller in his interesting narrative "Paquita," originally published as "Life Among the Modocs." Of all the traditions of the simple and lowly red man there is probably none esquely vivid or that will live longer in the more picturfolklore of his vanishing people. The child hastened to the top, and did as she was bid, and was about to return, but having never yet seen the ocean, where the wind was born and made his home, when it was white with the storm, she stopped, turned and put her head out to look that way, when lo! the storm caught in her long red hair and blew her out and away down and down the mountain side. Here she could not fix her feet in the hard, smooth ice and snow, and so slid on and on and down to the dark belt of firs below the snow rim. Now, the grizzly bears possessed all the wood and all the land, even down to the sea, at that time, and were very numerous and very powerful. They were not exactly beasts then, although they were covered with hair, lived in caves, and had sharp claws; but they walked on two legs and talked, and used clubs to fight with, instead of their teeth and claws as they do now. At this time there was a family of grizzlies living close up to the snow. The mother had lately. brought forth, and the father was out in quest of food for the young, when, as he returned with a club on his shoulder and a young elk in his left hand, he saw this little child, red like fire, hid under a fir bush, with her long hair trailing in the |