HONOLULU by W. B. Scott

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 9, 1901

HONOLULU

By W. B. Scott

A PERSON'S first visit to Honolulu is a most novel experience, for almost every nationality is represented, all retaining their native costumes and customs. China itself could not be more distinctively Chinese than Chinatown in Honolulu. The same could be said of the Japanese, Portuguese, and native districts; and, as elsewhere, Europeans cling to their national characteristics. These, together with a predominating American influence, and in addition hundreds of tourists and thousands of troops, who are constantly passing thru the city, give a variety of scenes.

In passing along the street, one may see Japanese women with babies strapped to their backs, Chinese with vegetable baskets suspended from the ends of long poles balanced upon their shoulders, Portuguese women carrying large washings upon their heads, natives dressed in their holokues, Americans dressed in every shade, from a black dress suit to oriental duck, tourists from all parts of the world, and soldiers and marines from every civilized nation. Horseback riding is indulged in quite largely by the natives, who all ride astride; and every style of vehicle may be seen, from the Chinese home-made wooden cart to the automobile.

Evidences are abundant to show that the islands are volcanic in their foundation. They are high and mountainous, and bristle with both active and extinct volcanoes. Just back of Honolulu, Punch Bowl, an extinct volcano, rises to the height of 500 feet. Yet the city itself stands on a plain of coral formation so level that from the upstairs windows of the few houses that have more than one story, or from a low tower, with which a few are provided, one may look out over almost the entire city and far out over the ocean. This plain is so very low that natural drainage for sewerage is impossible, so Honolulu has never had a sewerage system. Mechanical ingenuity is at last supplying the deficiency, and pipes are being laid, to empty into a large cemented reservoir several feet below the sea level, where enormous engines have been placed to force the refuse far out into the ocean.

To me, one of the most striking characteristics of Honolulu and the islands is the great numbers of a certain kind of little bird that is very tame here. One may see these birds about nearly every home. They fly into the houses, and will light on your nose, or eat from your fingers, but dislike to have you catch them. They have two very peculiar traits,—they always sing at night, and they seem desirous of making the acquaintance of strangers. They sing us to sleep every night. The people here call them Mosquitoes. There are two varieties, a day Mosquito and a night Mosquito, and they make life a torture.

W. B. SCOTT.

Box 291, Honolulu, H. I.