(Correspondent of the P.C. Advertiser)
Pacific Commercial Advertiser: Thursday, July 16, 1863
It was gratifying to one who has witnessed the decline of
trade in our little seaport towns, to take an occasional tour through the
country proper, to mark the growing importance of the interior of Hawaii nei.
It would seem that some mighty enchanter, some Genii of the land, new risen
from the sleep of ages, had extended his magic wand over mountain and valley,
stream and plain, calling back to life the soul of enterprise, long dead. Where
but yesterday, all was bare and barren –where, in the checkered soil, nothing
but the foot prints of the industry of the former generations was visible –the
plow and harrow have been run; and in many places we find the old land marks
obliterated, and the earth covered as with a green mantle.
To-day, with an agreeable company of ladies and gentlemen, I
had the pleasure of riding over the lands of Waikapu and Waihee. Many were the
green fields we passed. Cane rows, lofty and low, were rejoicing in the sun;
and one could not help rejoicing with them, while something seemed to say, as
they nodded to the distant sea, “This is the salutation that an infant
Agriculture is now offering to Commerce.”
But it was the Fourth of July, the glorious Fourth! and when, from afar, we caught sight of
the Star Spangled Banner waving over the Torbert Plantation at Waihee, high in
the air, and broad and beautiful, the sight was so unexpected and so agreeable
that for a time everything else was forgotten –even SUGAR; and the company were
soon filled with as much patriotism as our horses could well carry.
This evening we paid a visit to the Waikapu Plantation,
having received from Messrs. Louzada & Cornwell, its worthy proprietors, an
invitation to attend an exhibition of fireworks at their place. Here we found
quite a large company of ladies and gentlemen assembled from Wailuku and the
immediate neighborhood, besides a host of natives who at an early hour had
congregated en masse, to see “the
sights.” The necessary preparations had been made upon the lawn in front of the
house. The night was favorably dark, and at 8 o’clock the exhibition commenced.
It occupied about one hour, during which time there was a constant succession
of cracks, pops, bangs, and whizzes. Everything, from the fire-fly cracker to
the comet-tailed rocket, was visible. The ladies enjoyed the fun exceedingly,
taking an active part throughout, and never was vestal virgin more intent upon
preserving the “sacred fire,” and making night luminous with Roman candles,
blue lights, etc.
To most of the natives it was a “new thing,” and judging
from the number of saucer-eyed faces exhibited upon the occasion, it was to
them a wonder that will not be soon forgotten.
After the fire works were done, the company went in to
refreshments; which were succeeded by national airs upon the piano. While we
were expressing our thanks for the evening’s entertainment, so delightful to
all, and were about to depart, the moon, that had waited the while, like a
lady, as she is, rose up from behind the summit of Haleakala, and insisted upon
seeing the company home.
A
RAMBLER
In the Saddle, Maui, July 6th, 1863
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