CD 105402 HAWAII ISLES OF ENCHANTMENT By CLIFFORD GESSLER Illustrated by E. H. SUYDAM D. APPLETON- CENTURY COMPANY INCORPORATED NEW YORK LONDON 1938 COPYRIGHT, 1937, BY JD. APPLETON-CENTURY COMPANY, INC. rights reserved. This book, or part** thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher. Illustrations copyright, 937, by JE. HL Suydam Printed in the United States of America INTRODUCTION write of it or must RO away from Hawaii to is bewildered by KO away and return. A newcomer dazed the sharp impact of ONEits contradictions, by resident of long standing, on the thronging impressions. A so for that he other hand, tends to take the islands granted them to the stranger. may he handicapped in interpreting to be in a sense both One is fortunate, therefore, perhaps with the zeal kamaaina and malihini, neither exaggerating V Introduction *$: new convert the charm of those bright islands nor al~ dulled lotting it to be obscured with sensitivity by prolonged and not too daily familiarity. Time, not too long, distance, great, help to attain balance. The aim of this book is to write a national biography a character illumi- and to paint, in broad strokes, portrait, nated here and there by anecdote, of a country and a people that I have loved. Nor shall I tell here all I know about any one aspect of the islands. Not now, at any rate; this is not that kind of book. Scandal seldom reveals the true spirit of a community. The exception is not a reliable index, and controversies are like the shattered window which caused the policeman, after inspecting it without and within, to exclaim: "It's worse than I thought; it's broke on both sides!" Here again the long view is the clearest. The bibliography appended to the text can not include all its sources. The story, in its main outlines, took form bit by bit in the course of daily work over a period of several years' residence in the islands. Many a forgotten interview and many a remembered experience have contributed to these pages. Published works which have been consulted for confirmation of details and for comparison of varying ver- sions of historical or legendary events have been listed. One can not always recall where one first heard or read a fact that may be common knowledge in the islands. It is impossible to identify the hundreds of conversations with island kamaainas or, in full, the sources of notes jotted down over a period of sixteen years. Hence if I have neglected a credit to any one I must beg indulgence in the Polynesian custom of community property; the omission has not been intentional. vi Introduction I have endeavored to give an honest account of the islands, avoiding both the extravagances of tourist promo- tion literature and the aspersions of the partizan or muck- raker. In the words of the island historian David Malo : "I do not suppose the following to be free from mistakes. It can not approach the accuracy of the Word of God." It has been a pleasure to work with Mr. Suydam, whose drawings, in their delicate softness of line, their capturing of mellow Hawaiian sunlight and the artist's appreciation of the varied and mingling races of Hawaii, express so justly and feelingly the atmosphere and spirit of the islands. CLIFFOIO> GESSLER. San Francisco Vll CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Book I MY HAWAII CHAPTER I. MY HAWAII Book II THOSE WHO BURST THROUGH THE SKY II. FLOATING ISLANDS .... II III. THE FLOATING ISLANDS MULTIPLY 26 IV. FOR WHOM THE GODS FOUGHT 38 ix Contents CHAPTER *AGE V. THE GOD IN THE BLACK BOX .... 55 VI. FRAGRANT WOOD AND BLOWING WHALES . 68 vii. "PRESERVED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS" ... 76 VIII. THE EAGLE HOVERS 83 IX. GESTURE TOWARD EMPIRE 95 X. LADY OF THE TWILIGHT IO6 XI. COUNTER-REVOLT 113 XIL THE ISLANDS NEVER LET GO I2O Book III HAWAII TO-DAY XIII. PLACE OF ABUNDANT CALM 135 XIV. WAIKIKI : A STATE OF MIND 146 xv. "EWA OF NUUANU" 160 XVI. VALLEYS . WHOSE NAMES ARE SONGS . 172 XVII. BLUE SAMPANS l8o xvm. "LAND WHERE OUR FATHERS DIED" . 189 xix. "AROUND THE ISLAND" 201 XX. SPEAR-HEAD IN . THE PACIFIC . 215 XXI. EARTH IN CREATION 223 XXII. AROUND HAWAII 236 XXIII. HOUSE OF THE SUN 249 XXIV. PRECIPITOUS ISLAND 26 1 xxv. "WETTEST SPOT" 277 Book IF THE PEOPLE OF HAWAII XXVI. FROM THE OF PILLARS THE SKY .... 293 XXVII. PLUMED FIELDS 308 X Contents CHAPTER PAGE XXVIII. CHECKERED SLOPES 321 XXIX. LAND OF SONG 327 XXX. HAUNTED ISLANDS 337 xxxi. "NO NIGHT LIFE" 349 XXXII. THE IRON BIRD SOARS 363 BIBLIOGRAPHY 371 INDEX 375 ILLUSTRATIONS Plates RICE PADDY, HAWAn Frontispiece FACING PAGE ALONG THE WATERFRONT, HONOLULU 6 HAWAIIAN HOMES NEAR CAPTAIN COOK'S LANDING PLACE AT WAIMEA, KAUAI I4< NUUANU PALI FROM KANEOHB, WINDWARD OAHU 48 EARLY MISSION BUILDINGS IN HONOLULU I LEFT TO RIGHT- 1823,' OLDEST FRAME HOUSE, l82I ; PRINTING PLANT, CHAMBERLAIN HOUSE, NOW CARTER LIBRARY, 1828-3! ... 64 xm* Illustrations FACING PAGE MOKUAEKAUA CHURCH AT KAILUA, ISLAND OF HAWAII, ERECTED BY EARLY MISSIONARIES IN 1837 80 KAWAIAHAO CHURCH, 1842, AND, AT RIGHT, KING LUNALILO's TOMB 92 IOLANI PALACE, NOW THE CAPITOL, HONOLULU IOO WASHINGTON PLACE, HONOLULU, HOME OF THE LATE QUEEN LILIUOKALANI, NOW THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION 108 CITY HALL, HONOLULU 1 16 HALE ALIIOLANI, HOUSE OF HEAVENLY CHIEFS, FORMERLY HALL OF PARLIAMENT, NOW JUDICIARY BUILDING, AND STATUE OF KAMEHAMEHA I, HONOLULU 122 MERCHANT STREET, HONOLULU 142 WAIKIKI BEACH LOOKING TOWARD ROYAL HAWAIIAN AND MOANA HOTELS 154 JAPANESE THEATER, AALA STREET, HONOLULU l66 JAPANESE HOUSES AT KEWALO BASIN, HONOLULU 174 SAMPANS IN ANAHULU STREAM, HALEIWA, OAHU 184 OLD SCHOOL HALL, PUNAHOU SCHOOL, HONOLULU igo UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII, HONOLULU 198 BUILDING SAMOAN COMMUNITY GUESTHOUSE AT jLAIE, OAHU 2O8 FUNSTON GATE, SCHOFIEflLD BARRACKS, OAHU, LOOKING TO- WARD KOLEKOLE PASS 22O PEEPEB FALLS, ONE OF SEVERAL BEAUHFUL WATERFALLS NEAR HILO, ISLAND OF HAWAII 2$2 SAMPANS IN WAILOA RIVER, HILO 240 LOOKING UP ONE OF THE VALLEYS OF THE ISLAND OF MAUI FROM THE SEAPORT TOWN OF KAHULUI 256 CANE FIELDS AT LAHAINA, ISLAND OF MAUI 268 xiv Illustrations FACING PAGE SUGAR MILL AND WORKERS* HOUSES AT LIHUE, KAUAI 280 JAPANESE SHINTO TEMPLE DAIJINGU, HONOLULU 2Q4 ORIENTAL STORES, NUUANA STREET, HONOLULU 3O2 SUGAR MILL AND CANE CARS AT LIHUE, KAUAI 312 WATERFRONT, HONOLULU, WHENCE PINEAPPLES AND SUGAR ARE SHIPPED TO THE MAINLAND 324 CARNIVAL AT KAILUA, ISLAND OF HAWAII 334 CANE FLUMES AT ONOMEA, ISLAND OF HAWAII 342 ISHH TEA GARDEN, HONOLULU 354 THE CHINA CLIPPER AT PEARL HARBOR 366 Headpieces PAGE HOUSES IN KAKAAKO V JAPANESE STORES IX PAINTING A JAPANESE FISHING SAMPAN AT KAILUA, ISLAND OF HAWAII Xlii ALOHA TOWER, HONOLULU I PANDANUS OR HALA TREE AND ROCKS 3 THE HALE PAI AT LAHAINALUNA SCHOOL, ISLAND OF MAUI, WHERE THE FIRST NEWSPAPER IN HAWAII WAS PRINTED IN 1834 9 CAPTAIN COOK MONUMENT AT NAPOOPOO, ISLAND OF HAWAII 1 1 OLD HOUSES AT KAILUA, DISTRICT OF KONA, ISLAND OF HAWAII 26 A HOUSE AT KAILUA, DISTRICT OF KONA, ISLAND OF HAWAII. 38 OLD MISSION SCHOOL AT HONOLULU; KAWAIAHAO CHURCH IN BACKGROUND 55 XV Illustrations PAGE WATERFRONT AT LAHAINA, ISLAND OF MAUI 68 MISSION CEMETERY IN KAWAIAHAO CHUCHYARD, HONOLULU 76 QUEEN EMMA'S HOME IN NUUANA VALLEY, HONOLULU 83 ARCHIVES BUILDING, HONOLULU; IOLANI PALACE, NOW THE CAPITOL, IN BACKGROUND 95 ROYAL CEMETERY IN NUUANU VALLEY, HONOLULU IO6 IOLANI BARRACKS, HONOLULU 113 OLD RICE MILL IN THE LOWLANDS, SEAWARD OF SOUTH KING STREET, HONOLULU I2O MISSION MEMORIAL, HONOLULU 133 LIBRARY OF HAWAII, HONOLULU; CITY HALL IN THE BACK- GROUND 135 LEI VENDERS 146 AALA STREET, HONOLULU l6o OLD RICE MILL, HONOLULU 172 A BOATYARD AT AIEA, ISLAND OF OAHU l8o A COURTYARD IN THE HONOLULU ACADEMY OF ARTS 189 A SAMOAN HOUSE IN THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS* SETTLEMENT AT LAIE, ISLAND OF OAHU 2OI RICE FIELD AT PEARL CITY, ISLAND OF OAHU 215 HILO TRANSPORTATION 223 JAPANESE HOUSES AT ONOMEA, ISLAND OF HAWAII 236 THE BALDWIN HOMESTEAD AT LAHAINA, ISLAND OF MAUI 249 NATIVE FISHERMEN 26l PLOWING A RICE FIELD WITH A CARABAO OR WATER-BUFFALO. ., 277 TORE, OR GATEWAY TO A JAPANESE SHRINE AT AIEA, ISLAND OF OAHU 291 xvi Illustrations PAGE HUTS AT AIEA, ISLAND OF OAHU 293 OAHU RAILWAY, PEARL CITY 308 DOCKS, HONOLULU 321 HULA DANCERS 327 NATIVE GRASS HOUSE 337 BETHEL STREET FROM HOTEL STREET, HONOLULU 349 ALOHA 363 Map HAWAII: ISLES OF ENCHANTMENT 16, 17 End-papers LOOKING ACROSS CHINESE VEGETABLE GARDENS TOWARD DIAMOND HEAD front end-paper .MAIN STREET OF KAILUA, KONA, ISLAND OF HAWAII back end-paper Book One MY HAWAII I MY HAWAII deep, the Pacific rolls over mountains and valleys and plains no human foot has trodden. At MILESlong intervals, those mountains pierce the surface, to thrust tall crater cups as many miles again for the wine of sunlight poured from the turquoise bowl of heaven. Perhaps all that country under the sea was once dry land. If so, scientists say, it was long before the race of man had come down from the trees or wriggled out of the primeval swamps. Perhaps a rift opened in the ocean floor 3 Hawaii while the life of their country changed about them and their people faded away. The white strangers became numerous in the land and powerful beyond their numbers. Other races from Europe and the Orient and the isles of the seas entered to serve the white masters, tilling the fields of sugar and pineapples that replaced those of taro and sweet pota- toes and yams. The kingdom waned. Political power could not exist independently of economic power.