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cats； singed cats； individual cats； groups of cats； platoons of cats；
companies of cats； regiments of cats； armies of cats； multitudes of cats；
millions of cats； and all of them sleek； fat； lazy and sound asleep。
I looked on a multitude of people； some white； in white coats； vests；
pantaloons； even white cloth shoes； made snowy with chalk duly laid on
every morning； but the majority of the people were almost as dark as
negroeswomen with comely features； fine black eyes； rounded forms；
inclining to the voluptuous； clad in a single bright red or white garment
that fell free and unconfined from shoulder to heel； long black hair
falling loose； gypsy hats； encircled with wreaths of natural flowers of a
brilliant carmine tint； plenty of dark men in various costumes； and some
with nothing on but a battered stove…pipe hat tilted on the nose； and a
very scant breech…clout；certain smoke…dried children were clothed in
nothing but sunshinea very neat fitting and picturesque apparel indeed。
In place of roughs and rowdies staring and blackguarding on the corners；
I saw long…haired； saddle…colored Sandwich Island maidens sitting on the
ground in the shade of corner houses； gazing indolently at whatever or
whoever happened along； instead of wretched cobble…stone pavements； I
walked on a firm foundation of coral； built up from the bottom of the sea
by the absurd but persevering insect of that name； with a light layer of
lava and cinders overlying the coral； belched up out of fathomless
perdition long ago through the seared and blackened crater that stands
dead and harmless in the distance now； instead of cramped and crowded
street…cars； I met dusky native women sweeping by； free as the wind； on
fleet horses and astride； with gaudy riding…sashes； streaming like
banners behind them； instead of the combined stenches of Chinadom and
Brannan street slaughter…houses； I breathed the balmy fragrance of
jessamine； oleander； and the Pride of India； in place of the hurry and
bustle and noisy confusion of San Francisco； I moved in the midst of a
Summer calm as tranquil as dawn in the Garden of Eden； in place of the
Golden City's skirting sand hills and the placid bay； I saw on the one
side a frame…work of tall； precipitous mountains close at hand； clad in
refreshing green； and cleft by deep； cool； chasm…like valleysand in
front the grand sweep of the ocean； a brilliant； transparent green near
the shore； bound and bordered by a long white line of foamy spray dashing
against the reef； and further out the dead blue water of the deep sea；
flecked with 〃white caps；〃 and in the far horizon a single； lonely sail
a mere accent…mark to emphasize a slumberous calm and a solitude that
were without sound or limit。 When the sun sunk downthe one intruder
from other realms and persistent in suggestions of themit was tranced
luxury to sit in the perfumed air and forget that there was any world but
these enchanted islands。
It was such ecstacy to dream； and dreamtill you got a bite。
A scorpion bite。 Then the first duty was to get up out of the grass and
kill the scorpion； and the next to bathe the bitten place with alcohol or
brandy； and the next to resolve to keep out of the grass in future。 Then
came an adjournment to the bed…chamber and the pastime of writing up the
day's journal with one hand and the destruction of mosquitoes with the
othera whole community of them at a slap。 Then； observing an enemy
approaching；a hairy tarantula on stiltswhy not set the spittoon on
him？ It is done； and the projecting ends of his paws give a luminous
idea of the magnitude of his reach。 Then to bed and become a promenade
for a centipede with forty…two legs on a side and every foot hot enough
to burn a hole through a raw…hide。 More soaking with alcohol； and a
resolution to examine the bed before entering it； in future。 Then wait；
and suffer； till all the mosquitoes in the neighborhood have crawled in
under the bar； then slip out quickly； shut them in and sleep peacefully
on the floor till morning。 Meantime it is comforting to curse the
tropics in occasional wakeful intervals。
We had an abundance of fruit in Honolulu； of course。 Oranges； pine…
apples； bananas； strawberries； lemons； limes； mangoes； guavas； melons；
and a rare and curious luxury called the chirimoya； which is
deliciousness itself。 Then there is the tamarind。 I thought tamarinds
were made to eat； but that was probably not the idea。 I ate several； and
it seemed to me that they were rather sour that year。 They pursed up my
lips； till they resembled the stem…end of a tomato； and I had to take my
sustenance through a quill for twenty…four hours。
They sharpened my teeth till I could have shaved with them； and gave them
a 〃wire edge〃 that I was afraid would stay； but a citizen said 〃no； it
will come off when the enamel does〃which was comforting； at any rate。
I found； afterward； that only strangers eat tamarindsbut they only eat
them once。
CHAPTER LXIV。
In my diary of our third day in Honolulu； I find this：
I am probably the most sensitive man in Hawaii to…nightespecially about
sitting down in the presence of my betters。 I have ridden fifteen or
twenty miles on horse…back since 5 P。M。 and to tell the honest truth； I
have a delicacy about sitting down at all。
An excursion to Diamond Head and the King's Coacoanut Grove was planned
to…daytime； 4：30 P。M。the party to consist of half a dozen gentlemen
and three ladies。 They all started at the appointed hour except myself。
I was at the Government prison； （with Captain Fish and another whaleship…
skipper； Captain Phillips；） and got so interested in its examination that
I did not notice how quickly the time was passing。 Somebody remarked
that it was twenty minutes past five o'clock； and that woke me up。 It
was a fortunate circumstance that Captain Phillips was along with his
〃turn out；〃 as he calls a top…buggy that Captain Cook brought here in
1778； and a horse that was here when Captain Cook came。 Captain Phillips
takes a just pride in his driving and in the speed of his horse； and to
his passion for displaying them I owe it that we were only sixteen
minutes coming from the prison to the American Hotela distance which
has been estimated to be over half a mile。 But it took some fearful
driving。 The Captain's whip came down fast； and the blows started so
much dust out of the horse's hide that during the last half of the
journey we rode through an impenetrable fog； and ran by a pocket compass
in the hands of Captain Fish； a whaler of twenty…six years experience；
who sat there through the perilous voyage as self…possessed as if he had
been on the euchre…deck of his own ship； and calmly said； 〃Port your
helmport；〃 from time to time； and 〃Hold her a little freesteadyso
so；〃 and 〃Luffhard down to starboard！〃 and never once lost his presence
of mind or betrayed the least anxiety by voice or manner。 When we came
to anchor at last； and Captain Phillips looked at his watch and said；
〃Sixteen minutesI told you it was in her！ that's over three miles an
hour！〃 I could see he felt entitled to a compliment； and so I said I had
never seen lightning go like that