Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. 26, October, 1880 — John Shaqi
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. 26, October, 1880Various
History
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. 26, October, 1880
Various
Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Science -- Periodicals
We climbed the rocky pathway rising out of the valley, and found
ourselves on the high table-land toward which we had shaped our course.
It was smooth as a floor and covered with short rich grass. Instead of a
broad road there were about twenty parallel paths stretching on before
us as far as we could see, furrowed by the feet of horses and
pack-mules. Miles away on either side was a line of lofty mountains
whose serrated outlines were sharply defined against the evening sky.
Darkness overtook us on this plateau, and the rest of the journey is a
confused memory of steep ravines down whose sides we cautiously made our
way, torrents of foaming water which we forded, expanses of dark plain,
and at last the murmur of the ocean on the reef. After reaching
sea-level again we passed between acres and acres of taro-patches where
the water mirrored the large bright stars and the arrow-shaped leaves
cast sharp-pointed shadows. We rode through the quiet little village of
Waialua, sleeping beneath the shade of giant pride-of-India and kukui
trees, without meeting any one, and forded the Waialua River just where
it flows over silver sands into the sea. As we paused to let our horses
drink I looked up at the cluster of cocoanut palms that grew upon the
bank, and noticed how distinctly each feathery frond was pencilled
against the sky, then down upon the placid river and out upon the gently
murmuring sea, and thought that I had never gazed upon a more peaceful
scene. Little did I think that it would soon be associated with danger
and dismay. Beyond the river were two or three native huts thatched with
grass, and a little white cottage, the summer home of Princess Lydia,
the king's sister. Passing these, we rode over a smooth green lawn
glittering with large bright dewdrops, and dismounted in front of the
seminary-gate. The large whitewashed brick house, two stories and a half
high, with wide verandas around three sides, looks toward the sea. In
front of it is a garden filled with flowers and vines and shrubbery, the
pride and care of the school-girls. There are oleander trees with
rose-colored blossoms, pomegranate trees whose flowers glow amid the
dark-green foliage like coals of fire, and orange and lime trees covered
with fragrant white flowers, which the girls string and wear around
their necks. Besides roses, heliotrope, geraniums, sweet-pea, nasturtium
and other familiar flowers, there are fragrant Japanese lilies, and also
plants and shrubs from the Micronesian Islands. On one side is a grove
of tamarind and kukui-nut trees, mingled with tall cocoanut palms, which
stretches to the deep, still river, a few rods away: on the other is the
school-house, a two-story frame, painted white, shaded by tall
pride-of-India trees and backed by a field of corn. My room opened on a
veranda shaded with kukui trees, and as the "coo-coo-ee coo-coo-ee" of
the doves in the branches came to my ears I thought that the trees had
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account