It ripened into a splendid joyous day,
which redeemed the sweeping uplands of Hamakua from the dreariness
which I had thought belonged to them. There was a fresh sea-breeze,
and the sun, though unclouded, was not too hot. We halted for an
early lunch at the clean grass-house we had stopped at before, and
later in the afternoon at that of the woman with whom we had ridden
from Hakalau, who received us very cordially, and regaled us with
poi and pork.
In order to avoid the amenities of Bola Bola's we rode thirty-four
miles, and towards evening descended the tremendous steep, which
leads to the surf-deafened village of Laupahoehoe. Halemanu had
given me a note of introduction to a widow named Honolulu, which
Deborah said began thus, "As I know that you have the only clean
house in L," and on presenting it we were made very welcome.
Besides the widow, a very redundant beauty, there were her two
brothers and two male cousins, and all bestirred themselves in our
service, the men in killing and cooking the supper, and the woman in
preparing the beds. It was quite a large room, with doors at the
end and side, and fully a third was curtained off by a calico
curtain, with a gorgeous Cretonne pattern upon it.
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