I have hunted all the beach
stores through for such essentials as will pack into small compass,
and every one said "So you are going to 'the mountain;' I hope
you'll have a good time;" or, "I hope you'll have the luck to get
up."
Among the friends of my hosts all sorts of useful articles were
produced, a camp kettle, a camping blanket, a huge Mexican poncho, a
cardigan, capacious saddlebags, etc. Nor was Kahele forgotten, for
the last contribution was a bag of oats! The greatest difficulty
was about warm clothing, for in this perfect climate, woollen
underclothing is not necessary as in many tropical countries, but it
is absolutely essential on yonder mountain, and till late in the
afternoon the best intentions and the most energetic rummaging in
old trunks failed to produce it. At last Mrs. ---, wife of an old
Scotch settler, bestowed upon me the invaluable loan of a stout
flannel shirt, and a pair of venerable worsted stockings, much
darned, knitted in Fifeshire a quarter of a century ago. When she
brought them, the excellent lady exclaimed, "Oh, what some people
will do!" with an obvious personal reference.
She tells us that her husband, who owns the ranch on the mountain at
which we are to stay the last night, has been obliged to forbid any
of his natives going up as guides, and that she fears we shall not
get a guide, as the native who went up with Mr.
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