, too, the root of the ti [te] plant. It was baked, and
when sent in it was still hot. It looked like brown-bread, only finer
grained, and when shaved off in slices had a very sweet and not
unpleasant taste. Many of the natives are quite fond of it. The plant
has a small trunk four or five feet high, surmounted with a tuft of
leaves resembling corn-leaves. In various parts of the islands, when
there is a scarcity of food, the natives eat the root of the fern-tree,
baked. It reminded me in appearance of tobacco, was tasteless, and
uninviting in its looks; but I saw native men cut off great slices of
it, which they ate as if they liked it. But as I told you before, their
favorite food is poi, and, with a good supply of that and raw fish, a
native is as happy as a plenty of good food can make him.

We saw here for the first time enormous cockroaches. They came out after
a rain, and were very annoying, as all large bugs are that can fly or
run fast. One night I killed seven in my room. If I left one dead on the
floor overnight, in the morning it would be surrounded by hundreds of
small brown ants. It was really very interesting to watch the little
creatures. They would saw off a leg, or a part of one, then several of
them would drag it away to their hiding-place; and, piecemeal, they
would, if given time, carry off the cockroach, leaving not a particle.
Now there is a lesson for you, children.

Perhaps you have something to do. It may seem like a mountain, as you
look at it; but if you work diligently, doing perhaps only a little at
a time, it will grow less and less until it is all done; and as you look
back upon it, you will be astonished to think how easily you have done
it.

XIII.

Kailua.

"Aunty," said Carrie, as I came into the room, at four o'clock the next
day, "we have been calling ourselves little ants all day to-day, we have
been so busy; but now we have finished our work, and are all ready." So
I resumed my story.

* * * * *

On Saturday, April 11, we left Kaawaloa, after a very pleasant visit of
two weeks, starting about nine o'clock on our twelve miles' ride to
Kailua. Mr. Paris's family and grandma were in a carriage, which some
friends had given Mrs. P., and grandpa and I were on horseback. I had
my horse Bonaparte. The road was good most of the way; no carriage had
ever traveled the whole length of it before. Part of the way was down
the mountain, and when ab