Show UV 0 aa pa vav vi t I 1 annals of kauai the garden island 1000 1 in silver ET me tell a tale of this fruit L LET ful and beautiful pacific ocean jewel that harks back to the early days when land could be bought for a song and singers were in voice out of the many stories called to my attention I 1 selected one that came to me through mr eric knud sen born in kauai sixty odd years ago eldest son son of valdemar Val dernar knud sen one of the earliest settlers mr knudsen s method of record ing the dramatic past involves the use of mountains from which he may survey the land and sea of his beloved island Kawal Ka kini peak 5 feet above sea level and lo 10 bated almost in the center of kauai is his favorite elevation when dis cussing panoramic beauty the spot of green a few miles off shore to the southwest said erie eric waving a brown arm over the whole of christendom is island where my mother once lived she was the youngest daughter of mrs eliza sinclair who brought her whole family from new zealand in 1863 two sons two sons in law three daughters six grandchildren and settled there about seventy two square miles of rich pasturage for sheep cattle other domestic stock and honey bees its highest elevation rose 1 1300 feet above sea level it was like the arrival of another nation this fam farn ily from new zealand father suggests a way however if I 1 am to ge get t on with the story of how my father valde mar knudsen found a bride among the Sin clairs you must turn your thoughts back to small but important in my own affairs after taking over the property mrs sin clair discovered there a hawaiian born settler who had long occupied a small strip of the island and who held in fee simple a royal grant that interfered with her plans for development she offered to buy the parcel no the native would not bell ell at any price both he and his wife wished to remain until death they were cold to all pro a sentimental blockade as it were my father a norwegian who had come to kauai in the early and set up a stock ranch and orchard at waimea waitea enjoyed no little distine tion as one familiar and friendly with the hawaiian people to him mrs sinclair came with her lem lern authorizing the purchase of the controversial strip at whatever fig ure valdemar knudsen considered fair to all concerned give me 1000 1 trade dollars he sa said id and leave the rest to me upon receipt of the coin much of which was tarnished he devoted three full days to putting a bright bright polish on the sinews of war which he loaded into a canvas bag and lugged after dark to the straw hut of the hawaiian couple where he was welcomed both as a visitor and an old friend silver flood descends casting the silver burden on the center table he mopped his brow and straightaway launched into a flood of gossip along general lines in the midst of the babble he opened the canvas sack and began to stack shimmering trade dollars ten in a pile all over the table top commenting the while on what each tower of silver would buy in the open market under the light of a coal oil lamp shedding its golden rays on the white metal monuments scat about valdemar knudsen fingering the coin as he talked de scribed red topped boots brooches bracelets clothing silk bodices bodic axes sewing machines bureaus in laid bedsteads cooking utensils saddles grandfather clocks dinner dishes and rocking chairs that could be bought and delivered at the humble domicile of the old couple now huddled over more purchasing power than they had ever beheld in their whole lives all of this for your land said my father yours to have and to hold enough to last all of this life natives won over hypnotized the aged couple al terna ting between chilled in differ ence and melting acceptance held their breath the man battling with resistance the woman yearning for speech flat upon that table midst the piles of money lay the canvas bag empty of all temptation the hawaiian immobile as stone made no sign with a quick movement my father encircling the hoard with his arm began to draw the 1000 1 in silver into the sack paul paull it is ended he said no no kanauka exclaimed the woman we will sell it is enough leave the money there where is the paper turning to her bus band she smothered him hirn with an appeal to close the transaction he nodded burying his hands in the silver flood mrs sinclair allowed the couple to remain until they passed away evidently the norwegian norwegians s business tactics made a profound impression upon the scotch woman as my fa ther became her son in law copyright opy right service |