Honolulu, Sandwich islands, April 3, 1866.  My dear mother and sister,—­I have been here two or three weeks, and like the beautiful tropical climate better and better.  I have ridden on horseback all over this island (Oahu) in the meantime, and have visited all the ancient battle-fields and other places of interest.  I have got a lot of human bones which I took from one of these battle-fields—­I guess I will bring you some of them.  I went with the American Minister and took dinner this evening with the King’s Grand Chamberlain, who is related to the royal family, and although darker than a mulatto, he has an excellent English education and in manners is an accomplished gentleman.  The dinner was as ceremonious as any I ever attended in California—­five regular courses, and five kinds of wine and one of brandy.  He is to call for me in the morning with his carriage, and we will visit the King at the palace—­both are good Masons—­the King is a Royal Arch Mason.  After dinner tonight they called in the “singing girls,” and we had some beautiful music; sung in the native tongue.

The steamer I came here in sails tomorrow, and as soon as she is gone I
shall sail for the other islands of the group and visit the great
volcano—­the grand wonder of the world.  Be gone two months. 
                                        Yrs. 
          
                                        Sam.

To Mrs. Jane Clemens and Mrs. Moffett, in St. Louis: 

Wailukusugar Plantation,
island of Maui, H. I., May 4,1866. 
My dear mother and sister,—­11 O’clock at night.—­This is the infernalist darkest country, when the moon don’t shine; I stumbled and fell over my horse’s lariat a minute ago and hurt my leg, so I must stay here tonight.

I got the same leg hurt last week; I said I hadn’t got hold of a spirited horse since I had been on the island, and one of the proprietors loaned me a big vicious colt; he was altogether too spirited; I went to tighten the cinch before mounting him, when he let out with his left leg (?) and kicked me across a ten-acre lot.  A native rubbed and doctored me so well that I was able to stand on my feet in half an hour.  It was then half after four and I had an appointment to go seven miles and get a girl and take her to a card party at five.

I have been clattering around among the plantations for three weeks, now, and next week I am going to visit the extinct crater of Mount Haleakala —­the largest in the world; it is ten miles to the foot of the mountain; it rises 10,000 feet above the valley; the crater is 29 miles in circumference and 1,000 feet deep.  Seen from the summit, the city of St. Louis would look like a picture in the bottom of it.