The mercury ranges between 68 deg. and 81 deg. in the winter months and between 75 deg. and 86 deg. during the summer, in Honolulu.  The mornings are often a little overcast until about half-past nine, when it clears away bright.  The hottest part of the day is before noon.  The trade-wind usually blows, and when it does it is always cool; with a south wind; it is sometimes sultry, though the heat is never nearly so oppressive as in July and August in New York.  In fact, a New Yorker whom I met in the Islands in August congratulated himself as much on having escaped the New York summer as others did on having avoided the winter.

The nights are cool enough for sound rest, but not cold.

It is not by any means a torrid climate, and it has, perhaps, the fewest daily extremes of any pleasant climate in the world.  For instance, the mercury ranged in January between 69 deg. at 7 A.M., 75-1/2 deg. at 2 P.M., and 71-1/2 deg. at 10 P.M.  The highest temperature in that month was 78 deg., and the lowest 68 deg..  December and January are usually the coolest months in the year at Honolulu, but the variation is extremely slight for the whole year, the maximum of the warmest day in July (still at Honolulu) being only 86 deg., and this at noon, and the lowest mark being 62 deg., in the early morning in December.  A friend of mine resident during twenty years in the Islands has never had a blanket in his house.

It is said that the climate is an excellent one for consumptives, and physicians here point to numerous instances of the kindly and healing effect of the mild air.  At the same time, I suspect it must in the long-run be a little debilitating to Americans.  It is a charming climate for children; and as sea-bathing is possible and pleasant at all times, those who derive benefit from this may here enjoy it to the fullest extent during all the winter months as well as in the summer.

Of course you wear thin, but not the thinnest, clothing.  White is appropriate to the climate; but summer flannels are comfortable in winter.  The air is never as sultry as in New York in July or August, and the heat is by no means oppressive, there being almost always a fresh breeze.  Honolulu has the reputation of being the hottest place on the islands, and a walk through its streets at midday quickly tires one; but in a mountainous country like this you may choose your temperature, of course.  The summits of the highest peaks on Hawaii are covered with almost perpetual snow; and there are sugar planters who might sit around a fire every night in the year.

Unlike California, the Islands have no special rainy season, though rain is more abundant in winter than during the summer months.  But the trade-wind, which is also the rain-wind, greatly controls the rain-fall; and it is useful for visitors to bear in mind that on the weather side of every one of the Islands—­that side exposed to the wind—­rains are frequent, while on the lee side the rain-fall is much less, and