THE SANDWICH ISLANDS. 497 



birds have been introduced and bid fair to spread and oust the 

 native avi-fauna, which has no single Land-bird in common with 

 any other Polynesian Island group. 



The only vigorous opponents of the Americans in the strug- 

 gle for existence are the Chinese. The natives speak English 

 commonly with a nasal twang, and I was much amused by a 

 small Hawaian boy from whom I asked the way in the streets, 

 who replied with the strongest twang, but with the utmost 

 readiness, " I don't speak no English, I don't." 



Behind. Honolulu is a valley, called Nuuanu Valley, with 

 precipitous walls in its upper part, which becomes greener and 

 greener as the ascent is made by the road leading up it. The 

 difference of rainfall in the valley, and in Honolulu, is most 

 remarkable. At Waikiki near Honolulu, at sea level, the rain- 

 fall in 1873 was 37'85 inches, whilst in the Nuuanu Valley, 2| 

 miles distant inland, and at an elevation of only 550 feet, the 

 fall was in the same year 134' 06 inches. Captain Wilkes even 

 remarks that certain streets in the town of Honolulu are said to 

 be more rainy than others. 



The leading native trees in the valley, are the Malvaceous 

 Paritium Tiliaccum, Acacia Koa, and the Candle Nut (Aleurites 

 triloba). The Paritium forms curiously tangled impassable 

 thickets. The Koa grows only high up on the cliff tops. The 

 Candle Nut, by the peculiar glaucous colour of its foliage, gives 

 a characteristic appearance to the vegetation. Its blue green 

 trees seen in the far distance, appear as rounded bushes, dotted 

 over the high ground above the barren shore region. 



At the summit of the valley is the " pali," a narrow cleft in 

 the tops of the mountains, which are on the other side preci- 

 pitous. A beautiful view of the windward side of the island is 

 here suddenly encountered, and a refreshing breeze blows 

 through the gap. The range of cliffs forming the windward 

 side of the mountain range, is an ancient coast line, and against 

 the foot of the cliffs the sea beat in old time. 



The visit of the King of the Sandwich Islands, Kalakaua, to 

 the " Challenger," pleased me very much. The officers of the 

 ship, donned, as in duty bound, full "war paint" to receive him, 

 and even one member of the scientific staff appeared in curious 



K K 



