Director's Anmcal Report. 5 



skill in building these sacred places of a people greatly embued 

 with a love of religious observances. Mr. Stokes' work will be a 

 great credit to this Museum as well as to himself. It is unfortu- 

 nate that it could not have been done j-ears ago, for the almost 

 illegible ruins are now most puzzling, and in many cases the puzzle 

 cannot now be solved. 



The Diredlor had hoped that this year would see the most 

 comprehensive exploration of the whole Pacific region that has 

 ever been undertaken at least inaugurated by this Museum, an 

 institution situated in the very midst of this region; one that has 

 from very small beginnings risen with rapid flight to a respe<5lable 

 position among working museums ; one founded for such work, 

 and one that has been built up with such an object constantly in 

 view until it seemed ready and fitted to begin the great work. 

 It is quite true that the present buildings of the Museum are 

 wholly insufficient for such work, insufficient indeed for the rou- 

 tine work and storage accommodation of such colle^ions, but 

 plans were carefully prepared and submitted to the Trustees to in 

 great measure supply this deficiency. But while these plans and 

 estimates were receiving the deliberate consideration due so large 

 a proposed expenditure, came the terrible San Francisco earth- 

 quake, and the subsequent great rise in the cost of materials seemed 

 to forbid, for the moment, the prosecution of the building. 



Even with the desired Laboratory and Library, it was well 

 understood that with the present Museum endowment the complete 

 control of such a vast undertaking could not be thought feasible, 

 but it was hoped that if sufficient funds could be obtained the 

 Museum might not only stand sponsor, but lend its library and 

 collecftions to the furtherance of so good and important a work. 



The Direclor did not plunge into this scheme suddenl}- or 

 without due reflection. Forty years ago, when crossing the North 

 Pacific on the good ship Oracle, plans were formed based on a 

 previous exploration of the Geology and Botany of this Hawaiian 



