378 



W. T. BRIGHAM ON THE VOLCANIC PHENOMENA 



from the frequent rains as to be almost impassible, especially near Onomea, where the soil 

 is deep and fertile, of a yellow loamy nature. Were it not for the ravines, and the impos- 

 sibility of transportation, many acres of sugar-cane might be cultivated. For twenty miles 

 to Laupahoehoe there is no good landing-place, and during a storm the whole coast is 

 inaccessible except to skilful natives in light canoes. 



The strata, as exhibited in the ravines which have been excavated by water, are deep 

 and similar to those described on Kauai, and bear tokens of as great age. Denudation has 

 been very extensive, and the water-worn valleys extend far up the mountain. The rock 

 is generally a dark gray basalt, sometimes a light colored clink-stone, but scoria? and a-a are 

 very rare, owing to their more rapid conversion to soil where water is abundant, and not a 

 single deposit was seen during three journeys through this district. Forests cover all the 

 windward side of Mauna Kea, and extend nearly around it in broken bands. 



In Hamakua the road branches, one continuing along the shore to the beautiful valleys of 

 Waipio and Waimanu, both of which belong to Mauna Kohala, and exhibit signs of great 

 age ; the other turns up the mountain side and soon enters the forest, culminating nearly 

 five thousand feet above the sea on the north-west slopes of Mauna Kea, and descends into 

 the grassy plains of Waimea. No streams are met for twenty miles, and the soil is much 

 more scanty than where the rains fall on the other side. The view of Mauna Kea from the 



streams, and then came to one of three large rivers we had 

 been warned against. As we descended the Pali, which makes 

 Gen. Putnam's famous ride down the steps, child's play, we 

 heard the rushing waters several hundred feet below us, and 

 occasionally caught a glimpse of the white foam through the 

 branches. When we at last came to the bank, we found the 

 ford wide and cleared of stones, which above and below this 

 place almost blocked the stream. The water only came half 

 way up our stirrups, and we crossed in safety, rejoiced to have 

 one of the dreadful Jordans behind us. When some two miles 

 up and down almost perpendicular walls brought us to the 

 second of the dangerous streams, our courage was up, and 

 although the river was a hundred feet wide, and much re- 

 sembling Niagara River in the rapids, I spurred my mule and 

 plunged in. In an instant my poor beast was off his feet, and 

 a native on the other bank screamed to me to go back, for 

 I should be ' make ' (dead) if I tried to cross. I of course 

 obeyed, although with some difficult)', and found Mr. R. pa- 

 tiently waiting in the bushes a short distance up the stream 

 where the water was deeper, but free from rocks. He told us 

 that it would be useless to attempt to ford without natives and 

 ropes, and as he had sent for both, we sat down to wait. la 

 the course of an hour the river had fallen a foot, and two 

 young Englishmen, who had passed the night at a neighboring 

 plantation came up, and we were also joined by the United 

 States Minister Resident who was making the tour of Hawaii. 

 Our natives arrived, and the crossing commenced. First my 

 mule was attached to the middle of a long rope, and a native 

 swam across with one end, we retaining the other to prevent 

 the animal from being carried down stream. Thus with great 

 difficulty all the horses and mules were got safely across, and 

 in the mean time a native had been swimming over with all 

 our baggage. He swam with one arm out of water grasping 

 his load, and got every thing over dry, even our heavy Mexican 

 saddles. 



" When the animals were all over, a rope was made fast on 



either bank, and the company stripped and swam, holding to 

 the rope. As the current was very rapid, the swimmers often 

 were whirled around the rope like a water-wheel, and as I did 

 not like the operation, I had been making friends with an old 

 but powerful Kanaka, who seemed to take a fancy to me, and 

 who wished to carry me over on his back, a proposition I em- 

 phatically declined, but I made him understand that I would 

 cross on the rocks below if he would go before to show me 

 where to put my feet, as most of the rocks were covered two 

 feet deep with foaming, rushing water. This he thought well, 

 and, armed with a stout guava-stick, I stepped in. Down came 

 the torrents from above, covering the ford more than twelve 

 feet deep, and after rushing by me, almost shaking the great 

 rocks some more extensive freshets had scattered across the 

 channel, went thundering over a fall below, where it was lost in 

 the dense foliage. So strong was the current that had I lost 

 my balance there would have been but little chance for me. 

 The rocks being usually far above water were not slippery, 

 and when I once got a foothold, I was quite firm. I crossed 

 safely, and as I had not taken off my clothes, was in my saddle 

 before the rest of the party were dressed. They stood watch- 

 ing us as we jumped from rock to rock, with such interest, they 

 said, that they forgot to dress I 



" Another river was crossed in precisely the same manner, 

 and we rode through many streams that came over our 

 saddles. Mr. R. assures me that from Hilo to Laupah6ehoe, 

 a distance of thirty miles, there are eighty-five water-courses. 

 I believe this to be literally true, and when I add that many 

 ravines occur without streams, some idea of the broken nature 

 of the country may be obtained. . . . The beauty of the 

 scenery is wholly indescribable, and I believe nowhere in the 

 world are collected in so small a territory, so many cascades 

 of every form, of pure, clear, cool, mountain water." 



I have since travelled over this road twice, and found no 

 difficulty, owing to the dryness of the season. 



