704 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1897. 



natives built many of these huts, the cairns for the dead, and other 

 buildings, of these hiva blocks, loosely piled uj), and Messrs. Salmon 

 and Brander apply them to good use in constructing their extensive 

 corrals and fences, with the added advantage of thus clearing the soil 

 for planting, wherever desirable. 



A coarse hummock grass and a variety of liner quality grow pro- 

 fusely over nearly the entire island, sprouting vigorously among the 

 lava fragments, and affording abundant i^asturage for the herds of 

 cattle, horses, and sheep, the former numbering 600 and the latter 

 18,000 at the time of our visit, and both multiplying rapidly. 



On the northeastern end of the island, and on the slopes of Mount 

 Pua-ko taki, the surface is covered with fine, red, volcanic sand and 

 dust, which is kept iu constant motion by the winds, and is barren of 

 vegetation of any kind. 



At the time of our visit, December, which is during their dry or 

 summer season, extending from October to April, the periods of the 

 southeast trades, there were no running streams on the island, nor, 

 with the exception of the valley at the base of Rana Kao, were there 

 any evidences of the former existence of such visible. Fresh water 

 away from the habitations was exceedingly scarce and difficult to 

 obtain, although showers of rain at night were not infrequent. 



The alleged springs or wells, including Funa Pua, the " Unfailing 

 Spring," so highly spoken of by former visitors, were at long distances 

 apart, were merely shallow excavations among the bowlders into which 

 the surface water percolated, and were covered to protect them from 

 the animals. The water contained in them was rarely of more than 

 a few bucketsful in quantity, and with a single exception, at Camp 

 Whitney, of bad quality. That contained in the lakes inside the two 

 craters, the accumulations of the rainy seasons, and surface drainage 

 also, was fully as bad, and impregnated both with vegetable and animal 

 matter, the former from the dense growth on the surface, the latter 

 from the herds of cattle which came to the lakes to drink. 



It may be mentioned in this place that the natives, from long habit, 

 no doubt, have become accustomed to drink but sparingly. We were 

 surprised, during our expedition around the island, to notice how rarely 

 they resorted to the canteen, with which all were x>i'Ovided, and they, 

 no doubt, were equally amazed at our constant demand for water, made 

 necessary to replace the loss from perspiration, induced by violent exer- 

 cise and the sun's heat. They were always careful to locate our camp 

 near, and anxious to keep us well supplied with, as good water as was 

 to be had, and when we broke camp in the morning the "springs" in 

 the vicinity were usually drained dry. 



It was at first a mystery to us whence the animals obtained their 

 supplies, but as to the cattle, they never wandered far away from the 

 craters, in whose lakes they could, at all seasons, quench their thirst. 

 In so far as the sheep were concerned, whose needs in this respect are 



