430 THE SANDWICH ISLANDS, 



On Uii.s Uuct, the bare volcanic rock shows out everywhere, 

 and its only conspicuous vegetation is a Prickly Pear {Opuniia), 

 introduced from America, which has spread far on either side 

 from the town and multiplied exceedingly, so as in places to 

 form a dense impassable growth, and constitute a most con- 

 spicuous feature in the landscape. These barren parts of Oahu 

 reminded me somewhat of the rocky tracts of Tenerife, with 

 their growth of Euphorbia canariensis. 



The Guava, a second introduced American plant, has spread 

 in all directions, in places forming dense thickets from which 

 it is difficult to drive out the half-wild cattle. The whole town 

 of Honolulu has a thoroughly American aspect. Americans 

 are supplanting the rapidly decreasing native population ; 

 American plants are, as has been said, covermg the ground, 

 and American 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 

 struggle for existence are the Chinese. The natives speak 

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

 by a small Hawaiian boy from whom I asked the way in the 

 streets, who replied with the strongest twang, but with the ut- 

 most 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 i34'o6 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 

 Faritii/tn tiliaceu/n, Acacia koa, and the Candle Nut {Aleurites 

 triloba). The Paritiuni 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 precip- 

 itous. 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 



