30 NATURAL HISTORY OF HAWAII. 



have several kiiuls of food capable of beiiij;' preserved in a conipaet fnriii. The 

 cocoanut, either fresh or dried, was an iiivalualile article of food, while dried 

 fish and squid are not to be despised. The taro, bi-eadfrnit and sweet potato, 

 or yam, are articles of daily diet, capable of being transported in an edible 

 condition for great distances at sea. Besides cocoanut water, in the nut, to 

 drink, they had utensils for storing fresh water and it is probable that they 

 provided themselves with calabashes and wooden bowls specially prepared for 

 use on their long sea journeys. 



Steering a Course by the Stars. 



As they were expert fishermen and exceedingly hardy seamen the perils of 

 the deep were considerably minimized. Add to this their intimate knowledge 

 of the food to be found living everywhere in the sea at all seasons and their 

 acquaintance with the habits and methods of capture, as well as skill in the 

 preparation of such animals and plants as they esteemed as food, and we must 

 conclude that they were by nature well fitted for such journeys. With such 

 substitute food as the sea would furnish, always at hand, it was possible for 

 them to travel far and sutfer but little, for they were able to eat, not only such 

 fresh and dried food as we have mentioned, but to relish many creatures of the 

 sea in a raw state — as fiying-fish, squid and seaweed — that would scarcely be 

 thought of as food by a more fastidious ]ie(iple. ^Moreover, in nuikinu' these 

 journeys they were able to roughly guide tlieir eourse by the stars, the sun and 

 the moon, as they had a crude Init workiiiu' knowledge of astronomy. In addi- 

 tion to this they had a number of traditions, telling of mysterious lands, far 

 away beyond the horizon, that served them both as an inspiration and an "assur- 

 ance, besides being useful to them in many w-ays in their practical navigation. 



Establishment of the Hawaii.vn Race. 



Great care was always exercised in selecting the proper place and .season 

 for setting forth on their journeys. Once having made a successful voyage 

 they were particular to start from the same spot in making similar journeys 

 thereafter. In this way the soutli [xiiiit of Hnwaii as well as the southei'n end 

 of tile little island of Kahoolawi came to he known as the iiro])er points from 

 which to end)ark on a journey to Tahiti. 



Thei'e is but little doubt that in those times they were exix'i-t navigators, 

 who in iiddition to being able to guide their courses at .sea by the stai's, also 

 knew the art of steering their canoes in such a fashion as to catch and ride 

 great distances on the splendid long ocean swells, after the manner of the surf 

 riders of less adventurous times. 



•Tnst how these striking feats of navigation were accomplished we may 

 never know. At any rate there is every reason to lielieve thtd the>' were per- 

 formed. We do know, however, that the pei'ils attendinu' them wTe safely 

 pa.ssed. the difficulties of the journeys surnnumted, and that those who per- 

 formed tliem lived to tell the tale of their daring to their children, and thev to 



