oiie of the Sandwich group. 5 



the chains, and which, from their depth, and the precipitous cha- 

 racter of their bounding sides, should be more properly called 

 ravines ; and those which furrow the open plains, extending be- 

 tween the mountains and the sea, whose depth is inconsiderable 

 compared with the former, and in which are found the largest 

 spaces of cultivable ground and the principal villages. Of the 

 latter, one of the largest and most fertile is that of Pearl River ; 

 and as examples of the former may be cited, those which de- 

 scend from Raala on the side of Waialua. The valley of 

 Atmanu, behind Honoruru, is of a mixed character, in its lower 

 part being open, in its upper enclosed between two ridges de- 

 scending from the peak of Waolani on the west, and Ronahti- 

 anui on the east. This valley possesses this peculiarity, that 

 its upper part forms a level plateau of a circular form, open to- 

 wards Honoruru and the Pari, and enclosed on the other sides 

 by the central ridge, and the lateral ridges descending from the 

 above two mountains. This plateau of Atmanu thus forms an 

 immense circus, bounded on all sides, except where open, by tre- 

 mendous precipices, of which a most magnificent view in all its 

 compass may be obtained, by ascending a few hundred feet above 

 the Pari, on the ridge of Ronahuaniii, — a view which embraces 

 not only the amphitheatre o« the south, but the extension of the 

 ridge to the west, with the plain of Pali-koolaii, extending at 

 your feet to the ocean, here forming a bay, bounded by the ro- 

 mantic promontories of Makiinana and Runloa. There is a 

 third kind of valley, partaking of the character of the ravine, 

 but deprived of every thing except its upper termination, so as 

 to have the form of deep pits enclosed on all sides by precipices 

 generally of great height, as they descend immediately from the 

 central ridge to an inconsiderable level above the sea, except an 

 opening of greater or less width towards the low country. When 

 this opening is very narrow, or even in any case, they resemble 

 very much the interior view of a volcanic crater, opened up by 

 the removal of a portion of its walls. This kind of valley is 

 seen in greatest perfection on the north precipitous declivity of 

 the chain of Ronahuanui between the Pari of Anuanu and Kna- 

 loa. One just above Waiahole is very remarkable for its depth 

 and narrowness, resembling exactly the .section of an immense 

 chimney rising from the licirt of the mountain, an effect which 



