NINE MONTHS IN THE ARCTIC. 41 



islands is given as follows : Hawaii, 27.204 

 Oahu, 23,145; Maui, 18,671; Kauhai, 6,941 

 Molokai, 3,429 ; Nuhua, 723 ; Lanai, 523 

 amounting to 80,641. 



Most of these islands are volcanic and moun- 

 tainous. In several places the volcanoes are in 

 activity. Some of the mountains are of great 

 height, being estimated at fifteen thousand feet. 



The climate is warm, but not unhealthy, the 

 winter being marked only by the prevalence of 

 heavv rains between December and March. A 

 meteorological table gives as the greatest heat 

 during the year, 88° of Fahrenheit ; as the least, 

 61°. Some of these islands are distinguished 

 for the cultivation of the yam, which affords 

 quite a valuable supply for ships. 



The situation of the Sandwich Islands ren- 

 ders them important to vessels navigating the 

 Northern Pacific, and especially so to whalemen. 

 The ports of Hilo, Lahaina, Honolulu, and a 

 few others, are the resort of a large number of 

 whale ships, for the purpose of obtaining recruits. 

 They may be considered as a central point, 

 where ships meet both in the fall and spring, 

 and from whence all matters of intelligence are 

 transmitted to San Francisco, and from the lat- 

 ter place to the Atlantic States. 



Formerly all ship news and letters were brought 



