THE SANDWICH ISLANDS. 84;$ 



had rested ourselves, we pursued our journey, left 

 the shore, and crossed a tongue of land, extending 

 far into the sea, where the road led us over a high 

 mountain. On this height, the monsoon from 

 N. E. cooled the scorching heat, but blew some- 

 times so violently, that it threatened to precipitate 

 us from the steep declivity. We observed here, 

 several tapa plantations ; a tree, of the bark of which, 

 the cloth of this country is manufactured. The 

 preparation of this stuff is very tedious, as. the bark 

 must be beaten in water till it becomes sufficiently 

 fine. The old women are employed in this, while 

 the young ones live in idleness, and spend their 

 time in receiving court from the men. Thus, this 

 heavy work is added to the burthen of old age ; and 

 the poor old women have nothing left them but 

 the remembrance of their happily spent youth. 



After we had walked on two hours, our way led 

 us through a romantic valley, where we seated 

 ourselves under shady bread-fruit trees, on the 

 banks of a salt lake, the owner of which, a dis- 

 tinguished Jerri, derives considerable profit from 

 it, as the banks of this lake are covered with the 

 finest salt. There were on it a species of divers* 

 who, though they are unable to fly, are, however, 

 . very difficult to be shot, because, the moment the 

 powder flashes in the pan, they dive. As I wished 

 to have some for our collection of natural history* 

 I sent my companion, who, by shooting a couple 

 of them, proved that the Sandwich islanders are 



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