TIIK HAWAIIAN PF.OPLK. 27 



that tlie first voyaues, like iiKiiiv undcflakcii in more recent times, must have been 

 made in open boats over an unfriendl\' and uncharted ocean. We know also 

 that they survived the journey and found the land hal)itablc when they came. 



To the dim and uncertain period coverinu the several centuries that fol- 

 lowed, many gTeat primitive achievements have l)een asci'ibed. Amonsr them are 

 such tasks as the buildino- of walled tish-])on(ls, the consli-uction of certain ureat 

 crude temples, the niakinu' of irrioation ditches, and the development of a 

 distinct dialect, based of course, on their ancient mother tongue. But at last, 

 after the lapse of centuries, perhaps many centuries, this long |)eriod of isola- 

 tion and seclusion ended and conununication was once more resumed \\illi the 

 rest of the Polynesian world. 



Ancient Voyages. 



It is reliably recorded in the traditions of the race, but more especially 

 in those of the Hawaiian people, that after many generations of .separation 

 from the outside world, communication was again taken up and many voyages 

 were made to Kahiki — the far-away land to the south. From this time on the 

 story of the people becomes much more definite and reliable. We not only know 

 that intercourse was resumed between Hawaii and the islands of tlie South 

 Pacific, but the names of several of the navigators and the circumstances, as well 

 as the time when their journeys were made, also incidents of their voyages, 

 have come down to us. In some cases the same mariner is known to have made 

 more than a single journey. Naturally the exploits of the brave navigators of 

 the race were made matters of record in the minds of the people and handed 

 down from father to son in numberless songs, stories and traditions. As a mat- 

 ter of fact, there is evidence to prove that during the twelfth and thirtetMith 

 centuries of our Christian calendar there came an era of great unrest tlirough- 

 out the whole of Polynesia and a great number of voyages wern made to the 

 remote parts of the region. In fact it is asserted in the tradition of the peo- 

 ple that "they visited every place on earth." This broad statement seems to 

 indicate that to the Polynesian mind the world was confined to Oceanica. as 

 they appear to have known nothing of the gi'eat eonlinents which sui'miuided 

 them on every side. At any rate, there is on record a eonsidei'able list of 

 these voyages and an equally long list (tf the places where the\ landed, accom- 

 panied l)y incidents of their wanderings. 



Animals and Plants Bkoluut to Hawau as r).\(i(;A(JL. 



Our special interest in the natural history of the plants and aninrds of 

 Hawaii inakes this period of Pacific travel of unusual importance. It was at 

 this time that most, if not all, of the useful plants and animals that had fol- 

 lowed the race in their various wanderings were l)rough1 as |)recious baiigage 

 with them to these islands from over th(» s(»a. 



Any one who has experienced the ilitficidties and. dis;i|)i)oin1nients encoun- 

 tered in transplanting a young breadfruit tree from one valley to another, will 



