30 NATURAL HISTORY OF HAWAII. 



have several kinds of food capable of being preserved in a compact form. The 

 eocoaniit, either fresh or dried, was an invalnable article of food, while dried 

 fish and squid are not to be despised. The taro, lireadfrnit 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 suffer 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 flying-fish, squid and seaweed — that would scarcely be 

 thought of as food ])y a more fastidious peoi^le. jMoreover, in making these 

 journeys they were able to roughly guide their course by the stars, the sun and 

 the moon, as they had a crude but working 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 ways in tlieir practical navigation. 



Establishment of the Hawaiian 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 wa\- the south point of Hawaii as well as the southern end 

 of the little island of Kahoolawi came to be known as the proper points from 

 which to embark on a journey to Tahiti. 



There is but little doubf that in those times they were expert navigators, 

 who in addition to being able to guide their courses at sea by the stars, also 

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

 great distances on the splendid long ocean s^\■ells, after the manner of the surf 

 riders of less adventurous times. 



Just how tliese striking feats of navigation were accomplished we may 

 never know. At any rate there is every reason to Ix'lieve that they were per- 

 formed. We do know, however, that the perils att<'nding them were safely 

 passed, the difficulties of tlie journeys surmounted, and that those who per- 

 formed them lived to tell the tale of tlieir daring to their eliildnMi. and they to 



