FLORA OF THE GROUP. 221 



governor of the district in which he lived oiu'-hjilf ''picul'' of sandalwood or 

 else pay four Spanish dolhirs. 



The drain on the supply was enorinons. It was not uncommon for lum])er- 

 ing' parties of three hundred or four hundred people to go into the mountains. 

 On Hawaii, Ellis relates that he saw two or three thousand men returning from 

 the forest, carrying sandalwood for shipment tied on their backs with ki 

 leaves, each one carrying two or three pieces. Even the roots were dug up in 

 many places. As earl}' as 1831 the business was on the decline, ;ind l)y 1856 

 the wood had become very scarce. By 1835 the government recognized the dan- 

 ger of exterminating the valuable trees and steps were taken to prevent the cutting 

 of the 3'oung wood. But according to the historian Dibble credit nuist be given 

 to Kamehameha I for being the first to attempt to conserve the supply of this 

 valuable wood. It is related that the men cut the young as well as the old trees, 

 and that some of the small trees when brought to the shore attracted the great 

 warrior's attention. "Why do you bring this small wood hither?" he inquired. 

 They replied, "You are an old man and wall soon die, and we know not whose 

 will be the sandalwood hereafter." Kamehameha then said, "Is it indeed that 

 you do not know my sons? To tlieni the young sandalwood belongs." 



Nevertheless, the drain on the forests continued until only an occasional 

 tree was left here and there on the more rugged and inaccessible heights, and 

 even these have suffered from the attacks of wnld goats, which find its bark especi- 

 ally toothsome. 



It is said that the odor of the Hawaiian sandalwood is inferior to that from 

 Malabar, Ceylon, and certain parts of India. The fragrant wood, called laau 

 ala by the natives, is quite heavy even after the sap has dried out. It is then 

 a light yellow or pale brown color, and retains the scent indefinitely. 



While the sandalwood was the most important among the Hawaiian plants 

 producing pleasant odors, it was by no means the only one. There were many 

 others whose flowers, fruits, leaves, sap, bark, wood or roots furnished perfume. 

 The most highly scented of all are the seed pods of the mokihana -'^ used in 

 making leis. They are much esteemed as they retain their perfume when dry 

 and hard. The best specimens of this plant, as of almost all the scented varie- 

 ties of native plants, come from Kauai. P^or temporary adornment, the leaves 

 and blossoms of wild ginger or awapuhi,-'* the drupe of the lauhala or screw 

 pine,^" the leaves of the maile-" and the fronds and stems of sevei';il sjiecies of 

 ferns, especially the palapalai •'- (a highly scented species) wei-e all used because 



^'^ Pelea anisata. "^ Zinf/ihcr Zi'nniihrf. '" rantJnnii/i odomtix.siiiniii. ^^ Alyxia oliffcfornis. 

 ''- Microlepia strigosa. 



(Description of Plate Continued from Opposite Page.) 



5. Naupaka (Sccpvola moUis). 6. Kokolau (Campylotheen sp.). 7. Akoko (Euphorbia clu- 

 sicpfolia). 8. Hoawa (Pittosporum. spatliuIatHm). 9. Kopiko (Siraussia Kddudiia) . 10. 

 Naeuae puamelemele (I)ubaiitia laxa). 11. Ohia leliua (Mctrosidcros poli/Diorpha, rar.). 

 12. MetrosUleros polymorpha var. 13. Metrosideros polymorpha var. 14. Meirosidcros tre- 

 maloidfs. 15. Naenac (Dubautia pJantaf/inea). 16. Alaiii (Pdca cJmia-folia) with tree 

 snail attached to the leaf. 17. Syzyfjiuni = {Eugenia) Sandwiccnsis with deformed inflor- 

 escence. 



