FOWKE] ARCHEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS 175 



MOLOKAI ISLAND 



Following the advice of those whose knowledge gave them author- 

 ity to speak decisively, the initial base of research was the island of 

 Molokai, which presents the best conditions for study. It lies off 

 the usual lines of travel, offers no inducement to tourists who wish 

 to have the benefit of good roads and comfortable hotels, and conse- 

 quently is seldom visited except by those who are called on business 

 or who go as the guests of the few residents there. 



Mr. George Cooke, one of the owners of a large cattle and sheep 

 ranch on the island, and greatly interested in its aboriginal history, 

 gave most generous aid in a reconnoissance of such parts as he had 

 time to visit. He placed his beautiful summer residence at the dis- 

 posal of Prof. Gregory and the writer, and conducted the explorers 

 to nearly all the places of interest which could be approached by 

 automobile. Mr. James Munro, manager of the ranch, also rendered 

 valuable assistance. Owing to his long residence here he has become 

 thoroughly familiar with every noteworthy feature, and pointed out 

 many remains which, without his guidance, would have been missed 

 altogether. Fully acquainted with the life of the Hawaiian people, 

 he made clear the origin and purpose of many things that, lacking 

 his intelligent explanation, would have been without significance. 



Although there are now comparatively few Hawaiians on Molokai, 

 it is evident that the island at one time supported a dense population. 

 Along the southern, or leeward, coast are numerous fish ponds formed 

 by building a stone wall across an inlet or, more frequently, by con- 

 structing it with the ends on shore and carrying it around a section 

 of the open sea. The walls are strong enough to resist the waves, well 

 above the level of high tide, and surround spaces of various areas up 

 to TO acres. These ponds were stocked with numerous kinds of fish 

 which, thus protected from their natural enemies, increased rapidly 

 and formed an unfailing food supply. The antiquity of these ponds 

 is denoted by the amount of silt partially filling them, brought down 

 from the mountains by erosion of the soil. They are still used to 

 some extent by Hawaiians as well as by other residents. 



Inland, low walls of stone or earth, or both, surround hundreds of 

 old taro patches, one variety of these plants requiring an abundant 

 supply of water during its growth. The poi made from taro was the 

 principal vegetable food of the inhabitants. Sweet potatoes were also 

 a leading article of diet. The fields in which they were grown may 

 still be identified here and there by the little ridges heaped up. All 

 these, with the addition of migratory birds and fowls which at cer- 

 tain seasons swarmed on the different islands, supplemented by 

 various nuts and fruits growing spontaneously, provided a varied 

 and ample food supply. Mammals, except the pig, dog, and rat 



