Director's Annual Report. 21 
The only type of sled previously known to us, is that with 
long, slender runners. This Museum possesses one in complete 
condition and runners for two more. Our completed specimen, 
received from the former Government Museum, consists of a pair 
of slender runners 11.5 feet long, 2.3 inches deep and 1 wide, set 
on edge, and kept in place—1.5 inches apart in front and 3 in 
rear (2.5 and 4 to centres )—by cross braces lashed to the runners 
at intervals of about 11 inches. On the braces is placed a platform 
of wood, bambu and matting, 4 inches wide, covering the runners 
except three feetin front. The total height is 4.7 inches.* Another 
pair of runners in the Museum collection is two feet longer, but 
otherwise identical with those of the complete specimen. All the 
runners are made of a very hard, durable wood. The sliding was 
done on steep hillsides on a course made by clearing a track ten 
to twenty feet wide and covering this with dry grass. In some 
places the course was paved or built up with stone and covered in 
the same way. Remains of both kinds may still be found. The 
sport was exclusively for men of chiefly rank, who occasionally 
came to their death thereby. When sliding they lay full length 
on the sled and the skill required may be judged from its width. 
Women did not follow this sport, although they were very expert 
on the surfboard. I do not know if the all-pervading kapu system 
was the reason, but corpulence was a point of female beauty among 
the old Hawaiians, which would naturally make this sled unpopu- 
lar with the sex. I can find but one reference to a woman essay- 
ing the feat (Ellis, Tour Through Hawaii, London, 1827, p. 291), 
where Pele, the female Vulcan, appeared in human form and 
challenged a chief on Hawaiitoarace. ‘‘Pele, less acquainted 
with the art of balancing herself on the narrow sledge than her 
) 
rival, was beaten.... An expected result of such an unbecom- 
ing attempt on the part of a woman. 
*This sled was found in a burial cave in Puna, Hawaii, by the late Rufus 
Lyman and by him given to King Kalakaua, from whom it came to the Goy- 
ernment Museum. It is the most perfect specimen known. 
[6r] 
