K A U A I A N D O A H U. 89 



Large quantities of salt were seen, piled in heaps on the hills to allow 

 it to drain : this is the property of the king, and yields him a con- 

 siderable annual income. It is considered as the best for salting 

 provisions, and therefore commands a higher price than other salt 

 manufactured on the island ; it is also used as table-salt at Honolulu. 

 In the lake it is found crystallized, and crystals are readily formed on 

 branches of trees that have been put into the water. 



The deposit in the lake is mud of a blue-black colour, and ex- 

 ceedingly tenacious, almost as much so as an unctuous clay. 



Some small particles of salt were found on the hill-side, adjacent to 

 the lake, which might lead to the inference that the soil was im- 

 pregnated with salt; but the habit of the natives has been, from time 

 immemorial, to carry the salt to the tops of the hills to drain, which 

 will readily account for its appearance there. The opinion, however, 

 was entertained by some that it proceeded from the soil. The lake is 

 about one-third of a mile in diameter, and has the appearance of 

 having been the basin of a crater. If this should be the case, it must 

 necessarily be admitted that there are two others in juxtaposition 

 with it to the west, with partition walls between ; the latter are not as 

 distinct in their outline as the salt lake. All of them, however, 

 appeared to me very diiferent from the coast craters of the island. 

 Within a short distance inland from the salt lake, is a deep ravine or 

 valley, that shows the formation to be the compact limestone before 

 spoken of, with the stratification of pebbles, &c. All these appear- 

 ances united, give me the idea of the basin having been caused by an 

 action different from that by which craters are formed. 



The lake, after the discovery relative to its being but knee-deep, 

 was the subject of much discussion at Honolulu. It was visited on 

 several occasions afterwards, to ascertain if it had an ebb and flow, 

 and simultaneous observations were made at the shore and in the 

 lake ; but all the trials confirmed the first observations. 



On the east end of the island are numerous caves, which Messrs. 

 Drayton and Dana visited : they are situated in a bluff of three 

 hundred feet elevation, and the mouths of them are at about two- 

 thirds the height. Most of these caves are accessible by ascending 

 along the sides of the bluff obliquely. The natives formerly used them 

 for the burial of their dead, and at times they are still so appropriated. 

 One was walled up, and a strong pole was lying against the rock, which 

 the natives said had been used to bring the body to the place. In the 

 centre of the wall which closed the mouth of the tomb, was a piece of 



VOL. IV. 23 



