94 



PHYSICAL HISTORY OF MAN. 



portion of this island. Although its general elevation is only about 

 four thousand feet, " all attempts at cultivating the soil, had hitherto 

 failed : but snow sometimes falls, and natives have perished here from 

 the inclemency of the vi^eather ; or in other instances, have been killed 

 by bands of dogs," that have run wild in this uninhabited region. 



On the 3d of November, we again reached Oahu; landing near the 

 western extremity of the island. In some of the secluded dells of 

 Mauna Kaala, the ' kava' (Piper methysticum) was found to be still 

 cultivated. The drying of fish was practised on the coast; an occu- 

 pation rarely seen in Polynesia. A green Conferva was collected in 

 the tide-pools, as an article of food ; and on the reefs, sea-weed (Fuci) ; 

 but not indiscriminately, as one species was stated to be " actually 

 poisonous." In considering the limited resources and future destiny 

 of these islands, it may be questioned, whether another race of men 

 would be willing to take advantao^e of such means of subsistence. 

 Even the national dish of poi, finds at present but little favour with 

 foreign residents. 



The use of the diving-dress, for some repairs to the vessels, excited 

 the utmost curiosity among the native population ; which indeed 

 might have been anticipated, from their peculiar habits of life. Some 

 of their former feats of diving in the natural way, are still recollected ; 

 such as " pushing an anvil overboard, and afterwards rolling it on the 

 bottom of the sea to the shore." The proposal to employ in the 

 squadron a number of natives, occasioned an overwhelming crowd of 

 applicants. Those selected for the Vincennes, did not give entire 

 satisfaction during their short trial ; but one element in the failure 

 may be mentioned, an evident jealousy on the part of the remainder 

 of the crew. 



On the 9th of December, the Vincennes arrived at Hilo, on Hawaii. 

 The view from the anchorage is magnificent. The eye is deceived by 

 the vastness of the prospect and the evenness of the gradual slopes ; 

 and probably most persons would pass the island without suspecting 

 its extraordinary elevation. Often indeed, while travelling in the In- 

 terior, it was difficult to realize that the country was mountainous. 



I visited the crater of Kilauea, where I first witnessed volcanic 

 action ; and I now perceived the inadequacy of coal-beds, or indeed of 

 fuel, to produce the result. Some insight is here permitted into the 

 interior of our planet. Nature's great laboratory ; and rock, the con- 

 stituent of the earth's surface, familiar to all from infancy, is pro- 

 duced before the eyes, by the cooling of a fluid mass. Indeed, the 



