HA WAIIAN O UIDE BOOK. 67 



AN ANCIENT WATER COURSE. 



The interest connected with this water course, lies in 

 the obstacles encountered and surmounted by a savage 

 race, destitute of iron implements and engineering tools. 

 The water lay in a ravine, 200 feet and more below the 

 land level and the problem was to take the whole 

 stream from the head of the ravine where it fell and 

 carry it on to the land below. This was done by build- 

 ing an embankment from the bed of the ravine to the 

 desired height and constructing a water course thereon. 

 After the embankment terminates the channel is hewn 

 in the sides of solid rock for more than half a mile, and 

 that with stone axes and sticks of hard wood. Take it 

 all in all, this is the most remarkable of the relics of 

 ancient Hawaiian skill and labor to be found in the 

 whole group. 



THE VALLEY OF WAIPIO. 



The steamer, having left the anchorage of Mahukona 

 and entered the channel, encounters the full strength of 

 the trade winds and the head sea therewith connected. 

 For hours the struggle of steam against wind continues ; 

 the ancient^temple is left in the distance ; lole, the birth 

 place of Kamehameha I., and Polulu, the valley of 

 stones, are left behind, but slopes covered with verdure, 

 mountains clad in trees and decorated with clouds are 

 in close company, and will so continue until the anchor 

 finds smooth holding ground in Hilo Bay. 



After passing Kohala point, the shore becomes bold, 

 terminating in perpendicular bluffs, varying from a few 

 hundred to two thousand feet in hight, and broken by 

 frequent gulches or valleys. As the steamer plows her 



