PALMER'S DIARY. 



(Di.) 15 



The greater portion of Lanai is barren, and the island in general suffers from the long 

 droughts which frequently prevail ; the ravines and glens, notwithstanding, are filled with 

 thickets of trees. According to Palmer the trees are nowhere very lofty, and the forest 

 seems to be dying out. The cause is attributed to the great number of goats and cattle that 

 eat up the undergrowth. There are, however, gulches and ridges, where the undergrowth 

 is thick enough to prevent climbing without constant use of a cane-knife, and there is 

 especially a kind of climbing staghorn fern, as Palmer calls it, that forms a great obstacle; 

 besides, the loose soil and stones are very troublesome, chiefly when going down hill. 

 Lanai, too, is volcanic ; the soil is hollow and by no means fertile. 



From a little peak near Lanaihale a beautiful view was obtained. The whole of Lanai 

 could be viewed : conspicuous right below to the south the deep Palawai Valley, with here 

 and there a cottage standing and an abundance of green. To the S.E. lies the island of 

 Kahoolawe, and beyond it the two giants Manna Kea and Mauna Loa, just showing their 

 heads above the clouds. East of these stands Kaleakala in bold relief, and little farther to the 

 north Mt. Eke. Between N.E. and N.W. in a long line lies Molokai, her mountain peak 

 hi dden by clouds and fog. 



On the same day (November 15th, 1892) Palmer shot the first specimen of the very rare 

 Lanai Akialoa (Hemignathm lemaiemis, Rothsch.). 



Bird-life is very scarce, according to Palmer, and he thinks the native birds are dying 

 out fast, partly on account of the supposed disappearance of the forest, partly from the great 

 number of introduced cats. Unfortunately some introduced birds, as the Carpodacus and 

 the Rice-birds, were found in numbers, certainly not to the advantage of the native birds. 



Palmer was very much assisted during his stay on Lanai by Mr. Hayselden and 

 Mr. Henry Gibson, to whom he is much indebted, also Messrs. Macfarlane and Grennel. 



On December 8th, a few minutes before midnight, Palmer landed on Molokai, at a place 

 called Pukoo. 



Molokai or Morotoi lies 7 miles north of Lanai. It is a long, irregular island, apparently 

 formed by a chain of volcanic mountains, 35 miles in length, E. by N. and W. by S., and 

 only 2 \ to 9 miles broad. The mountains are nearly equal in elevation to Mount Eke on 

 Maui, and are broken by numerous deep ravines and watercourses, the sides of which are 

 frequently clothed with verdure, and ornamented with shrubs and trees. There is but little 

 level land on Molokai, but several spots are rather fertile. 



One third of the island to the west is a barren waste. The remainder, to the east, is 

 almost one entire mountain, rising gradually from the south to the height of 2500 feet, 

 while to the north it is almost perpendicular. 



The people are mostly very poor and comparatively ill-provided with necessaries. 



Palmer speaks of his first impressions as follows : — 



" My first glances of and experience on Molokai did not very favourably impress me. 

 As far as I can see, there appears to be a narrow strip of land, running all along this side 

 of the island, only a few feet above the level of the sea, and then at once the mountain rises 

 abruptly at places almost perpendicular, cut up with innumerable and very deep ravines and 

 razor-back ridges." 



Here at first the name " Kakawaheia" for the Oreomyza Jlammea was heard and 

 generally known. From below no forest can be seen. Lantana, like near Kona on Hawaii, 



