294 



HYDROGRAPHY. 



proach too near to Maui. When far enough in to open out all the 

 high land of Molokai, steer for Lahaina ; having the Palace and Fort 

 in sight, head directly for either of them. The best anchorage is with- 

 in a mile of the shore, in 17 fathoms water, the Palace bearing south 

 76° east ; High School, north 43° east, and Point Halawa on Molokai 

 just shut in. The anchorage is not of great extent, but a vesel during 

 the fine season, from April till December, is perfectly safe. In 

 the months of January, February, and March, the southwest winds 

 prevail, when it is dangerous for vessels to ride out a gale there. 

 Of these gales, timely warning is given by the long swell from 

 the southwest ; then a vessel should prepare to leave, and by no 

 means attempt to remain at the anchorage. The north side of Maui 

 offers a good lee during these gales, and it is advisable that vessels 

 should take advantage of it when driven from the roadstead. This 

 is the mode adopted by the ill-found native craft, who continue under 

 the lee until the return of fine weather permits them to resume the 

 anchorage. The duration of these gales is some three days, but they 

 seldom happen more than once or twice during a season, and years 

 pass when none are experienced. Lahaina is the only place for 

 vessels to anchor at on the shores of Maui, an island having a sea- 

 coast of 100 miles, the greater part of which is an iron-bound shore, 

 along which a heavy surf breaks over sunken and outlying coral reefs. 



Intending to visit Lahaina Roads, and approaching from the north, 

 care should be taken to be sure of the correct bearings of the west 

 end of Maui ; it lies in latitude 21° 03' north, and longitude 156° 39' 

 west. The appearance of the west end, in coming from the northward, 

 is a high, black, and knotty bluff, gradually rising to the eastward in 

 mountainous land. Molokai, the next island to the west, has the 

 appearance of a high, narrow, and level headland, stretching to the 

 southwest, and of a much less altitude than West Maui : from this de- 

 scription it would appear almost impossible that the one could be 

 mistaken for the other ; but having felt a doubt myself, I can easily 

 understand that it may occur. After the trade has been blowing for 

 some hours, towards the afternoon, the whole highland is obscured by 

 a thick haze, which envelopes both islands, quite impenetrable to the 

 sight, with or without the aid of telescopes, and gives the low isthmus 

 the appearance of the strait between Maui and Molokai. By taking 

 the bearing carefully, it will at once lead to a correction of the error, 

 the apparent passage being nearly south, while the true one leads 



