SANDWICH ISLANDS. XSSSSJffil^tef " t» 



Uut tin- nutny cross bearings serve to make its rein- 

 live proportions correct. Perhaps the beat idea 

 that cau be given of the size of this cavity, is by the 

 timo requisite to make a descent into it, being one 

 hour, although the depth is only two thousand feet. 

 The distance from the middle to cither opening was 

 upwards of five miles; that to the eastward waH 

 filled with a line of hills ofscorin, some of them five 

 or six hundred feet high; under them was lying a 

 lava stream, that, to appearance, was nearly hori- 

 zontal, so gradual was iw fall. 



On their return to Lahaina, Dr. Pickering and 

 Mr. Brackenridge took the route through tin* 

 Wailuku Pass, as it ia called, which with its rocky 

 peaks shooting upwards several hundred feet di- 

 rectly above them, reminded them of the deep 

 gorges of Madeira, Some fine plants were col* 

 lected, and unexpectedly among the most conspi- 

 cuous was a woody lobelia, which gave its charac- 

 ter to the vegetation. The route did not prove so 

 much shorter as was anticipated, owing to the 

 obliquc/direction of the valley. 



It may now perhaps bo as well tn say a few 

 words respecting the o juration of foreign opinions 

 upon the natives, who are more prone to take know- 

 ledge and advice from the books that arc circulated 

 among them, than strangers are inclined to believe. 

 Their gambling propensities appear to have been 

 very difficult tt» overcome; yet, from the simple 

 sentence, " Do not gamble" having been printed in 

 the first books circulated among them, that expres- 

 aion has become almost proverhial, and many have 

 in consequence been restrained from indulging in 

 gaming to excess, while some have abandoned 

 the practice altogether. 



From the inquiries I made on the subject of 

 their vices, I am satisfied that these have been 

 much overrated by both residents and missionaries, 

 and I fully believe that these natives are as 

 susceptible, of correct impressions as any other 

 people. 



They appeared to me tn be wanting in that na- 

 tional pride which was found a predominant trait 

 in the groups we had previously visited. They 

 speak less of their country than other Polynesians; 

 but Mr. Richards and Dr. Judd both assured me 

 that they felt a certain degree of pride in their re- 

 speclive islands. As an instance of this, it was 

 stated to me that the government proposing to 

 make the island of Kahoolawe a place for convicts, 

 wished to induce the people of the bland to .put it; 

 but no persuasion could prevail on them to dn so; 

 and it is said that this feeling has existed to such 

 an extent there, that the young women have refused 

 to marry, unless under a pledge that they shall not 

 be required to remove. The pcoplo of Hawaii con- 

 sider themselves superior to those of the other 

 islands; next to them rank the natives of Maui and 

 Onliu, while Kauai is looked upon as the most infe- 

 rior. It waa likewise mentioned that some indivi- 

 duals liave come forward to ask to exchange plots 

 that had been assigned to them, for those on which 

 their lathers had resided, or where they were 

 born. 



I was much amused to hptir that when one of 

 the teachers of the seminary gave out to the class 

 as a theme, " Whether it waa right for parents to 

 give away their children I" all belonging to it took 

 the affirmative side ! It is not to be supposed that 

 their reasons were very strong, but it was said the 



principal one urged was the difficulty of travelling 

 with them, and procuring food; this practice having 

 prevailed from time immemorial, they no doubt 

 endeavoured to find reasons to justify it. 



In the opinion of a native, the most distant rela- 

 tionship or connexion, justifies him in calling on 

 and receiving entertainment. They not only con- 

 sider that they have a right to partake of the hospi- 

 tality, but speak of it as a great convenience; so 

 that in choosing a wife or husband, one who has 

 many relations is a more desirable match on this 

 account than one who haa few. This custom also 

 causes more intercourse between the islands than 

 would otherwise take place, and their small vessels 

 seldom pass from one to the other, without being 

 well filled with passengers. 



Among the visits I paid at Lahaina, waa one to 

 the regent Kekaulnohi, who receives visiters during 

 certain hours of the day. She lives in a grass-hut 

 near the water, and has several chiefs in attend- 

 ance on her : she appears to be a good-natured and 

 contented person, and has adopted some foreign 

 customs in her way of living. She is not spoken 

 of as being equal to her sister, Kaahumanu or 

 Kin an. 



It has been mentioned, that on our passage from 

 Hilo we had not found the shoal said to exist off 

 Kahoolawe. Ilecciving authentic information that 

 it really existed, I determined to send two boats, 

 under the command of Lieutenant Iiudd anil Passed- 

 Midshipinan May, to seek for and examine it. The 

 king, learning my intentions, volunteered to send 

 his yacht along with them. The yacht and boats 

 seL out on this expedition, on the 17th of March, 

 with a pilot who knew the ground. 



On the same day we took leave of our kind 

 friends, and at noon got under way and stood fur 

 Kahoolawe, to pick up the boats uuder Lieutenant 

 Hii.ld. I (wing to the light wind, we did not succeed 

 in reaching the point till late, where we found the 

 king's schooner and the two boats about to enter 

 upon the examination. We, therefore, lowered all 

 Hit boats and sent them to search for the shoal. It 

 was soon found, and proved to bo much nearer the 

 point of the island than was anticipated. It lies a 

 mile and a half off the point, and has one and a 

 half fathoms of water on it. We fixed bearings, 

 by noting which, it may bo avoided. Vessels may 

 pass within two miles of the point with safety; but 

 as it is difficult to estimate the distance, it will be 

 better to pass the point at three miles distance, as 

 nothing is lost by so doing. It is remarkable, that 

 this is the only shoal around the Hawaiian Islands 

 that is hidden from the navigator; and even this is 

 situated so near the land that it can scarcely be 

 deemed dangerous. 



At nine o'clock, we took up the boats and bore 

 away for Oahu. Passing to the southward of 

 Lanai, though at the distance of twenty miles, wo 

 felt the effects of its highlands upon the wiudts. 



Lanai is a dome-shaped island, and appears to 

 have been frequently rent, large fissures being ap- 

 parent on its sides. 1 1 is exclusively of volcanic 

 formation. 



After pacing Lanai, I luiuled up for Molokai, 

 intending, as the day was far advanced, to lie ante 

 the lee of that island for the night. Molokai is 

 about forty miles long and nine miles in width. 

 One-third of the island, towards the western end, is 

 a barren waste, not Bttsceptible of cultivation, ex- 

 t2 



