410 
VOYAGE OF THE POTOMAC. 
[August, 
by the king, when all put spurs to their steeds, and. away they 
went at a good hand-gallop through the town of Honoruru, 
Winding round the base of Fort Hill, just opposite the frigate, 
the party struck off into a beaten track, in the rear of the town, 
which Mr. Stewart calls the turnpike. Here they separated, and 
began scattering, each one choosing his companion; some riding 
fast, and others leisurely along. After crossing the plain back of 
the town, they entered into a somewhat cultivated region. Here 
a stream running from the mountains supplied the taro-patches 
with water ; and these formed a handsome scene, rising one 
above another in the different stages of advancement, from the 
light yellow to the dark green tops, forming a picture like the 
variegated beds of a rich garden plantation. On the land around, 
running vines, and many valuable vegetables, were growing ; and 
the country on all sides looked delightfully green. 
In this way our joyous party moved along; now jumping a 
small stream, or picking their way through the narrow path, and 
anon galloping over the grass, where the evenness of the ground 
would permit- They soon reached the battle-ground, as described 
by Mr. Stewart ; where, some forty years before, Tamehameha, 
the grandfather of the present king, overcame the last of his 
enemies. The scene was truly grand, beautiful, and, with all its 
historical associations, intensely sublime. For beauty, it is inimi- 
table ; the day was delightful ; and the Seabreeze fresh and 
pleasant. On one side, the lofty mountains, crowned to the very 
summit with the richest and most beautiful green ; here and there 
a group of horsemen ; the sea far in the distance, and a beauti- 
ful verdant plain on the other side ; while a short distance ahead 
a small waterfall leaped from the mountain's summit, in thin and 
graceful curves to the bottom of the valley. 
Such was the scene— such is the spot — where the great Sand- 
wich king fought his last and decisive battle — triumphing over the 
last of his implacable foes ! Stewart himself, with all his talent 
for description, could not do more than justice to such a scene ! 
Again our party started off; and now the path was often choked 
up by bushes and brushwood. Many parts of it had the day be- 
fore beeh cleared for the present occasion. 
At length we arrived at the spot consecrated to the festive rites 
©f the contemplated banquet. It was a handsome green, sur- 
