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Nihoa thus was wsll Known to the ancient Hawaiian* • andl ogond- 
ran that there were regular voyages made to it toy canoe from Kauai 
Milhau* On the triangular summit of Miller's Peaic, 900 feet above 
the sea, we found a rocky cairn, floored in part with coral, that seemed 
to have been made for a watch tower and perhaps for a light house to 
guide distant canoes to an inhospitable haven* The peax was visible 
in clear weather for a radius of over 40 miles* 
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legend runs that in ancient times a fisherman here-had a beautiful 
daughter who was desired by a Prince of Kauai, who oarae to claim her* 
On informing the father of his intention he was told to consult the girl 
in the matter* She ran up the steep cliff paths, the Prince in pursuit, 
until she came to the ragged border of the pali (cliff) high above. "If 
i 
you touch me, I shall jump eeeer" she soroamedi but the Prince, unable to 
control his ardor, stretched out his hand to seize her. Instantly she 
sprang to her destruction, while the Prince was turned to a leaning 
stone. The stone still stands on the brin* of the preoipioe where it 
may bo viewed by those who doubt tho story* 
Small grovos of a slender palm grow In some of tho gulchost while 
a sorubby woody-stemmed plant allied to our common lambs quarter clothed 
the slopes* In these were flodes of the saucy 2Iihoa /inch* (not a true 
finoh but a strong^billed member of the curious Hawaiian family Drepanidae) 
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and an occasional^ller-bird (new to science) * both species restricted 
in range to this barren rocic and found nowhere else in the world. Hordes 
of terns nested on the slopes» boobies and frigate-birds formed colonies 
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