ROUTE TO MOON A HUARARAI. 103 
tant from the sea, which we thought it improper 
to pass unnoticed. We proposed, after visiting 
the volcano, either to descend to the shore, and 
travel along the coast through the division of 
Puna , or across the interior to the division of 
Hiro , as circumstances might then render most 
expedient. From Waiakea in Hiro, we agreed to 
proceed along the eastern shore, till an oppor¬ 
tunity should offer for part of our number to cross 
over the mountains of Kohala, while the rest 
should travel along the shore, round the north 
point of the island, and meet their companions at 
Towaihae, whence they could return direct to 
Oahu, if a means of conveyance should present 
itself, or to Kairua, and there wait for a vessel. 
The plan of our tour being thus arranged, we 
were anxious to receive the aid of the governor 
in its execution. 
I afterwards accompanied Mr. Thurston to the 
well, where we found the natives boring the hard 
rocks of lava, which they intended to blast. We 
encouraged them in their laborious work, and 
then visited the ruins of an old military fortifi¬ 
cation, formerly belonging to the makaainana , 
(common people, as distinguished from the aris¬ 
tocracy, or reigning chiefs.) In those periods of 
their history, during which the island of Hawaii 
was divided into a number of independent go¬ 
vernments under different chiefs, which was the 
case prior to the reign of Taraiopu, who was 
king at the time of its discovery by Captain 
Cook; this had been a place of considerable 
importance. All that at present remains is part 
of the wall, about eighteen or twenty feet high, 
and fourteen feet thick at the bottom, built of 
lava, and apparently entire. In the upper part of 
