THROUGH HAWAII, 
103 
feet by 210. We could not learn the idol to which it 
was dedicated, but were informed it was built in the 
time of Keakealani, who, according to tradition, was 
queen of Hawaii about eleven generations back. The 
walls were solid, thick, and nearly entire; and the 
singular manner in which the stones were piled upon 
the top, like so many small spires, gave it an unusually 
interesting appearance. Before we left Karuaokalani 
the inhabitants pointed out to us a spot called Mauka- 
reoreo, the place of a celebrated giant of that name, 
who was one of the attendants of Umi, king of Hawaii, 
about twelve generations since, and who, they told us, 
was so tall that he could pluck the cocoa-nuts from 
the trees as he walked along; and when the king was 
playing in the surf, where it was five or six fathoms 
deep, would walk out to him without being wet above 
his loins; and when he was in a canoe, if he saw any 
fish lying among the coral at the same depth, would 
just put his hand down and take them. They also told 
us he was a great warrior, and that, to his prowess 
principally, Umi was indebted for many ofihis victories. 
The Hawaiians are fond of the marvellous, as well as 
many people who are better informed; and probably 
this passion, together with the distance of time since 
Maukareoreo existed, has led them to magnify one of 
Umi’s followers, of perhaps a little larger stature than 
his fellows, into a giant sixty feet high. 
Our road now lay through a pleasant part of the 
district, thickly inhabited, and ornamented occasionally 
with clumps of kou trees. Several spots were pointed 
out to us, where the remains of heiaus, belonging to 
the late king Tamehameha, were still visible. After 
travelling some time, we came to Kanekaheilani, a 
