THROUGH HAWAII. 
345 
400 and 500 feet, and beheld a beautiful country before 
us. Over this we travelled about five miles in a 
w. n. w. direction towards the foot of Mouna-Kea, 
and after passing three deep ravines, reached Humuula 
shortly before sun-set. This retired little village is 
situated on the edge of a wood, extending along the 
base of Mouna-Kea. We directed our steps to the prin¬ 
cipal house in the village, and invited the people of the 
neighbourhood to meet us there. They soon collected, 
and listened with apparent interest to a short discouise. 
Many continued with us till a late hour in conversation, 
which to them is usually a source of no small gratifica¬ 
tion. We have several times during our tour been kept 
awake by the natives in the houses where w r e lodged, 
who have continued talking and singing till near day¬ 
break. Circumstances the most trivial sometimes fur¬ 
nish conversation for hours. Their songs also afford 
much amusement, and it is no unusual thing for the 
family to entertain their guests with these, or for stran¬ 
gers to gratify their host by reciting those of their own 
island or neighbourhood. More than once, when we 
have entered a house, some of the inmates have shortly 
afterwards commenced a song, accompanied occa 
sionally by a little drum, or the beating of the raau 
liura , musical stick; and the natives, who formerly 
visited Hawaii from the Society Islands, excited no 
small degree of interest by reciting the songs of their 
country. It is probable that many of the fabulous tales 
and songs so popular among them, have originated in 
the gratification they find in thus spending their time. 
This kind of amusement is common to most of the 
South Sea Islands. The Sandwich Islanders equal the 
Marquesians, the most lively natives of the Pacific, in 
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