The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-01-16


i regularity in IS outline is occasioned by
three wide Spreading arches forming the
summit OF the anne number of mountains
Mouna-kea or the east, Mouna-roa on the
south, and Abuna- Huararai on the west.
The height ofHouna-kea has been estimat-
ed at $1,000 fet-that of the Mouna-roa at
l6,O0O and the of Huararai at 10000 feet
above the leve of the ocean.
The easten peninsula of Maui fofms
one unbrokennass, rising 10000 feet high:
but the weston end is divided into separate
mountains; an, though not so lofty as the
eastern promatory, is thus in its outline
much more rmantic and beautiful. We
haye particularly admired three lofty peaks,
near this extpmity of the Island, which,
the natives olboaEd say, are Immediately
behind Laba1a, one Of the most fertile
and beautiful districts in the group, and the
proposed siteof new Missionary station.
Tahurawe is q stretch of uninteresting
and barren rock Vat an elevation of few
hundred feet only,above the sea. Ranai is
'ilve or SIX thousand feet high, and so regu-
lar In It's contour, Tat it might be describ-
ed by segment of circle. While Moro
kol, Immediately moth of it, like the west
end of Maui, is broke into lofty peaks, and
spurs OF mountain, jtting boldly into the
sea, and lmparting I'd the Island an appear
ance of great wildnes and sublimity.
At anchor off The Harbour of Honor,ua.,
Monday, .4prlt %. At IL o'clock on Sat
urday night, by the light of full moon, we
made the south eat end of Oahu, five miles
distant Nothing can surpass the wild
beauty OF the pEmontories forming the
headlands of this part of the Island and |
was detalnedon deck, by the hour, gazing
at them with delight, as the ship lay off and
on, waiting tie approach of day.
At sunrlsewe were close under Diamond
HtA, PRINCIPAL point on the south side of
the island. It is the crater of an extin-
gulshed Volctno,-the bare shell of de-
eapltated mdntain-whose bowels have
been exhausted by fire. 1t is of "a circular
form, many niles in circumference and
rises almost perpendicularly, hundreds of
feet, Its siles, every where, look like
scared walls sand are futed and furrowed
from top to bottom by the washings of wa
ter courses as by artificial workmanship.
They are also lsurmounted in many places,
by kind of moulding of equally singular
formation; and, again, by blocks and piles
o. Jagged lava having, in their elevation,
/ the appearanceof the parapets and battle
ments of dlapidatcd castle. A more
unique object can scarce be imagined.
Immediately on rounding this point, the
whole of the south side of Oahu burst on
the eye, in beautiful panoramic view; pre-
senting first the Bay of w attiti, encircled by
heavy gTo7es of the cocoa-nut and other
luxuriant rees then, an extensive and
| perfectly level plain, stretchingtwo or three
miles along the shore, and mile or two in
land, at which distance u variety of hills
/ began to SKIRT It's side, rising first in gentle
undulatioB, and then, more abruptly, till
they ran of in lofty and pointed ridges, to
range o mountains dividing the island
in the direction of the coast, and crowniup
its centre With two or three elevated peaks.
Some of hese hills, near the plain, were
covered oily with smooth green sward,
cleaning in the brightness of the morning,
with ali tie softness and richness Of velvet /:
others were sprinkled here and there with
single tres and clumps of various colored
foliage, fiom the darkest of green, to that
which seemed almost white; and all, as
/ they roseto the mountains, became clothed
with ri(h woodland growth.
At the farther end of the plain, three or
four miles distant, lay the town of Honoru-
I rp; to witch fort, with its floating ban
n&r, the American Consulate, the Mission
House, aid cluster of masts in the harbor,
gave something of an aspect of civilization.
Directly in rear of the town, at the foot of
the mountain, another old crater was dis
tinguished, planted with battery of guns.
! from which also the flag of the nation was
waving. Beyond Honoruru, to the west.
lay a wide extent of open country, appar-
emily under good cultivation; and termin-
ated, at distance of 10 or Is miles, by a
noble chain Of mountains, the middle of
which is marked by fine stretch of table
land.
! At s o'clock, we cast anchor in the open
roads, within mile of the shore and town :
and had moments opportunity for more
minute observation. There was much of
naturag beauty before US. All was in a
glow OF brightness; but there was want
Of life and elasticity that forced itself, at
once, on the notice; a stillness-not the
stiffness OF the Sabbath, though it was the
day OF God-but, the stiffness of a torrid
cline, whose enervating and depressing
temperature was plainly to be seen in the
strong vibrations of a heated air. While |
gazet on the thickly crowded huts. of the
notwithstanding SO many sunburnt ricks
of hat,-and saw with glass their naked
inhabitants, lounging about in listless mac
tivity ! felt that had reached a strange
land IA land, far different from that, in
which were the habitations of my fathers,
and where, till now, had been my home.
At9 o'clock, MIR. Bishop, Mr.. Richards,
and myself, with the natives, William KAN
ahoula and Richard Karaioula, accempa-
MED the captain on shore. We rowed half
a mile along the coral reef by which the
coast is here bound, and Oh which the surf
breaks some hundred rods from the beach
before coming to the narrow opening, form
ing the channel into the harbor. The en-
trance is short; and we were soon in the
midst of ten or fffeen shins nrincinnll,.