Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1851-02-15

beautiful cascades or gently ncanderngI
along grassy slopes. kissing the flowers that
droop over the margin. The water, protect
ed by the outrageous foliage Of the bread
fruit tree was cool as a fountain, although
the mercury of Fahrenheit was up TO ninety
three in moderate exposure. On either
side the hills rose like a natural ampitheatre,
presenting a variety Of naked ,frowning rocks,
precipices and gentle slopes clothed with
stunted verdure and dotted with iron wood
trees and many hardy shrubs.
A few huts such as the natives erect with
| poles covered with cocoa nut or pandannus
leaves, stood here and there among the trees,
| by the side of the rivulet: each standing on
a platform of large stones four or FIVE feet
| high, made as smooth and close on the top
as the nature of the stones without filling or
cement would admit Of
! The huts were all deserted, and mt an
article left in them, to show that they had
but lately been tenanted +; the grunting of
! pigs and the song of the birds in the grove
were the only sounds that met the ear on
entering tie never-to-be-forgotten Valley Of
"Hakaorr"
| On looking around among the huts and
/ trees two of the natives were discovered who
said the inhabitants had fed on seeing the
ship the day before, and had taken all their
effects with them. On hearing this the priest,
! the king and one Of the natives, as guide,
started in pursuit of the fugitives to induce
their return
After the lapse of few hours the prizes,
and the king merged from a narrow path
among the trees. followed by nineteen males
and three females, with five pigs tied bv the
feet and carried on poles. as gift for the
+! ship, or a kind Of peace offering. Each fe-
male wore a loose cloth or cincture around
the Ioins, called ''pareu'' which descended
midway to the knee. One Of them about si1-
teen years of age was tall and good locking,
with limbs of exquisite form, wore in addition
: 10 the ''pareu" little blue cape that slight
ly covered her otherwise naked shoulders
and bosom, her graceful neck was encrcled
with wreaths of sweei-scented flowers, 4
wreath of similar flowers adorned her head
and it was surprising to see how much pretty,
pleasing, coy modesty this child of nature
displayed in her mingled attempts at con-
cealing and disclosing her charms. With
half averted face and one of her delicate
hands adjusting the scanty covering OF her
bosom, she advanced the other to the pale
strangers to ask or receive gift.
The men were all naked except the "maro' y
or girdle, which is but seldom dispensed with
by old or young. Some Of them wore orna-
menis of teeth shells, &C., around their
necks. All were tatooed in various forms
and with all manner of devices; their faces
are almost covered, their feet are ornament
ed very finely to resemble sandals, the ancle
ornament generally resembles a shell, the
arms and legs are commonly done in fine cir
cles, some linked as a chain and others con-
centric, their bodies are done in broad ,rc GU
lar lines or in large figures of sharks, birds
trees Sc, and on one the figure of handsaN
was observed. Many of their figures were
executed with much artistic skill and seemed
TO indicate some knowledge of perspective.
The party advanced with quick step t.
where Lieutenans Moor and Devlin wer,
sitting under tree. One of them, who
proved to be the principal chief, nance
" Faaka" 4 powerful athletic man with face
and cOuntenance that might belit 4 canulhal
spoke to his people, on which they gathered
round in ring, each one in a sitting ol
squating posture, all silent and Attentive
The Priest dressed in his common black cas-
our business To which Vitaka replied that
it was true about two months ago a Captain
OF Il whale ship came there to procure pig
: and potatoes and agreed for the pigs at GER
tain number of fathoms of cloth, but on get
ting pig in the boat refused to give III,
cloth agreed for; that he was lying sick a
the time and was not present-that three u
his people did. in recovering the pig, strike
the Capt. and his interpreter, but did not d,
them great injury, as he was told The
Capt. took 10 his boat, leaving behind hin
his palm leaf hat, one oar and piece ofrop";
that on his recovery the three natives en-
gagged in the outrage were expelled from tII'
valley and took with them the oar; The piece
of rope and hat were produced and given up
After many objections on the pat Of the
natives number of them, including two
chiefs, were brought on board the ship
: leaving the pigs behind, which Lieut.. Moo'
: would not accept nor take on board
The Captain made new examination g
the subject with the aid of the Oahu Inter
prefer, which convinced him of the correct
ness of the statement made by Vnaka as be
! fore related. In Justice to the Capt. of the
whale ship, it may be proper to say that tbs
difficulty may have been caused by mis-
understanding or misinterpretation in fixing
: the price.
The Captain made a speech to the assem-
bled King, Chiefs and natives, through the
Priest as interpreter, showing them the enor
nifty of committing any outrage on the trade
or commerce of the white people of any ma
ton, and of America in particular, he show
ed them the certainty of punishment tha
would follow any crime they committed, an,
finally that in the case of any aggression be-
y ing committed the perpetrators mnst at once
be given up, and they would be hanged b,
the necks ''as high as cocoa nuts" They
appeared fully impressed with proper sense
of their weak condition and danger and
promised most faithfully to be peaceable and
friendly hereafter. After concluding this
talk, number of shot and shells were hred,
10 Give them an idea of 90 Yankee thunder