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

tigate how Tar the rumor was founded IN fact.
One of the Catholic priests, Mr.. John Fre-
chou, who had frequently visited that island
and has many converts, including the King,
among its inhabitants, agreed to go along
with us and lend his aid as interpreter or
otherwise. On Sunday morning we left Nu
kahiva, and about twelve o'clock came up
with the north side Of "Roua Poua." This
island is one fthe Marquesas group, about
seven leagues in circumference, and more
than two thousand feet high in the centre
On the highest point there stands a huge
pile Of basaltic cliffs resembling the ruins Of
some gigantic castle Of ancient times, and as
if more strongly to give it this appearance, a
number Of columns FIVE or six hundred feet
high are standing around and amid the ruins,
like so many old turrets or watchtowers-
One among these wonderful indexes of ma
ture is Of an oblong form, springing up per-
pendicularly as wall, to an immense height
and so cleft at top as to give IT the appear
ance Of an immense stack Of ofchimnies, point
ing out the scene Of some terrible devasta
ton. These central cliffs may be seen from
any side of the island, and must excite the
wonder Of all that see them. Some of our
party called them Needles, some Towers,
and some The ruins of 'Roua Poua."
The ship was '.laid to- q boat lowered
and manned and the crew armed, the first
Lieutenant (Mr. Moorl, the Priest and the
Pilot went in the boat and put off for the val
ley of "Hakahatoo," where the King resid
ed, to bring him on board. After some hours
the boat returned with the King, who is a
large sized man. fmorose counterance and
taciturn disposition; his face, feet and legs,
are tatooed all over and suppose lis body
is the same. His large head was covered
with coarse black hair of five or six inches
long, on top of which he wore pretty good
old Panama hat, he had on good superfine
black cloth coat mot very good fiji and Of
the most antiquitated French fashion. orna-
mented by military shoulder straps and pretty
good gold French epaulets, pair of white
pantaloons that scarcely descended to the
middle Of his leg, whtiSh cotton shirt a
red cotton sash and a fan completed his cos
tune; his name had been "Fikate" but on
his conversion to Christianity he was named
"Pious" From the central cliffs or ruins
before mentioned all the valleys of the island
diverge, they are quite numerous, generally
Independent, and separated by rocky hills
some Of them juttng unto the ocean in bold
promontories.
The boats after reporting to the ship sailed
around the NV point os the island about
three or four miles, and after visiting two or
three valleys on the west side. (dependen-
cics of the King returned TO the ship, hav
ing with them Kanaka resident, native Of
Oahu who had acted as interpreter for a
whaling captain about two months ago. and
th b,l hoo h.y
the Natives of one of the valleys, the chief
Of which was sick at the time; the kanaka
did not know the name Of the captain or ship
with whom he acted. but from the agreement
in time, it was supposed TO be Capt Fisher,
and the ship Lyon
The west side of the island is about seven
or eight miles long, and contains probably
as many independent valleys. From two OF
these valleys, Chiefs came on board volun-
tarly, although we were lying two or three
miles off, One of them named ''1irow
chief of the valley of ".4pafaka, a noble
looking man about six feet high, entirely
naked except the 'maro" or girdle, his head
was shaved except circle of about FIVE inch
es diameter on the crown, the hair of which
was collected in the centre and tightly tied
in two rolls he was tatooed in most fanci
full manner, and was graceful in his move
ments On looking at him | frequently
thought of what an acquisition he would be
to some Museum or Model Artist troupe in
the United States. He said his valley con-
tanned two hundred and fifty persons forty
warriors and as many muskets.
The Kanaka pointed out the valley in
which the difficulty had occurred, and the
Capt decided to send ashore, in the morning
and if possible bring on board the perpetra-
tors, or chiefs by persuasion or force. The
Priest said he had no converts in that valley
and he feared he could not induce them to
come on board, but he would try.
That night there. remained on board. the
KING. the two Chiefs Vivow and Nance, the
pilot and his three native boatmen. all con-
verts, and being the Sabbath. the Priest as
sembled this little flock on the poop of the
Falmouth. The blue sky was brilliantly
lighted with myriads of twinkling stars and
scarcely ripple disturbed the face of the
great deep. Silence reigned around when
this little group united their voices in PRAYER
And truly it was a glorious sigh. u behold
these savages PROSTATE upon their knees in
humble alteration of the true God, and send
IiiG up Snttt ICet'uscS bi iofC anu ~ disC W
the most high, with mouths and tongues that
had, perhaps. often yelled in horrid delight
over the suffering cries of tortured victims.
During the night we stood &c off and on y
and the morning found US about seven miles
from the island, and SO calm that we could
not approach nearer. boat was manned,
the crew armed: the first Lieutenant Mr..
Moor, the Marine officer Lieut. Delvin),
the Priest, the Pilot and the King went in the
boat After rowing TO the shore, landing
was effected with considerable danger and
difficulty amid surf and rocks.
The valley is about half a mile wide rising
gradually from the sea until it reaches the
ssCentral ruins" about mile and a half. 1t
is crowded with trees chiefly Bread fruit and
cocoa nut Of very large size; the only culi-
walton of the so,i, that was observed, was the
planting of some young cocoa nut trees and
bananas, a little tobacco and great quantities
II