The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-07-30
SKETCHES OF

affords some of the most remarkable views there
to be found upon the island. fer passing the bat
tle-plan of Wahiawa fertile pct cf country, par
tally oyergrown with wild sugar-cane, the visitor
comes suddenly upon the brink Of this valley, which
on both sides present steep and precptous banks, of
many hundred to some THOUSAND feet in height, and
accessible only at few points. As they approach
the sea- the valley widens, and they decrease u
height, exhibiting perpendicular of rel col
umns of cavernous lava. fine stream runs through
the valley on either side of which situated the
little plantations, and numerous patches of kalo,
which afford to the inhabitants of this
quiet retreat Their principal hamlet is clustered
unGer the shade of the cocoanut trees at its mouth.
The natives of all the islands very generally to
prefer the hot and barren seaside to the cooler and
more verlant situations further up the valley This
is probably for the sake of the fisheries, and the sport
Of se.-bathing to which they passiOnately adj
dicted; and pretty sight it is, to see the youth of
both sexes their surf-bOarls, sporting freely
amid the heavy rollers, if they knew no other ele
ment. At one time pushing their boards before them
as they advance seward diving beneath each curling
waye until they have reached the outer extremity of
the Breakers then throwing themselves fiat upon their
support ike boy upon his snow-sled, they dart in
shore with the rapidity of lightning, upon the crest
Of the waves merrily shouting all the WHILE dasing
and sDllshng along, till within a few feet of the
rocks on which, your breath half held from fear,
YOU have been momentarily expecting them to strike,
to the risk of life or limb; but which, by dexterous
movement Of their limbs, they avoid, and pull
sea again. or throw themselves from their board,
which thrown up by the spent wave, almost at your
feet. Formerly, old and young engaged in this sport,
but now it is a rare sight.
Hanapepe Valley, like most of the others, extends
inland until reaches the of the island
As recedes from the seaside the mountains become
higher and precipitous, varying their form and
appearance at almost every turn, at times presenting
darkenei and nay Fow gorges, through which the
river rushes wiH great violence; then expanding
into wales Of moderate width, afordng sufficient
for few houses, with the cultivated plats about
them At the head of the valley the scenery sub
lime in the extreme The rush and flow of boiling
lava while dame Nature engaged in plng up the
mountains which form the background must have
been terrible Some appear to have been cast up at
one eonvulsive throw presenting bold and gigantic
fronts others be struggling for existence
among rivals which crowd and press them down. In
some places they push boldly out then, if wearied
by the effort, they rest At others, they
Whelmed by powerful torrent of lava,
have cast back its streams in burning 1!ll6ws, which
broke, and cooled into many singular shapes. They
are to be in all the fantastic forms which the
hery liquid assumes when turned from its by
intervening Obstacles; else dashed aside and scat
tered far and wide by the shocks of earthquakes.
The rocky sides Of the mountains show, by their r-
regular plng and distorted veins the several direc-
ions which the liquid lava took after it found vent
from its original bed. At some points, the noun
tlins appear to have been rent violently asunder
leaving sides Of uniform appearance. At Others the
lava in It's downward seems to have suddenly
cooled or either side of the stream while the interior
n'Eed on, until it discharged itself into the sea-
"nere 1t formed shoals, which overgrown
win coral Such is the fact with this valley, and
"aimea, Wailua, and others In all of these rich
7ol has formed, which is covered with a heavy
growth Of timber. and dense beds of moses and
| ferns.
As these passes Of the valley alter their course the
temperature of the air changes Some being exposed
l" powerful sun, hot, while others are chilly
anu damp, with strong breezes blowing through
them.
Native art has diverged the rivers channel in sew
'a places, for the purpose of catching fishes, by
N'hming IT. and leading the water over frame of |
""Aer-Work- As the fishes come down the stream
sS hii upon this frame, while the water passes |
"Oush the interstices, leaving them prisoners The
feet 'e" ''''"e' =" e'sn'een
Following this valley up for several miles, and
Ing number Of lofty cascades, a waterfall
s partly in view; but it is again lost to the sight
"''er turning sharp angle in the glen, it re-
eArs, and the visitor finds himself few rods from
'", upon a narrow ledge of rocks In that di-
~" Nature's fiat prOcaims Thus far shalt thou
- a'u no farther" A perpendicular wall, be-
'''ee and four hundred feet in height, and
""s 20 complete a circle, that no outlet. except
men the stream makes is seen; and it is only
owing up ITS bed, through dense thickets. that
~ elh De reached The circle is small. and
1uo'e partly project over the outlet so that
0,,a.~ ''Ae tunnel, and the sun can reach its
or, ' "nen vertical Nothing can be seen ex-
lee.v Il, -'',erng shrubs which border the top
,sts of u''e rapidly past, before the strong
.sd;.-, 'ese mountain regions The air here is ex
ana chilly, and the rocks vet and