The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-10-22
Cruise Of tbt Mlornina Star to the Nlar-
qarsas.-Nu. 9.
ALMOST

Incidents sometimes pile themselves up on one
another. So did they seem TO do toward the end of
our long passage There was a water-spout, and
there, too, was that unknown land which doomed out
of the distance, and which had SO nigh covered the
Morning Sta with the glory of a new discovery. 1t
was too bad, but she stood back on her course again,
and the dim outline of those high rocky shores at
last faded entirely. Slowly does our little boat pro-
gress, the wind ahead, the waves abreast and the
current rolling westward-all fight savagely together
to keep US back.-So dark and gloomy is the prospect,
that the captain talks seriously of running for Tahiti,
there filling up his water casks, taking in, perhaps,
some ballast, and then sailing down to the ~variables,
thereby make his westing and stand for the Marque-
Bas. A little progress towards the east, in spite of ali
these obstacles, gives hope, and the course is not
changed.
SATURDAY, May 3O.-Is the chronometer corrects
The captain says he's getting nervous ; his reckoning
tells him that the time has come when land should
~rightfully be seen. By the chronometer and reckon
ing, we soon shall pass directly over the spot where
the land should be. In less than ten minutes after,
the cry of i. Land Ho 20 starts smiles from every one.
All crowd to the taffrail to catch the first glimpse of
land. The vessel takes it rough and tumble. Right
ahead is a rock, black, bleak and drear, looming dim
in the mourning drapery of sombre clouds. As we
sail on we have a nearer and fairer view Of Hivaoa or
Masse Island, which, with Fetouhouhou or Channel
Island, form the most northern of the Marquesan
group. Dreary in theaextreme, and black, its bold
sea-washed pals stand out still grirnmer than its
rounded summit, inhabited only by birds, and shad-
owed by clouds and dimness of eveningHserehJ nd
by the loud notes of sea-birds-encircled by shoals
of unnumbered fish, and swashed by the short chop
ola split-up channel sea. We babe it good night joy
fully, for we were Sc almost there''-yet not almost
there, though only one short day of sea lay be-
tween us and our port. Sabbath evening closes on
us and finds US still beating against wind and cur
rent.
MONDAY, June 1.-The wind hauled last night.
We are now all right. That island ahead is the
largest in the group, Nuukahiva, as the atlas and
chart call it, but Jyfuuhi "a, as Tho people themselves
name it. From it, the group derives its name, and
had the a~borigines possessed the power of giving their
own name to themselves, this cluster of islands would
never have been called other than .Nuuhipan. Our
course leads us within three miles of the eastern end,
and we have a panoramic view, seeing it merge
from the dimness of distance and clouds to the light
OF SUNRISE, and then cloud in distance again. I'll
was scared and furrowed with ridges. gulches, pals
and canons, like the sides of volcanic Hawaii /; and
its far distant ravines were as void of beauty as the
recent fields of a late lava flow. For hours there was
Ao PA~eS "a AoeS, SAocPt th0 NAuSeSs 6lO the eye sought
in vain for the traces of green woods. However. az
morning dawned, and VIZ drew nearer. there vere
some few spots that indicated verdure, and at last
there opened a valley, which looked as if it might be
inhabited. 1t was comparatively extensive, and had
appearance of being densely covered With green
shrubbery yet. after casing and imagining for some
scores of minutes, the mates conclusion seemed cor-
rect, that cit looked as if it might be a very easy
place to stdrre in" Remember, these are first i'm
Not'a soul on board the Morning star
had ever seen q Marquesan valley. or shook hands
with cannibals, and besides this the valley was 10
in by LOFTY barriers of perpendicular rock.
that it seemed an impossibility to: and an eercss ex-
by sea- There was one long. steep. wedge
shaped ridge, dividing the valley, which Was frineed
with plnnacles and stalagmitts /; these ASSUMED : sill
YER lining, and presented . pleasant contrast to the
lark rock around. The upper ridge Of the mountain
was crowned with q few scntiascl trees. resembling
palm or cocoanuts, and standing 60 firmly and
proudly in thar exposed position that they seemed %
the winds. There WAS also I rock which
protected from one Of the eastern ppinfs 81 lie iulsnd.
Vhish reminded one Of 5 frog' noss. EBtill s.ilinr on
iet on either hand Ushonga and Uapo. ana 8
svenipS bad = distant viex Of cloudzoeppsd Hivsoe
49, -~HG