The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1858-02-25

Bird Island, sus Of 1883
average temperature in low southern ant
I'm locations, is 75o; in northern and east
72o. The lofty mountains are cool, and al
summits cold. A summary of meteorologi
observations, made by the missionaries al
olulu. from August, 1921, to July, 1922
the mean temperature to be 75o; n E.
Winds three-fourths of the year; rain on
days; highest heat observed In the shade
lowest 59'- During the months of Janu-
and February, the thermometer sometimes
Alls to $50 and 54e during the night
This island consists essentially of the three
mountains of Mauna Kea, Q3,953 feet high }
Mauna Loa, Q3,76O feet high,) and Hualalai
(about IL 900 feet high,) Of the elevated plain
between these mountains, and of the more or
oless gentle slopes from their bases to the sea- On
the windward side, owing to ssznhundant rains,
vegetation is luxuriant. Here is situated the fine
harbor (the only one on this side) and pleasant
village of Hic, in the vicinity of which are three
sugar plantations, managed by Chinese, and at
present doing well. Coffee attains to large
growth, and bears well on this side of the island,
but the quality is not considered equal to that
raised on the leeward side. From Hilo, round to
land near the sea is composed of precipitous bluffs
broken frequently by enormous gulches, or raw
ines, through which the mountain streams from
the side of Mauna Kea, debouch into the ocean
Though bleak from It's constant exposure to the
strong trades, this portion of Hawaii is rich in
agricultural resources, and as grazing section is
unsurpassed. The " Kona - or leeward side of
the island, which is formed by the s. W. slope
Of Mount Hualalai, presents to the eye, on pass
|: ing along the shore, a very desolate appearance,
'-ahd in fact, from Kawaihae to Kealakekua, and
thence quite round to Kau, on the s. w., vary
ing in width from a half to two miles from the
beach, there seems to be little else than black
lava rock, the debris of extinct volcanic action.
But from Kailua to Kealakekua, at an elevation
Of from 500 to 1000 feet. the soil among the de-
composing lava seems of inexhaustlble richness
There are not far from loo, 900 acres of arabic
land in this district of which about one-fifth, or
10000 acres, are suitable for the cultivation of
eof.e. Its present product, however, does not
much exceed LOG, 900 pounds of coffee per annum
in the most favorable seasons. The finest oranges
on he islands are grown here, and it is pretty
generally conceded that this is the best fruit dis
triei on the islands Good judges have pro-
Islands, and oranges. pineapples, grapes, man
goes, and a variety of other fruits, are said to
attain to perfection rarely found in other Ha-
waian localities. The common castor-oil plant
is frequently seen here with trunk FIVE or six
inches in diamete5e and branching out like
tree, the lowest branches several feet from the
ground.
The southwestern side of the island, which
forms the district of Kau, % miles in length, is,
in most parts, like the Kona side, composed of
barren rocks from the sea for several miles inland
to where the arabic land commences, and spreads
out into a broad plain, gradually ascending to
the mountains, admirably fitted for pasturage.
Latterly the cultivation of wheat has been intro
duced in the more elevated portions of Kau, and
has been found to succeed well.
The active volcano of Kilansar and the inter-
mittent one of Mauna Loa. are wenlk known. The
crater of Hualalai has been quiet since about the
beginning Of this century. 1t has been rarely
visited, though said to be well worth seeing.
The crater is described being large and irregu-
ar from cones and chasms, but having near the
center bIack-mouthed pit of no great diameter,
but Of immense depth, its sides smooth glass
Our informant "a respectable foreigner) says
that he threw large rock into it, and, if he
noted the seconds correctly, the depth reached
before it struck anything must have been consid-
srably over one thousand feet, while the stone
was heard still falling at much greater depth.
On the sides of Mamma Kea, at an elevation of
from 5000 to ii 900 feet, roam large herds of
Wild cattle, composed of the descendants of
number turned loose on the mountain in the
times Of Kamehameha L., recruited largely, no
doubt. by runaways from the tame herds of Wal
mea- This last is level plain, about 20 miles
wide, between the Kohala mountains on the N.
E., and the highlands of Mauna Kea on the s. W.
Ii was formerly covered with a forest of kukui
and ohia trees, but the rapid increase of cattle
there within the last thirty years. has resulted in
the utter destruction Of the forest, and a conse-
quent change of climate. Old residents speak of
the climate of Waimea as having been moist and
salubrious, whereas at present it is dry, but lit
tie rain falling the year round, and exposed to
the full force of the cold trade-wind, which, at
that elevation, about 1000 feet, quite chilling.
MAUI.
This island, the next in size and position to
Hawaii, being separated from the latter by a
channel about 80 miles wide, consists of two
mountain masses. separated by an isthmus some
SIX miles in width from sea to sea, and from six
70 ten miles in length Eastern Mani is much
higher than Western, consisting chiefly of Halea-
kala, (House of the SUM- 0.2O0 feet high, and
is immense slopes. 1t also includes much the
most arabic land, and here are situated two fine
sugar plantations, the East Maui Plantation, un-
der the direction of A. H. Spencer, and the
Brewer Plantations L. L. Torbert, manager.
vthers are projected, or in progress of planting.
East Mani ponnenen eome of the 6neut sugar lands