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

extent, from Makapuu to Koko Head; second
from Koko Head to Diamond Head, ten or twelve
miles; and third from Diamond Head to Moana-
, lua ridge, including the city of Honolulu, some
3 eight to ten miles. Had Punch-Bowl Hill ex-
! tended farther seaward, it would have made
, another division.
From Moanalua ridge to Barber's point or
Waianae mountains, is the Eva district. The
most remarkable feature of this is the called
I" Pearl River large and irregular shaped
lagoon, somewhat freshened at its inland extrem-
tiles by the streams that into it, but tconnect-
ing with the sea by number of navigable pas
sages. 1t is incorrectly represented on the maps,
being in fact much cut up by points and islands.
Its main channels and open spaces are, however,
with the exception of the bar at the mouth, deep
enough for any vessel Jarvis is wrong in calling
the adjacent land dry and barren compared with
Honolulu. The immense flats between it and the
sea and those that stretch off beyond it for seven
or eight miles to Barber's point, with a width of
five or six miles, are, it is true, barren enough,
being great stretches of ss clinkers, {" broken
masses of all sizes, with solid rock beneath of
feldspathic lava, with here and there deep pit
or sudden creyice. Bushes and scattered tufts of
grass keep fat The cattle that range there and oc
casionally serve to conceal the mouth of pit
from unwary cattle or horses. Along the inland
shore of Pearl River is strip of very fertile land
varying in breadth, some of which is now culti-
waited with taro and bananas, but large proper
tion is lying idle. Then the land rises gently into
the elevated plain which extends between the two
mountain ranges mentioned previously towards
Waialua, descending somewhat more steeply into
the lowlands of Waialua at a distance of two or
three miles from the sea- This plain is inter-
rupted by several deep gulches-something like
the California cahons, which yawn in the trav-
eler's face with scarce any warning. Their
courses are very irregular-one runs from the
MAIN range of mountains zgzag across the plain
towards the Waialua mountains, until at about
the elbow or angle, when it turns and follows
along their base TO the sea at Waialua The
slope of the mountains on the right from Moana-
lua to Waialua presents much land in its valleys
and on its small elevated plains which, were the
island fully peopled, would undoubtedly well re-
pay cultivation. In some of the valleys large
quantities of excellent oranges are already raised
Most of the plain, say nine miles by twelve, is
grazing land. The heads of the valleys and the
ridge of the main range are heavily timbered with
kukui, ohia and some koa, and occupied now
chickens, too, are numerous-estrays from domes-
ticated stock. The Waialua fiat, some two or
three miles by about FIVE, is very fertile, and. the
climate to many more agreeable than Koola1 or
Honolulu. From Waialua to Kahuku the sur
face is hilly, and merely good pasture. Kahuku
is quite level plain, some five or six miles by
two, extending from Waimea to Kahuku point.
1t is but slightly elevated above the sea, and con-
sists of soil-covered coral in position, evidently
little disturbed by its upheaval. AT many of the
frequent holes and crevices in it may be seen
streams of fine clear and cool fresh water, making
their subterranean way three or four feet below
the surface from the mountains to their outlets in
the sea below low water mark.
The Waianae district, protected by its noun
tain range from the trades and exposed fully to
the afternoon sun, is for the most part very warm
though strong gust from the trade wind will
sometimes break over with violence. But small
portion of Waianae is arabic land, by far the
major part being devoted to grazing purposes, for
which it is admirably adapted, producing proba-
bly, the best beef onsthe island for the table.
The main range of the Oahu mountains has
break or passage through it at the Nuuanu val
ley, often described the celebrated &c pail of
Nuuanu,'' and is passable for footmen at the
heads of several of the valleys. The Waianae
mountains have but one path over them. that near
the elbow at Lihue-other access or exit to or
from the district is only by water or round the
Eva or Kaena ends of the range. The last is
difficult and at times dangerous path.
Each of the above districts of Oahu has, even
at the same elevation above the sea, it's peculiar
climate, perceptible to an ordinary observer. The
difference is due to different degrees of moisture
and of exposure to or shelter from the trade
winds Those winds are also modified very much !
by the extent of land over which they have blown
after leaving the sea, and by the character of that
land, as covered with verdure or bare rock and
earth made scorching hot by the rays of the sun.
Oahu is more properly and naturally grazing
than an agricultural island, though the quantity
of arabic land scattered at intervals its
face is amply sufficient to support large popula-
ton.
Generally called the oldest of the group, is one
of the pleasantest It is separated from Oahu by |
a channel about 80 miles wide. The difference
of latitude between Kauai and the southern part
of Hawaii is enough to make perceptible differ
ence in climate. The shape of the island also,
allowing one (as at Lihue and Wailua) frequently
to take in a wide stretch of landscape without
having his view bounded by the sea-allowing |
him to feel as if he was in SO great country''-l
makes the scenery, which is very beautiful in it
self, much admired by those whose insulated vision
has perhaps for years ranged only over the mar
row strip of land between she Honolulu hills and
harbor. The eye, which for a long time has
found every view bounded by the ocean, (as is ne
cessarily the case on most of the islands) making
the observer aware of his insulated, almost inn
prisoned life, finds great relief in view which
allows it to strain itself to see further into land
stretching beyond its bounds, without finally rest
ing on the white spray of the breakers Conse-
quently, the beauties of Kauai,-Hanalei valley,
Hanapene waterfall Koloa spouting-rock, (there