The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-08-29

planted (sJ far space l. cOncernedJ in this dis
trict alone. But it requires capital and small
amount Of IaJieuc" u plant aud wait ten OF If
teen years Tor u return on the Investment.
The Ancient Place Of Refuge.
In company with our attentive host we rode
TO the ruins Of the ancient Pah0HUa or Place Of
Refuge at Hynaunau, four miles south Of kesila-
kekua Bay. There remain now only the ruins
Of u walled enclosure located in the midst Of 4
cJccanut grove, on a rocky point running out
into the sea. This enclosure consists of an ire
guar pardllelCgrIm, about 700 by 420 feet in
size. The walls on the south and east sides re-
main nearly perfect, and are perhaps, the best
specimen Of the rude masonic efforts of the an
cIent Hiwaians that are now in existence. The
east wall which j. the most perfect. Is about 700
feet long, fifteen feet broad. and varying from
twelve u fifteen feet high nearly straight, well
built, mostly with small stones, but in some
places large stones, probably weighing from one
To two thousand pounds, are used. We mc;l-
sured one, lying the site of one Of the hei0S,
thirteen feet long. two feet wide and three feet
deep. Another within the enclosure. called
- kaahumanu's stone Is of still larger dimen-
siOns. and probably weighs several tons. \ pOr-
ton Of this wall, about the middle, l. laid with
remarkable skill, the surface being nearly IL
smooth plistered wall. The stones do not
appear 10 have been hammer 70 give them the
smOOthneSs which they have. but st.H U,ay have
received their surface by having been rubbed to-
gethcr. At the north end Of the enclosure, is Il
raised foundation, where erected Heiau.
called the - House Of keIwc, where were de-
posted the remains Of the Kings Of Hawaii.
There in the enclosure two other heiaus or
temples used for slcriiical purposes. This place
Of refuge j. said To have been used for Il similar
purpose We're tine cities Of refuge among the
lsraelites. liither person could flee, who had
committed any Oirnse, ,uch - breaking tabu,
theft, murder, ,Sc.. and it he reached the cnc!O-
sure unhurt, and remained there ten DAYS, be-
came free Of the crime. In times Of war, it also
served place Oi safety Tor and chill
dTen- There - no way To correctly determine
when 1t built, bat tradition ascribcs its
tion To hediCe. one of the Kings of IawaiI, who
l. supposed To have ruled about three hundred
years ago. There j. of cOcOanut trees
growing along the inside Of the east wall. which
Were evidently planted after the structure
built. III the age OF these trees could be deter
mined, IL might serve u clue towards determin-
ing the age of this PahOHU0. For several years
after the first missionaries arrived, the customs
and rites OF this place Of refuge kept up,
and the idols stationed around its walls and heaus.
are said To have been as late a. lS2G. Pro-
baby the fact that IL was the burial place Of the
Kings and served place of refuge. gave it
the peculiar sacredne~s which 1t long possessed. .
and exempted it from the general overthrow Of
idOltry which preceded the arrival Of the first
religious teachers in 1870.