The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-09-11
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER IL.
Around East Maui.
rnIroPIAL ooRnsspoNpENcE.

two hundred. in Hamakua and Koolau districts. 1t
was described by them as commencing with a fever,
followed by intense pain in the head, but especially
in the temples, accompanied with liberated or sore
throat. The patients were generally i'll from two to
three weeks. 1t is probable that many die there, of
whose death no report is received by the proper
officers. In the absence of any foreign physician to
look after the sick, they are generally taken in
charge by native doctors, who are unfit to treat any
disease, much less q new one like this which may be
O modification of the scarlet fever. The Board Of
Health might, if so disposed, easily arrange with the
resident physician of Maui, to take a supervision Of
the natives in his circuit and thus greatly aid the
sick and destitute with medicines and advice. But
as things are now managed, they are the dupes and
prey of worthless sorcerers, under whose senseless
lamentations the native population is fading away
like the morning dew.
MI. Ha-le-a-kaIa.
The first view of this noble mountain which the
foreigner obtains, as he approaches 1t from sea, Is
generally a magnificent one, especially when seen
early in the morning and free from haze and clouds.
Those living at Makawao. Haiku, or at the base Of
the West Maui mountain, have frequent clear views
Of Haleakala, but not so fine as from the sea. 1t
can be seen from fifty to one hundred miles, if the
atmosphere is clear. at which distance its summit
Q0,2l7 feet above the sea) towers far above the
clouds which hang aroung its sides and over its base,
iii nnt hIc Y HE WIZ S~
voyager, who rather expected to find the first land
skirting the horizon. The ease with which Haleakala
is assembled attracts to it more visitors probably than
the crater Of Kilauea. So gradual is the rise, and
so even the road, that q wagon and horses may be
driven two thirds Of the way to the top. As the
road approaches the summit, it becomes in places
more abrupt and stony. The woods stretch up the
sides of the mountain from about twenty-five humid
red feet above the sea to n height of say six thousand,
above which shrubs, coarse grass and mountain plants
only are found. Among these are the " silver sword"
which, when in blossom, is, from its rarity, much
priced. During July and August, strawberries and
oheloes, which grow abundantly among the koa
groves, may be gathered in abundance The dista nee
from Captain Hobron's house TO the summit of the
mountain is thirteen miles, and in good weather Is
easily Travelled in three or four hours.
Bad and Good Luck.
We have twice assembled this mountain, and on
these occasions have probably had all the experiences
OF other travellers. The first time, some years since,
we set out on as fine a morning as the most ardent
could have wished for, but before riding two miles
a cold rain set in, which accompanied the party till
we reached the summit, which was completely
enveloped with clouds and fogs, so dense that We
could not see more than twenty feet in either direc-
ton. The crater itself was filed with clouds and
fog, driven across it from east to west by the
storm, while the lightning played at random thou
sands of feet below US. After remaining two hours,
without accomplishing the object of our visit, we
returned to Makawao, disguised with Haleakala and
all its surroundings the unrelenting rain still chas-
ing and tormenting us till we left our horses, having
been exposed twelve long hours to an uncomfortable
storm, from which some of the party did not recover
for several days. Our second trip was more fortu-
nate, If n cheerful party, good roads, a mild breeze,
and a clear, bracing atmosphere contribute to make
A Pleasant View from the Summit.
1t was near noon when we reached the terminus of
our mountain road, and we found the summit and
perfectly clear, with only q belt of clouds
stretching around the sides of the mountain below
US, glistening in the sunlight, like banks of snow.
Though the sun was vertical, the air was so cool Us
TO require thick clothing for comfort, while the
atmosphere seemed clear as glass. What q splen-
did picture was before us On every side the
sea stretched upward till the horizon seemed
suspended midway beneath the zenith and the shores
IF the volcanic cone on whose summit we were, ten
feet above them. Eighty miles east of
rs lay the three giant mountains of Hawaii, with
heir unclouded tops, Mauna Loa's magnificent
lone stretching between Mauna Kea and Hualalai,
gem Of the Pacific. At the opposite point of the
but nearer by, lay West Maui, and to the
southwest were Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe. and
he little rocky islet of Molokini, while in the far !
Western horizon, as the sun went down, the outline l
f Oahu could be distinctly traced. All the islands
# the group, but Kauai and those beyond it, were
hus spread out in a grand panorama before US. So
lear was the atmosphere that n schooner could be
cen entering Kawaihae harbor and another sailing
long near Molokai. Travellers who have such a
Jew from this mountain get the best that is ever
btained, and it is one which is worth oil the effort
made. But fine as the picture is when seen during
he day, at night it is hardly less attractive. On
his occasion we were favored with n sunset and
unrise and about three O'Clock in the morning a
noonset. The sunrise in particular, was grand and
rising as it did from the elevated horizon,
vhich gives it so singular an appearance. The first
morning and last evening rays in the crater pit,
eaving the shadows and outlines of the rough sum-
nit on the opposite bank, form q peculiar and
triking sight, which probably gave the native name
{ Ha-le-a-ka-la, or House of the Sun, though none
{ the natives can explain the immediate origin of
Is being named so. During his recent vacation, Prot.
v. ID. Alexander spent seven or eight days on this
fountain, visiting it three times, and making q tho
ough and accurate
Survey Of the Crater,
he details of which he has kindly furnished for pub
lie assembled from the Kaupo side on the
forming of August T., and remained there till August
l, through the gap or rent made by the eruption,
nd trayersed every part of the crater bottom, return
~ to Makawao on the 11th, having spent six nights
the crater. He was furnished with a superior theod- n
lite, and made a careful trigonometrical survey of :
lie main points. A base line was measured one :
i'd a half miles long, over a level plain along the
side of the crater. The true meridian and l
ariation of the needle were obtained by careful night
of the polar star. q
The greatest length of the crater was found to be q
ven and a half (7A) miles, from East to West. The s
'eatest width three and a half (81) miles, and the '
point two and a quarter CD miles. Cir .
eighteen to twenty miles, and the general
rm oval. The area of the crater was found to be ..
sixteen and one third square miles-large =
ough to take in the City of New York from the a
artery to above Central Park. =
The highest peak of the mountain, Pakaoao, ION p
West side,) is 1927 feet above the sea, and the :
peak is 2,750 feet above the base level in the
tom of the crater. Water boiled at 1913 Q Fab
nheit on this summit, indicating an elevation of :
.165 feet above the sea. by Regnault's rule. The =
int where the road from Makavao reaches tho Al