The Hawaiian gazette., 1870-05-04

be compared in some respects to the valley o.
Waimanu, the glory of Hawaii Only slowly
could we descend the zigzag path Of this lofty
precipice. The scattered native houses in the
valley below looked like ant hills from above
At the entrance of the valley, we noticed the re-
mains of big Heiau. On top Of the massive
walls of this ancient heather temple, number Of
among them. The whole population Of the val
ley does not exceed forty persons. Beautiful
white KAPPA is manufactured in almost every
house. We found the natives to be fine look
ing people, kind and intelligent.
On our ascent to the top of Mauna Kea, we
visited the little lake, called Waiau, situated at
an elevation of circa 1900 feet, in depression
formed between the numerous snow covered
peaks of the mountain. The lake was covered
over with crust of ice, two to three inches
thick, but not strong enough to skate upon To
find ice in the tropics strikes the traveller with
surprise, and here we feel inclined to play with
it like children
| About mile below that frozen lake, we found
a large cave, where the Hawaiians in olden times
manufactured their stone implements for cutting
down trees and excavating canoes. On our sec
ond visit to these mountain regions, we discov-
cred number Of caves, all formerly used for sim
liar purposes. These caves were undoubtedly in
habited in former days. In every one we found
fireplace near the entrance, showing that the
hands of men had completed what nature had left
unfinished. Where the natural entrance to a
cave was too large, we found rocks piled up like
wall and the fssures and openings between
them filed up with chips and small stones. In
other caves again where the entrance had proved
too steep or too rough to be comfortable. there,
fat stones had been placed like steps, down
which we descended into these little mountain
habitations. This part Of the mountan-where
these caves and the quarries from which the ma
terial for the adze manufacture was procured are
situated-is destitute of vegetation. On exami-
ming the interior of the caves, we found pieces of
KAPPA of various texture and color, bones of dogs
and pigs, cocoanut-shells banana stems, pieces of
awa-roOt, and sugar cane, old mats, frewood and
heaps of Opihi Shells Outside of the caves, the
ready made stone adzes were put up in large
heaps on both sides of the entrance
The most striking thing of this whole stone
adze mandatory, and which at the same time
gives US somewhat of an idea of the extent to
which it was carried on, the number of ages
during which it was continued and the amount
of people working constantly at it.-are the large
mounds of little chips, thin and sharply pointed,
in front of every cave, twenty tosthirty feet in
height and thickness. In fact, these wonderful
mounds visible for some distance, led to the dis
covery of the other caves.
1t is only short time since the " stone age "
OF these islands closedand the first iron tools and
metal instruments were imported by foreigners.
Until then the Hawa!ians worked like the abort
gines of other parts of the world, and like our
own Indo-German fore fathers, with stone imple-
ments. Flint arow-heads and spear-heads, stone
knives and war-clubs are found in Europe and
America, sometimes buried deep in the ground,
with human bones and those of extinct animals.
The more peaceful Hawaiians had only stone
adzes
The climate round Mauna Kea and on the high
lands of Hawaii is most magnificent. Never too
hot and never too cold, it is exceedingly pleasant
and invigorating, the fresh mountain air acting as
a tonic on our system. The nights are cool and
the mornings glorious. The tempera-
ture of air and water, makes us forget entirely that
we live in the tropics We consider the Waimea
plains, Kaleiaha and some other isolated settle
ments round Mauna K ca, as the most healthy To- |
calities on Hawaii. There we live in the tropics
without being molested with one inconvenience
Of tropical life. ...
1t is pity that Hawaii is so little known, and |
not more visited by foreigners. Many a man
tired and worn out by the attendance on business
and the atiguiDg life in cities could improve his
health more by visit to these islands, and tour
On Hawaii, than by long stay at fashionable
watering place, and large hotels. The PoIynesian
world, perfectly new to the foreigner, has so many
pleasant features, that with restoration of health
people would regain that elasticity of mind mad
'prit which becomes more or less lost in the mo-
iotony Of business and Of city life"