The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-06-10

I" nlien ioT lAe E@S-c LolnmcreiaI AdVe-isI1
a Ride Through Puma and Discovery OF
the Ancient Ruins of KuklIA


The party consisted of three, Conway, Eldhardt
and the writer. We were up at halt-past four,
breakfasted and were off at five. On well shod
horses to pass over the lava fields, we dashed out OF
Hilo and over the Waiakea bridge, the best structure
of the kind on the islands. The morning was cool.
and over the sea, where the dying land breeze met
the fresh breath of the ocean, a rain cloud WAS sus-
pended but as the young sea-born breeze became
more vigorous, it was borne landward and distilled
over US a refreshing shower. Waiakea, with Its
bright waters and gentle sloping uplands, clothed in
rich yerdure and waving orchards, appeared a gem
of the tropics, and as l paused on the bridge and
cast my eyes around by Hilo towards Ouomea and
beheld the beautiful plain, sloping from the grand
mountain domes, down to the finest bay In the ISL
auds, the reflection was forced upon me that nature
had formed and fashioned it for the site OF a great
city, and fancy pictured it in the far future as the
centre of commerce not only of these ocean isles,
but Of the wide Pacific.
The point running out from Waiakea, was formed
by a comparatively recent lava flow, and the great
plain extending through Puma to Kau, was formed
by q succession of flows from Mauna Loa and subor-
dInate craters, of different ages. Our road lay over
these flows in a direct line, marked with great dis
tinctness by a low wall of ga on either side.
The ages Of the'lava flows are clearly marked by
the growth of vegetation. The first vegetable form
that makes its appearance. after the fiery flood Of
lava Is cooled, is the gray moss, cllnglng TO the pa
hoehoe and volcanic rocks, performing the process OF
decomposition, aud preparing it for the next growth,
which is the fern. The fern performs its work In
the preparatory process for the luhala or pandanus,
the growth that succeeds it. After the puhala the
ohia springs up, and when it attains any size, the
soil is apparently adopted to all the other forest
growth OF Hawaii and the parasitical feie winds
around every stem of the forest, clothing 1t with rich
trop cal drapery.
We passed through four different lava flows from
Waiakea to the ohia forest, which exhibits a growth
of the Oldest form. Here we were gladdened with
the melodious song of numerous birds and a rich
perfume foated from the verdure of the forest. We
uar ovhiga,safad and n i marry aS the birds fhOnOh
we sang u different song. The ieie wound round the
tall columns Of the forest trees to their topmost
branches, and with graceful palm like foliage ap-
peared like ~triumphal wreaths around marble pillars.
The forest growth was impenetrable and a perfect
jungle, but the underground was mostly of that
species whose bark produces a fibre finer aud tougher
than hemp, of which the Hawaiians form their fish
nets. | regard it as lar more valuable than the
rGmte plant 1t is indigenous to the soil and grows
without cultivation. Passing the ohia forest we came
upon a more recent lava flow, covered with puhala
and an occasional young ohia. 1t was a level VOL
canic plain, far enough decomposed to produce toler-
able grass. This continued to the point where the
road first strikes the sea beach at d deep indentation
in the coast, on the ahupuaa of Keaau. Here are
several native houses, a school-house and a fine body
of delicious and cool water, which forms an extern
sive basin and flows with u rapid current to the sea,
In sufficient volume to turn a mill. l thought 1T one
OF the finest sites in the islands for a wooden manu-
factory, and the country around and far up the TANKS
OF Mauna Loa is 9arnirably adapted for sheep rails
ing. From Keaau we went a short distance over a
rough road along the abrupt sea wall of lava to Ke-
auhou, where is another cold spring of water, gush-
ing up from the rocks, but unfortunately only avail
able at low tide. From the appearance Of the great
water shed of Mauna Loa and the constant showers
that are distilled upon it and from what is indicated
by these springs, and others that break out along
the beach, [ entertain the opinion that Artesian wells
can be procured on the great plain Of Puma, when
ever desired water was abundant all along the road
iii the cavities of the lava, and the vegetation was
thrifty and luxuriant in growth.
Striking out from KeauhOu along the lava bound
coast, over the lauhala plain, we came to Makuu, a
native settlement. This was formerly IL
Government land, and was divided off into small
farms and sold to the present proprietors. Every
thing appeared cheerful and thrifty, and is a strong
argument in favor OF the theory, that to make the
native people land-holders, will elevate them and in
crease their prosperity. There are several remark
able hills at Makuu, between the road and the sea
beach, destitute of volcanic rock. The soil is rich
and productive, and is planted In taro and other
vegetables. These hills were evidently formed in
past ages, like the recent sand-hills at Nanawale,
which lie further ON. From this point we were in
the land of the cocoanut palm. 1t evidently has
found here a c%ongeuial soil, grows vigorously and
produces well. All this vast plain, in a few years,
could be made a source of great wealth by planting
cocoanuts. The oil is always in demand and the
price rarely f~uctuates. All they require is planting,
the soil and climate do the rest, and after they once
bearing, they are self-planting, as I wit
messed in a variety OF instances III Puma, where a
young grove had sprung around the parent tree.
The outlay of a few hundred dollars on land now
comparatively worthless, would produce in u few
years, say seven, a princely income. Probably the
importation of cocoanuts to plant from Tahiti would
be recommended, but they are in great abundance
now in Puma and adapted to the soil and climate.
We passed a solitary halepili in a little dark
colored and bleak indentation Of the coast called
Honolulu. This is at the foot of the lava flow of
1910, which engulfed Nanawale. The road over this
flow is excellent, and the lava is already sufficiently
to produce ferns. The rocks are covered
with a thick coating of gray moss, and the young
ferns are shooting up wherever they can find n foot
ing. This river of lava which flowed out of the side
OF Mauna Loa below Kilauea, was about a mile wide.
L was shown a spot to the right of the road, where
old people were living at the time the fiery tor
rent poured down toward the sea. Escape was i'm
but strange as it may seem, the current
parted and formed an island around their frail hut.
which was left untouched by the sweeping food.
About the centre of the flow is a deep winding
ravIne, whichs seems marked out for the future course
Of a river, when the elements in the long wearing
OF ages to come, shall have decomposed,
formed and adapted this mass of volcanic
into hfe-produciug and moisture-holding soil.
two hills of Nanawale to the left are the remark
lble feature in this desert of desolation. As the
iery current poured over the cliff into the ocean.
he seething and boiling waves repealed back the
lighter material and formed these hills of at least
700 feet elevation. They appear not as volcanic,
'ut as sand-hills. Tufts of grass are now beginning
U grow uEOn them, ana after q few ages of decOm-
POSITION, they will present the appearance of the
10 the vicinity of Makuu. The flow at Mana
vale forms a black ridge elevated about % feet above
be level of the plain.
immediately after passing this. we came to indica-
ions Of a large population in former times. Com
act and well built stone walls, foundations of
ouses, cocoauut groves, breadfruit trees and other
vidences Of an active and industrious people. met
IS on every hand. But we found no habitatlons till
re came to Halepuaa. Here everything looked pros
erous, and we might have anticipated that the set
ement was similar to that of Makuu. 1t had been
Government land, divided and sold to small native
All appeared thrifty and seemed to
Ike some pride in their homesteads-another arpu-
leDt In favor of my theory. Here is a neat church {
nd school-house. The vegetation is luxuriant. the '
Ill similar to that of Kona, the coffee fourishes and .
oreadfrult trees appeared among the finest groves .
cocoanut palms on the islands. We passed on a :
lie to another church where Portuguese John has a !
and there is quite a cluster of houses. We 7
zen went over the lands of Puua and Kula and l
me on to kapoho, where, on a beautiful eminence Il
sing from the green plain. at the foot of a circular
nge OF ancient hills, we came to the hospitable
sidence of Captain Eldhardt. The scenery hero