The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-15
TEE PEARL RIVER TERRITORY.
Description of the Riparian Territory
which the Sandwich Islands King
May Cedc to the United States.

Description of the Riparian Territory
which the Sandwich Islands King
May Cede to the United States.
HONOLULU, May 3, 1878.
The much-talked about Pearl River and Its ter
rltory. that it is proposed should be cedcd to the
United States in exchange for reciprocity treaty,
has been surveyed by two parties, the party
from the United States steamer Caliior-
MIA having surveyed the harbor and the govern
ment surveying party the coast line. The follow
ing account from a gentleman connected with the
Coast Survey will interest your readers. The
account was furnished to the Advertiser OF Homo
lulu thus
A square OF five miles either way would include
the whole loch but with the tnnumerable indenta-
tons IN the coast ne 81 sne anG rH i1o
was much too high an estimate Tor the amount oil
shore. Everywhere around the edges are ancient
fish ponds, most of them made by waing Off little
bays or bghts by heavy stone walls, giving fine
example Of the industry of the Hawaans of old,
who carried the stones Tor these causeways their
shoulders, building for their chiefs miles miles
of solid pier The fish ponds are, we may say, the
life OF the natives OF Honolulu the source OF supply
OF the noisy fish market OF Saturday afternoon that
Is so enthusiastically Hawaiian. West Loch, as
the westerly division may be termed, is broad and
spacious at Its head tHonouliuli), and deep ana
winding in its entrance, which mas a good width.
The shores are particularly abrupt. Under the
banks swarm myriads of marine living creatures,
huge anedR, eight and ten feet long; mullet
playing here and there, occasional sharks, turtle
and flying fish being seen. The long, narrow
peninsula of Waipio separates this from the Middle
Loeb. In many of the hooks in all the lochs are
large banks OF oyster shells, one variety being
bright mother-Oi-pearl 1t Is a fact that pearls
were formerly often found In one variety OF oyster,
but have now totally disappeared
At the head OF Middle Loeb Is Eva or Waiawa
village. The explorer can, If he feel so disposed,
draw his light boat over the miniature bar OF
Waiawa River, and then float delicousy up for
nearly half mile between nearly approaching
banks dropping with wealth of tropical foliage,
hau mango, laubala, coCoanut, all either resonant
with noisy miners ian introduced bird, or rusting
with the sharp quick flight of turtle doves, who
seem to have abandoned Honolulu for this delight
full retreat. East Loeb again, is divided from Mid
die Loeb by broad peninsula, quite fertile and
well watered. All along the head of this loch are
settled valleys. In the centre is an island OF some
three hundred acres, covered with layer Of rich
alluvium (how came IL there y, the banks being
coral ten or twenty feet in height. The vegetation
on this island shows what the mainland was before
cattle traversed its length and breadth, South
east LOch is u branch OF East Loeb, weird and
strange in its solitude, pushing its branches into
the embouchures OF the ravines that descend from
the outside OF Salt Lake crater each with its fish
pond rapidly filling up with mud.
We have thrown together a few characteristic
features OF the much talked of locality; such in TACT
We understand that the survey now going on Is
part OF the Typographical survey OF the islands,
and Is founded on the trianguaton for the main
work. or course it will Oe some time in compile
ton; any way in attaining stage OF progress fit
for publication, modelled as it is after the United
States Coast Survey. The above sketch therefore
NAV be OF interest to the general reader.