The Hawaiian gazette., 1873-09-10


kamapuaa, demigod Of the place, was in
form half pig, half man. He stole chickens and
eggs from the poor natives Of Koolau who in
despair called the great goddess of the volcanoes
Pele, TO their aid. Pee planted natives upon
each overhanging ridge as sentries, while the rest
formed Gordon at the mouth Of the valley. One
man up there saw Kamapuna sleeping down be-
low, upon a rock which still bears the reputed
mark Of his brawny shoulders, and shouted out
TO the others, there be isl" Whereupon the
sleeper awoke saw the man on the ridge, turned
him into stone, and fed higher up the stream,
the company Of men under Peles guidance fol-
lowing him. Approaching the impossible water
tall, Kamapuaa, with canoe on back, put his
shoulders against one side and his knees against
the other, and wormed his way up out of the
gorge. From these mountains he jumped over
to Diamond Head, and 10 revenge threw water
into the crater until it was extinguisbed. Pele
then pursued him to Maui, where they were re-
conciled but the man who shouted there he
isl" remains to this day.
There he was, certainly, lonely pointed rock,
still sentinel over the valley and, as the sun
set, his outline became indistinct and then in
visible in the black night
That night heavy shower OF rain occurred
and after breakfast next day we with our friends
the two natives followed the bed of the stream
towards the cascade. The valley became chasm,
60 narrow that hundreds of feet above it might
easily be bridged by stone-throw, at least so it
seemed and the stream was margined with trees
and coppice at intervals small pieces of earth,
dislodged BY moisture, fell from above through
the still air; and such was the silence and gloom
Of the place that we readily understood the su-
perstitious regard for old tradition which led our
companions 10 deposit on the rocks each kalo
leaf or sprig Of a tree, with pebble to prevent
its being blown away, as a recognition of some
mysterious influence in the valley. We waded
on for q mile through the stream, passed the sin
gular semi-cylndrical water-shoot, several hun
dred feet in height, where Kanapuaa ebowed
himself up, and finally stood on the edge of
deep pool, into which the cascade fell from con-
siderable height. Here the general dived, to the
alarm Of Keoni, who probably expected never TO
see him re-emerge; but be came up spluttering
and almost blue with cold, whereupon Keoni
shook off his dread and bathed also. And here
was found delicate pellucd little plant in search
Of which the finder had ranged half England.
But time flies. We re-gained the tents, pack
ed them, aud in the afternoon left this romantic
valley for Kahana And now occurred perilous
period in the life of our sdjutant, who led the
tent horse and was responsible for the Countess
parasol. After some little uncertainty as to the
safest path among many riceswamps, long strip
of grass alluringy offered itself for acceptance,
leading on to an open turf. The officer in ques-
tion happened to be heading the column when
thus beguIled; TO gain the grass ditch had to
be jumped and, as the tent horse was averse to
rashness of this kind, the Countess kindly led the
way. Man and horse followed, but only to find
themselves slipping down, FIRST on one side, then
on the other, into the swamp, the horse up to axe
and iln-cans, the adjutant up to his eyes pretty
nearly; and this unhappy couple foundered 50
about that the Countess for her own
safety had to make dash through two feet Of
water and mud on to terra .trptd." Packs
u05isc,uz roared out the general. from the other
side prohting by the misadventure to find safer
route, and Miss Fleur-delys cruelly-aughed at US
But we hastened through the beach-village OF
Puualuu, receiving offers of hospitality from
friendly Chinese merchant who here enjoyed rest 4
from city turmoil. and were shortly encamped in |
the wide dale Of Kahana. How different it was |
from anything we had yet seen From its head, |
among the highest mountains Of Oahu, to the /
sea- a goodly river meandered among marshes /
: e II IL H..
surrounding it were completely "cothed" iu /
woodland The only comparison that anyone OF
Our party could make was to the effect that ka-
hama was a Hawaiian vale Of Clwyd or Of Con-
way. Here was our resting place during the fol'
owIug day, Sunday and rest was the spirit
Of the valley, whether at early morning by the
river side, or at MONDAY under spreading trees,
Or as twilight faded into starlight by the sea-
waves.
Once a noble northeast rain storm came sweep
ing into the valley, obscuring everything as 1t
moved mistiy along, but rapidly succeeded BY
perfect May" of sunshine.
In Kahana we were ihoughtfully supplied with
every necessary in the way Of fresh provisions
by Chinese resident who appeared TO be lord
of the manor" bereabouts, and very open-hand-
ed lord be was.
But we must leave even Kahana, and as we
skirt the headand of gigantic cliff which bounds
he bay on its southern side, column OF smoke
begins to ascend from some lGllGld trees high
up above, increasing in volume until it must at
tract observation for many miles along the coast.
What's that fire y we ask of some natives who
ire hastily dragging out their 6shing-nets and re-
pairing broken meshes. 4" II is the ia" they say
some sigualman of the fishing villages from the
has seen far out to sea the glitter
ng shoal which brings provision and employment
% a hundred hardy canoe-men. SO. rounding the
point, we see canoes being launched in all direc-
ions. But still we press on. past the lordly cliffs
,f Makawa and the castle-like rocks Of kaawa
Until we turn to the right into Kualoa bay at last
o behold the noble line Of pals, solid walls OF
tone, which the loftiest mountains OF Oahu have
or centuries opposed to the .rade-wind OF the
North Pacific.
A pleasant greeting awaited US at kualoa,
where the adjutant's watch was at length detect
d in long course Of misdeeds; it had been run
ling twenty six hours to the day ian unlucky re-
ult Of some jump or tumble up northl until We
ad risen at day-dawu to iud it eight o'clock, and
0 wonder There also the most delicious lemon
de vas prepared by friendly hands from newly
altered lines and we-refreshed we pushed on
ast the little churches Of Waikane and Waia-
ole. Presbyterian and Roman Catholic, typical
\ their brotherhood of the hoped for union of a
good time coming.'1 through rice fields and
yer the sea-beach once more, into the sugar
lantation Of Kaalaea.
Hero our notes end. Tents were again tabu
L !