Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1885-08-01
rI. Tssss OF SUss.

I
motley ihtong thi, crowded her deck, sbove
and below seemed 10 anticipate a trip full of
pleasure and incident. With decks and cabin
so crowded with passengers, the trip to Nawili-
oil ~osid not be pleasant one, though ths
ses was smooth and the wind light Her
servants and large retinue Of women, dressed
in plaid holokus, and straw hats trimmed with
white muslin with blue figures, constituted =
very important feature Of the expedition.
At N,wiliwili, the steamer arrived in time to
allow the passengers TO go ashore for breakfast,
and here Governor Kanoa had prepared
grand feast for the princess and her party.
During the day the lwalani coasted round
the Eastern aud Southern shore OF Kauai.
touching fot short time only at Koloa, Ele
ele and the Makawele landings, arriving a,
waimea before dark
Here everyone went on shore, leaving on
board only enough to look after the vessel
During the evening and night great feast was
in progress and entertainments and refresh.
ments Of various kinds were provided.
At a quarter past three on Wednesday the
passengers from Honolulu and about hun.
dred more from Kauai were all aboard and the
Iwaani steered away toward the west in search
Of Shoa. The main deck, the cabin and even
the hurricane deck were now paved with human
beings, numbering over three hundred, and it
required the skill Of gymnast to pass from
| ID Il -
As soon as it was light ON Thursday the
form OF Nihoa was seen before us, distant nearly
twenty miles, and the course OF the vessel was
changed slightly SO as to bring the island a
little to the left. As we approached, the sea
birds became more numerous, circling round
the masts, and seeming TO have much cprio-
sity in regard to our vessel and probably about
the object Of the expedition. The artists Of
the party, Mr.. Williams and Mr.. DeveIell,
began preparing their instruments for the pur.
pose OF taking views Of the island, and the
amateurs got out their pocket books and com.
menced taking pencil sketches Of this grea,
rock which rose almost perpendicuarly from
the sea. As the steamer passed to the north
l
Of it, magnificent view was had of the rocky
cliff, filled with innumeIablc holes and little
caves, homes Of thousands of sea birds. The
; first point passed was about eight hundred feet
high. The highest point, some egh, hundred
and forty feet high was 10 the north and west
and when the steamer rounded it and we had a
view OF both angles OF the island, the sigh,
was indeed grand. and one to be remembered
by every one on board. Every one Of the
three hundred souls on board had forgotten
and every eye and ear was intent to take in tht
grand scene before us. The air was fllet
with the notes of the various birds which coult
be seen circling through the air by tens o
thousands as far as the eye could reach. Tn,
sight reminded one Of mosquitoes lowering
round a lamp on quiet summer evening bu
on a much grander scale.
, The birds seemed to have much admiration
for the Royal Hawaiian standard that flew a
the mast head, and came by hundreds nea
enough to touch it, looking frs, on one sid,
and then on the other. The coming of thi
steamer loaded with strange human being
into this quiet and almost unknown region
must have been great surprise to these birds
. most OF whom had probably never seen any
- thing Of the kind before.
The steamer came to anchor of the south
eastern coast Of the island which was in III
4, form OF an irregular bay. The shore was yer!
Il all hufn liz. 4, nd A. t.(,
and as we gazed at the breaking waves al
:, along the shore, no place could be seen wher
). /, seemed possible to make landing. Tn
;, captain, along with the artists, the surveyors
il. the scientist, and several tourists. started il
A the first boat for the shore and after severs
attempts succeeded in effecting landing on
.. very rocky shore at the foot of little bluff
Within an hour or two after the first boa
n landed the whole of the passengers were on tn
A island, and it is wonder that some seriou
accident did not happen.
There is hardly square yard upon tn
slope from the shore to the top Of tn
precipice on the northern side that ha
). not bird nest, and in several place
4
=. birds or nest with eggs in it. The largest
the Frigate bird. Its wings, when full grown
will stretch about STA feet. 1t builds it
r nest upon the top of the low shrubs tha
= cover the slope Of the island. Another bird
OF the BOBBY tribe, somewhat smaller, build
. its nest in the same way; and the young bird,
pure white, each one on separate nest, max
a most ludicrous appearance. These bird
{. show fight when any one comes near them
!. squwaking and opening their bills in the mo,
excited manner at il they would demolish tn
:, intruder, but never trying to escape. Beside
these large birds there is the beautiful Ula,
' uopic bird, pure white, with red bill, blac
, eyes and two long, slender red tail feathers
much prired by the natives. These feather
= were worn by all the excursionists and be
came The badge Of the expedition. There al
;" about ten varieties Of birds in all, but ! sha
have to refer to Mr. Dole, the Hawaiian Or
nithologist, who accompanied the expedition
: for full account Of the birds Of Nihoa an,
Kaula.
The day was very warm, and as we foun'
" no water on the island and very little had bee
brought IRON the steamer. many Of the exruI
! sionisls suffered for want Of it. There wer
- three white ladies besides great many Tia
: waiian ladies, and il is probable that thes
we're the FIRST that had ever sci foo, on Nihos
. In the depressions or valleys the ground wa
!" covered with low, scrubby bush. which ha
y a yellow flower, this made grateful shel,e
: Tor the smaller birds. Several groves Of tn
'" Loulu palms were seen on the island, and muc
Of the ground was covered with bunch grass
which furnished places for thousands Of bird
lie nests. The tender leaves Of these palms fur
T. nsh the material for making those beautiful
j. aolt hats. much WON by the NATIVES The soil