The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1888-10-25
SPORT IN TRs SANDWICH ISLANDS.

Honolulu, OcI. 70, 1000.
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SPORT IN TIE SANDWICH ISLANDS.
The following article appears in
the London Field of August 4th,
1t is from the pen of Mr.. Scott B.
Wilson, q gentleman who has been
staying in the islands for some time
past:
Few travellers, believe, visit
this interesting group of islands in
search of sport, though no doubt
many of your readers have passed
through Honolulu, the chief pert
and capital of the islands, en- route
to the Colonies or China. But as
the island on which Honolulu is sit
uated is by no means as favourable
for the sportsman as the island of
hawaii, L propose to give brief
sketch of the sport to be had on
that island and generally through
out the group. There are seven
principal islands-Hawaii, Maui,
Lanai, Kahoolawe, Molokai, Oahu,
and Kauai; two of these, Lanai and
Kahoolawe, are almost destitute of
forest, and of but small extent.
Hawaii is the most southerly isl
and of the group. 1t is, roughly
speaking, triangular in form, and
has an area of 4100 squares miles.
A great portion of the island con-
sists of lava fields and flows belong
ing to three great mountains.
NIauna Kea, 13,SO5 fit. 2. Mauna
Loa, $500 ft. 3. Hualalai, S275 fit.
The greater part of the island is en-
circled by belt of thick forest,
which at some points stretches down
almost to the sea, but its lower edge
averages an elevation of 1500ft.
The width of this belt varies greatly
at different points in some places,
as, for instance, Kealakekua (the
scene of Cooks death) it stretches
from about 1500ft., some six miles
up Mauna Loa, while at others,
take Kukuihaele, one soon emerges
through the forest belt on to the
Waimea plains. l may here men
tion that the only two real forest
trees to be found on the islands are
the Ohia (Metrosideros polymorpha)
and the Koa (Acacia Koa). The
sandalwood, the false sandalwood,
the Aalii Dodonea viscona), and
the Mamane (Sophora chrysophylla)
are never found in this lower forest
belt.
Throughout the island, at an ele
walton of 6000ft., the forest becomes
scanty, the Ohia being in this re-
gion reduced to mere shrub. This
higher region is above the influence
of the N. E. trades, and has per-
haps the most healthy and invigorat-
ing climate in the world. The
forest is in few parts impenetrable
to the sportsman, owing to the
countless herds of wild cattle,
which, by barking the old trees and
browsing down the young, have
opened up the formerly dense jun
gle, and fear that if no check is
put on their ravages, the forest Of
Hawaii will be at no very distant
date, and with it it's interesting
feathered inhabitants, thing Of
the past,
l will now give an account of th'
game birds found on the island
The Hawaiian goose { (Bernicla sand
vicenss), native name Meme. This
interesting Indigenous species il
the largest game bird found on th'
islands. A pair sent by the autho
, last July, may be seen at the gar
dens of the Geological Society
Though not SO plentiful as formerly
, it is still by no means uncommon il
/ certain districts of Hawaii. 1T
: favourite haunts are, strangel,
, enoueh-this is in the breeding sea
son in December-the old law
, flows, than which region nothn!
| more unsuited to goose can scarce
l ly be imagined. In the months o
, June and July the Meme is to b.
found at an elevation of some 500
! feet, and here, too, seems to show
preference for the clinker beds. 1t
r food, believe, consists principal,
) of berries, such as the Ohelo (Vac
cinium reticulatum), the strawberr
. (Fragaria chiliensis), and blac
berry called by natives PopoIo. Th
r weird cry of this bird is very di:
tinct from that of any other specie
2 which know. 1t is bird easy {
, approach, and l am told that, if on
of flock is wounded, the remain
der will not leave their companion
and the sportman, ii heartles
> enough, may kill the entire flock
) The Meme was, in old times, KEEP
by the natives, and acted as sen
| tinel, uttering its peculiar note q
the approach of stranger.
| AS an instance of the tamenes
and attachment of the Hawaiia
| goose, may mention one whic
: would follow its mistress for dis
) tance of fifteen miles, and not once
Y hut on nv occasions: indeed. tn