The Hawaiian gazette., 1890-10-28

|
Whyarouah, and found our friend
Coke half stupefed from the effect
of the previous nights debauch
Being DESTROYS of walking to that
part of the country where the san.
dial wood is cut, and inspecting
some ancient monuments, of which
curious traditionary history had
been related to me, [ obtained a
guide to shew me the way, and
started this day in the company of
an American feliow-passenger.
A walk of three miles on the
plain brought US to deep ravine,
overhung by rocky precipices, with
plantations of tarrow and groves of
the breadfruit tree below, and wa
tered by small mountain torrents.
Beyond this ravine the plain con-
tinued for several miles without
trees or cultivation, covered only
by high grass, to which in many
places the natives had set fire. At
length, after walking about twelve
miles, a sudden turn opened to our
view three spacious valleys, each
assuming the form of a vast natural
amphitheatre, begirt with woods
and gigantic masses of stone from
the summit downwards, where we
deserted the smoke of an Indian
hut, rising at no great distance, and
there determined to take up our
abode for the nigh.
July 14s This morning we again
started at daybreak, and having
walked three or four miles farther,
over the same uncultivated, unin-
habited plain, the country all at
once changed its aspect, and pre-
sented bold outline of hills with
alternate and thickly-wooded val
leys. Here our guide pointed out
to US the monument of ancient
times which had been described by
Coke and his American friend as
we'll worthy to be seen, both on its
own account and from its connec-
ton with the traditionary history
of the country.
Il had expected to find a monu-
ment of great magnitude, instead of
which l saw nothing but n fat
stone, resembling an English tomb
stone, about five feet broad by six
or seven in length. The surface
was very smooth, and upon it 1 |
discovered many rude representa-
tions of men and animals, similar to
those which have from time to time
been met with and described among
the Indians of America. Many
were defaced, and in others l could |
trace no resemblance to any known
objects, either animate or inani-
mate. The stone itself was very
pieces of it having evil
1ently been broken off on different
sides, which 1 learned from the
guide had been done by the neigh
boring inhabitants in order to con-
ert the material into knives,
mirrors, pots and other domestic
Utensils, which were always fab1i-
,ated from stone in former times,
previous to the introduction of iron
~ foreign traders.
. The tradition, as related to me
~ Coke, is briefly this: Many hun
lred moons ago, race of people,
more warlike and savage in their
labits of life than the other nhabi-
ants, occupied this part of the
sland. One chief, Heremino by
anne, who exercised supreme au-
hority over them, was celebrated
ar and wide for outrage and
ruelty, and under him they might
C said to live entirely by war and !
illage. But that which most dis
lnguished them, and spread terror
mong their more peaceful neigh
ors was their avowed ca6nibalism,
he prisoners whom they took in
Tar being always butchered to
atiSfy the cravings of this un. I
atural appetite.
"The habltation of the said chief
7as situated on the very spot since =
allied after him, Heremino, where
now stood, and the stone in ques-
on. served as an altar upon |
Inch the unfortunate human VIC.
ms were sacrificed. Near it a
Irge round hole, about twenty 4
let in circumference, and still
early discernible, was pointed out :
the place where the kanakas, or
len, were cooked and devoured by =
lie chief and his adherents. The :
arked expression of horror ON o
lie countenance Of my guide bore q
illness to his unbelief of this story, p
by dint of signs and the repeti- p
on of few words that / under :
God, he enabled me to trace the
estiges here described.
ILL., / -