The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-08-30
FROM KAUAI.
On Horseback from Kilauea to
Makana.
A SWIM IN THE WONDERFUL CAVES
OF HAENA.

Wai-a-Kapalae and Wai-a-Kanaloa,
all situated at the beautiful little
hamlet of Haena, Kauai, were innun-
dated by about thirty visitors on
Monday, August 22d. Among the
number were twelve members of the
Waianae Glee Club, four from Koloa,
and the rest were from Kilauea and
Kalihikai. The Waianae party were
met at Hanalei, and all started from
that place about 8 O'Clock. One of the
party, who was mounted on spirited
steed, fell into the Waioli stream ;
his comrades cheered him as he rose
out Of the water, and he returned the
compliment in the same manner
Eager to reach Haena, he continued
the journey in that wet condition.
The party passed through Wainiha
and Lumahai, the places of note in
those localities being thoroughly
examined. Ka'umaka (my eyes),
promontory where two children in
the days of old, were fond of the eyes
of fishes, and, seeing a shark, rushed
thither to pluck its eyes, were swal-
lowed by the monster, was shown to
the travellers by the kamaainas.
Near by was Kaluakanaka a big
hole in a massive rock. The hole
was said to be the place where high
waymen used to throw their victims,
who would never BIO seen again.
There were numerous other places of
interest pointed out to the tourists.
Haena was reached little before IL
o'clock noon, the party riding past
the famous {" Lac Hale Naue," a
grove of hala trees growing abun-
dainty along the sea beach. The
horses were left at the foot of Ma
kama, lofty peak from whose highest
point the kamaainas shoot off at
night burning sticks of dried hau
branches-a sight more beautiful,
more grand and awe inspiring, than
the brightest skyrockets. The visitors
returning home before dark, these
rockets were therefore not displayed.
Tue boys and girls and several of the
more daring old folks scaled the
sides of the pail Ke e, promon-
tory higher than Diamond Head. At
the base of it is the "Heiau Lo-
hiau" Temple of Lohiau). The
heiau, or the remains of it, is in the
shape of a cone, broad and circular
at the base and running to point.
It is built of rough rocks of ordinary
size, and the mound stands seven
or eight feet high. One of the party,
defying the power of the heather
temple, mounted its top and came
down with rock, which he brought
home with him. Near the temple
we're wreaths several months old,
said to have been left there by hula
dancers who went there to perform
the last rites, or uniki. The wreaths
were pressed down with stones. On
the sides of the mountain, hinahina,
a sweet perfumed shrub, grew in
abundance. This was made into
wreaths for the hats and necks.
After spending an hour there, the
party went to the caves, several
hundred feet inland. The first cave
visited was Wai-a-Kanaloa. The
mouth OF the cave is seventy or
eighty feet wide and about thirty
feet high at the middle. It is about
a quarter of mile from the beach.
Eight of the party jumped into the
water, but only four dared to swim
to the other end of it. After swim
ming for about thirty feet, the cave
turns in another direction. A person
shouting at the top of his voice could
not be heard outside, as the vibra-
tons of the sound are thrown back.
Four boys swan further in for ano-
Their thirty feet until the inner ex-
tremity was reached. Here was per-
feet darkness; one could not see
anything, not even an object one
thousandth of an inch away from
his eye-so dark was the place. As
soon as the end was reached, the
swimmers returned to their COM
panions outside and related what
they had seen, their story being re-
eeived with amazement and wonder.
The next cave visited was Wal a
Kapalae, about one hundred feet
further in. The entrance measures
almost the same as the previous one,
but the water is about one hundred
feet from the mouth. The water OF
this subterranean cave is covered
with a very thin layer of a substance
that looks like compound of some
chemical salts. It is known TO the
natives as "aa moo" as they believed
it to be the covering of snake
When the water is disturbed, this
thin layer gathers at one corner, but
returns again after long while
when the water is undisturbed
About four jumped into this water
the popularity of which is that th'
person swimming in it become
whittier. A person diving foul
or five feet below the surfac,
could be distinctly detected
in fact he looks winter than ht
ever was. The third cave, Manini
holo, several hundred feet further in
is empty, save little spots here am
there caused by water sprinklini
down from the sides.
After spending over an hour q
the caves, the visitors were all il
vited to dinner by Kumalae Nv
Her house stands at the foot of th
celebrated Makana. The table wa
laden with poi and different varie