The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-06-07

anu ouiy rev or the kamaalnas have
ever ventured there. Maniauia is To-
Gated half way up the pail, and forms
a large basin in the middle of the
mountain. A smaller waterfall is
found several hundred feet above Ma
mania. Probably nowhere on the
islands can there be found so many
waterfalls clustered so closely to-
gether. At this point one could not
help being struck with the grInde uT
and majesty of the view Presented.
The sides of the waterfalls are dense
Iy covered with mountain evergreens
whose fragrance mingles with the
air.
The natives of Halawa tell strange
story in connection with the falls OF
Moaula. Although the basin of the
falls is over forty feet deep and be-
tween three and four miles from the
nearest sea beach, they state that
when Queen Emma died the fall was
covered with sand resembling that of
the seashore so that the way was
blocked as far as the pool. The sand
has since been washed away by the
water until row no trace of 1t re-
mains.
LANIKAULA.
Lanikaula was q prophet or ma
kaul', who lived in a kukui grove in
the plain above Halawa. The kukui
grove is still standing, although di-
minished to less than half it's original
size. The way to it is so thickly cover
ed with lantana bushes, horses cannot
penetrate on account of them. With
in the kukui groves was buried,
over a century ago, the remain of
Lanikauia, the great prophet of Molo-
kai. The story goes, that he died n
victim TO the strategy Of Polo, another
and lesser prophet of MolOkai. LAM
kaula saw his end was nigh and he
brought together his three sons. He
asked them how they could best con-
ceal his bones so that other chiefs
might not use them for fish-hooks.
The eldest recommended giving his
bones to the sharks. The second son
advised breaking up of his bones and
feeding the pigs with them. The
youngest son suggested better plan,
which was accepted by their father.
His plan was to dig deep hole with
in the kukui grove, lay his bones at
the bottom and put layers OF pahoa,
or sharp edged rocks, on top, so that
whoever attempted to unearth the
bones would have his fingers cut by
the stones. Agricultural implements
were not imported then. Lanikaula
favored this plan, and his tomb Is
located among The kukui trees. 1t is
a place often visited by strangers, but
the lantana bushes have shut out the
tomb from view. I made two attempts
to see the grave, but failed each time.
THE KooLAU SIDE.
One day Mr.. van Geisen and ten
native boys took me to the mountains
overlooking Kalawao, at the leper
settlement. After four hours walk
over hills and down valleys we arrived
at the top OF the ridge of Haupu.
When we reached the divide the
sea was at our feet. The precipice had
caved in about half way Gown the
pail. 1t was a sight / can never
forget. 1 was standing as it were on
the edge of a precipice $500 feet high,
which separated the leper settlement
from the happy world without. The
trail leading down to the little ham
let of Puahaunui is such that not one
out of thousand would dare go down.
1t is even worse than the path leading
up to the top of Makana, on Kauai,
dangerous "a that one is, yet L was
told that aged Hawaiians u>ed tn plant
melons and gourds at its base, and
they still bring up heavy bundles by
that very path.
where we stood. Between were the
valleys of Wailau and Pelekunu.
These places, although now not fire.
quently visited, were once thickly
populated. Steep precipices, some
rising to over three thousand feet
high, extend all the way from where
we were to Kalawao. The Kaialau
side of Kauai, precipitous as that may
seem to visitors, is nothing in COM
parison to the Koolau pals of Molo-
kai. Indeed it seems as If 1T ts one
side Of volcano, while the other half
has been demolished and buried by
the waves. A student OF geology
could not conceive of any other posi-
bic cause for so abrupt an ending on
that side of Molokai. y small ex-
tinct volcano is found at kalawao,
and the ancient legend says that
Madame Pele first dug hole there,
but when she discovered water she
abandoned it and left for Kilauea,
Hawaii.
On the side of the pail of Haupu,
about 80 feet from the edge, there
grows 4 solitary tree known as au. It
resembles PIKE in appearance. The
natives claim it 10 be as rare as Kalai-
pahoa wood. and equally as good in
its medicinal qualities. These woods
are held in supersttious fear by the
natives as idols were carved from
their trunks in olden times. The Ka-
laipohoa tree is nearly extinct, but
one native on Molokai claims that the
root still remains, and he is the only
one who knows where to find it.
There are only two au trees known on
Moiokai, one of them growing on the
side of the Haupu Pail. n native
named Wahineino, who by the way is
the only person around Halawa who
dares scale those heights, one day
went down and got All au tree for
certain person at Halawa. He des-
cerded by means OF a rope. When
the wood was brought to Halawa, the
old native folk began to show signs
of fear, as they said it was sacrilig-
ious act The younger generation how
ever, paid no heed and no injury OF
any kind happened.
On our return to Honolulu our party
paid a visit to Kalae, the home of Mr..
Meyers.
JAMES y. K. KEOLA.
Honolulu, June l, 1893.