The Redwood gazette., 1896-04-23
GARDEN ISLAND OF HAWAII:
From I'd page

both, used to glide down at night,
commit depredations, and then re-
turn to his stronghold.
We reached the Hanapepe Falls at
noon. The water rushes over preci-
pice about three hundred feet high,
and falls into great basin worn in
rocks below. The scene is sublime
and inspiring. Miniature rainbovs
may be seen on the fine spray cast off
from the dashing waters. The whole
is enclosed by precipitous cliffs clothed
with dark green moss. The shadows
of the rock overhang the clear, cold
pool of water which lies beneath.
From this pool the plantation fume
starts, carrying the water at fall of
only one foot to the thousand, to irri-
gate the valley below.
Among the most beautiful scenery
in Kauai is the valley of Houalei,
which we visited twodays later. The
journey was one continuous picnic.
1t was made by the same party in
carriage and on horseback. The
crossing the ferry at Houalei was
made all the more romantic by the
tradition that our ferryman had been
a Chinese pirate; he certainly looked
enough like one.
One of the wonders of Kauai is the
mirage. This wonderful optical delu-
sion will occasionally greet the traveller
three miles beyond Waiwea. The
sandy tract that stretches along the
road seems transformed into lake of
water, where the images of cattle are
reflected as they appear to feed upon
submerged vegetation, while the
trunks of trees seem to rise out of the
water. The natives. have tradition
that at certain seasons, just before
dawn, the old giant, Kamalimaloa,
once powerful chief of Maua, is seen
rising from the ground, armed with
his spear, and with his helmet on his
head.
Another natural curiosity is the
Barking Sands of Maua. A long line
of low sand hills is thrown up along
the beach, and as the traveller walks
over these mounds, or strikes the
sand. a growing, barking sound is
produced. This sound seems to be a
property peculiar to these sands.
They only bark when dry, and if a
large quantity is removed and is put
in bag the same barking will be pro-
duced by letting the sand suddenly
fall from one end of the bag to the
other. I witnessed an exhibition of
this at the home of Mr.. Turner, the
manager of the ostrich farm.
The ostrich farm is situated on a
sandy beach about three miles from
Koloa, shut in on all sides, save one,
by mountain ranges. On that side is
the ocean. Accompanied by DR..
Crane, mounted on spirited horses
and attended by a Portuguese guide,
I set out, January 18th, for the farm.
We reached it in time for lunch. Mr..
Turner, the manager, showed US about
the place and told us of the habits of
the ostrich. According to Mr.. Turner
this giant bird has very little sense.
He never looks to step over or crawl
under fence, but will fall over it.
"He is such fool" said the manager,
sthat if the fence around his paddock
was removed, he would be three days
in making the discovery, and then he
would fall over the path"
Mr.. Turner says that the old theory
that the sun matches the eggs of an
ostrich is absurd. The ostrich is a
faithful setter. The females sit by
day and the males by night. They
lay three times during the year, fifteen
or sixteen eggs at time. A bird has
been known to yield two hundred
dollars worth of feathers at single
plucking, and they are plucked every
seven months.
Ostriches may not be one of the
wonders of Kauai, but they bid fair to
become one of the industries of the
Hawaiian Islands.
JOHN r. MUsICK.