The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-06-13

of the trade wind limit? 1t certainly
would be interesting to trace connec-
| ton thus between the geological history
of the Hawaiian Islands and that of
| America.
The second and more recent noun
tain mass (Koolau) is not of the usual
| oval form, but so elongated as to form
distinct mountain range thirty miles
| in length, it's peaks approximately of
equal height throughout the range. The
leeward slope has the usual low pitch of
lava cone and is trenched in it's whole
length by deep ravines, separated only
by sharp ridges. It is noticeable that
the western portion, which is sheltered
from the southerly winds by the Waia-
nae mountains, is much less deeply cut
than the eastern part, which is not so
sheltered.
The western slope of the range is
comparatively steep throughout, show
ing how effective has been the attack
of the trade wind and clouds, but in all
the eastern part a windward slope does
not exist; the whole windward side of
the range has been sliced away down
nearly to the sea level. Between the
base of the great precipice and the sea
is strip of low land, two to four miles
wide, bearing a few remains of ridges.
Could it be possible that such con-
formation could result simply from at
mospheric erosion? So Captain Dutton,
whose opinion in such matters is en-
titled to respect, believed. But there
are serious difficulties in the way of
this simple explanation of the facts.
During the ages that would be required
to accomplish such complete destruc-
ton of the mountain side, the waves
of the Pacific with their powerful trade
wind swell must have been battering
the coast; yet there are absolutely no
cliffs to tell of such action, unless it be
the great precipice itself, now miles
from the shore. If the precipice was
made in that way, how has it happened |
that the lateral ridges have not been |
cut into cliffs at corresponding level? |
Further, the western part of the range
has been eroded in a perfectly normal |
manner. 1t has its precipitous coast |
line, it's normal valleys and ridges and |
amphitheaters of erosion. There has
been a change of sea level, but only of |
a few feet, and the evidence of such |
change is unmistakeable in the pres
ence of submarine formations, shell
coral reef rock, wave-worn
boulders, etc. Now, nothing of this
sort is found at the base of the great
precipice 1 have spoken of. Only close
10 the shore and elevated not more than
five or ten feet are there old submarine
Besides, neither atmos-
pheric erosion nor the action of ocean
waves ever slice off land so exactly on
a right line.
Prof. Dana's explanation has received
wide acceptance. He believed that this
Drecipice was part of the wall of a vast
,aldera, the complementary portion of
which has disappeared by some tremen-
1ous catastrophe. He points out the
significant fact that the inclination of
he lava strata in the precipice is to-
wards the Kona side of the island.
showing that the center of the noun
ain must have been originally over the
'egiOn where the great caldera formed.
What l believe to be the true expla-
lation 1 will give you directly:
To complete the outline account of /
oahu, | must add that in paratively
'ecent times its extent has been not
IDLY increased by emergence from the
ea of a considerable area of what was {
ormerly coral reef The Pearl Locks {
onsist Of a group of deep, broad chan t
lels in the old reef. that marked the S
course OF fresh water currents. The {
low level land is simply I
he elevated coral reef. {
The most notable feature, however. c
n the photography of Oahu is the
resence, at the base Of the extinct and 7
realty eroded old VOLCANOES, of a num- s
er of recent volcanic cones In the T
Immediate vicinity Of Honolulu you will q
nd, side by side with the lodges OF /! '
1aua CON L
4 the valley sides. cinder cones with /