Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-11-22
ONEOFOUR ODD ISLANDS
A TALL ROCK IN THE PACIFIC. IN.
HABlTED BY TAME BIRDS.


Birds Not Afraid of Visitors.
The Pacific Commercial Advertiser
says: H. A. Jaeger. of Wahiawa,
/ Kauai, having chartered the steamer
Mikahala to make trip to Nlhoa, or
as it is more familiarly called Bird
Island, one of the islands of the Ha-
waiian group, lying some 265 miles
to the westward Of Honolulu, organ
\ ize1 a party to leave Kauai on the
steamer on Saturday afternoon to
make a trip to the island and return
Monday.
The party consisted of the following:
| II. A. Jaeger, Allan Jaeger, John New
in, Mr.. McCloud, Mr.. Wagner, Nick
Loourss, George Klugel, w. Fl. Rice,
Jr., w. Fisher, w. w. Chamberlain.
L. Wrinzheimer, N. Creig, Thomas
Kimble, r. B. Church, B. J. Rice,
Hugh Phelps, William A. Ramsay,
George Herrlot. P. *. Guild, A. Ars-
waldt, ]. Jorgensen M. L. May, DR..
Wilkinson, Dick Dias, Mr.. Miller and
two sons and the captain and purser
of the Mikahala.
The party left Eleele, Kauai, about
8 o'clock in the afternoon. As dawn
broke the twin peaks of the island
were seen just ahead on the horizon.
Gradually as the steamer drew nearer
the island rose plainly to view and
appeared to be 4 rock rising abruptly
from the ocean and about a mile in
length by quarter of mile in width.
On three sides the cliffs rise precipi
tously from the sea, while on the south
side is q small bay, which appeared
to be the only landing. The party
made for this bay and reached the an
chorage a little after o'clock. The
sea was somewhat rough and large
swells came rolling in, dashing into
| spray against the rocks.
Just as anchor was dropped q swarm
of sharks came around the boat. Cap
tain Gregory, after taking a careful
survey of the bay and noting the pos
sible landing places, decided to make
n landing at bluff somewhat shell
tered from the swells of the ocean on
the mauka side of the bay.
The first boat put off from the
steamer shortly before 10 and made
for the landing place selected by the
captain. AS they approached the
shore, huge waves rolled against the
rocks, dashing into spray and rebound
ing with strong undertow. The cap
tain ordered the sailors to backwater,
and as the waves carried the boat to
the rock the boatswain, grasping a
rope in his land, leaped ashore. Fast
ening this rope he made fast to the
boat and thus with sailors backing
water and the native on shore pulling
the boat gradually in, as the waves
rose against the rocks, each member
of the party leaped ashore. After the
third boat had landed its passengers
the party all climbed from the landing
place up the cliffs on the hillside
above. There they paused to make
survey of the island and decide where
they should 60
Around on all sides, darkening the
air, were birds of all descriptions.
| From the post of observation on the
windward side Of the island tho visi-
tors could see every portion of Nihoa,
and, dividing into parties, they decid-
ed to explore, each party in separate
directions. The island is divided by
| several gulches or rayines. In the
bottom of these ravines are lolu palms,
I palm whose leaves the natives use in
making hats very similar to the Pan
anna hats. On all sides underfoot,
tho r0a-q in, fbo ~,
sky, were birds, large, small, black,
white and spotted. The birds were
not the least afraid. They circled
around and in many cases attempted
| to fly in mems faces. AS the party
traversed the slopes it was difficult to
escape from stepping upon the eggs
and young ones.
One of the exploring parties scaled
the highest point of the island and the
view from there was well worth the
hot and tiresome tramp. Said one of
the explorers: "As we stood and gazcd
down some thousand feet below us we
could see the sea dashing against the
rocks almost directly under our feet.
The sky was clear and for miles in
every direction nothing could be seen
but the endless expanse of the ocean,
and the thought struck us, what ter
rible place it would be for shipwrecked
mariners. There is very little water
ON the island. In the ravines can be
found in the hollows of the rocks
small pools of water, but this water is
SO saturated with guano that it is i'm
possible to use il for drinking pur-
poses. Some members of our party
brought shotguns and we shot quite
a number of bo'scns. These bo'sons
have two red feathers in their tails.
These feathers were used by the
ancient Hawaiians for making royal
kahilis and are very rare.
We succeeded in shooting quite n
number OF She birds and capturing
feathers from 4 large number of the
female birds sitting on their nests
amidst the brush of the island. AS
we passed along through the brush.
scattered all oVar tyara ,oc@.