The suburban citizen., 1901-10-19
ONEOFOUR ODD ISLANDS
A TALL ROCK IN THE PACIFIC, M.
HABlTED BY TAME BIRDS.

For the First Tune In Fifteen Years
Birds Not Afraid of visitors.
The Pacific Commercial Advertiser
says: II. A. Jaeger of Wahiawa'
Kauai, having chartered the steamer
AIikahala to make a trip to Nihoa, or
as it is more familiarly called Bird
Island one of the islands Of the Ha-
waian group, lying some 265 miles
TO the westward OF Honolulu organ
lied a party to leave Kauai on the
steamer on Saturday afternoon to
make q trip to the island and return
Monday
The party consisted Of the following:
II. A. Jaeger. Allan Jaeger John New
IN, MIR. McCloud, Mr. Wagner, Nick
Loourss, George Klugel, w. II. Rice,
n Jr, w. Fisher, w. W. Chamberlain,
W l.. Wrinzheimcr, ~ Croig, Thomas
Kimble, Il. b. Church, =. J. Rice,
Hugh Phelps, William A. Ramsay,
George Herrlot, p * Guild, A. Ars-
waldt. J. Jorgensen, NJ. L. May DR..
Wilkinson, Dick Dias, Mr.. Miller and
two sons ana the captain and purser
of the Mliahala.
The party left Eleele, Kauai about
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 a rock rising abruptly
from the ocean and about q mile in
length by quarter Of n mile in width
On three sides the cliffs rise precipi-
tOusly from the sea, while ON the south
side is a small bay, which appeared
10 be tho only landing. The party
made for this bay and reached the an
chorage a little after 8 o'clock. The
sea was somewhat rough and large
swells came rolling in, daching into
spray against the rocks.
Just as anchor was dropped a 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
landing at a bluif somewhat shell
tered from the sWells of the ocean on
the mauka side of the bay.
The first boat put OF 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
ins with a strong undertow. The cap
tain ordered tile 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 it's passengers
the party all climbed from the landing
place up the cliffs ON the hillside
above. There they paused to make a
survey Of the island and decide where
they should go.
Around on all sides, darkening the
mir, were birds OF all descriptions.
From the post Of observation on the
WindWard side Of the island the 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 ravines In the
bottom Of these ravines are lolu palms. |
a palm whose leaves the natives use in |
making hats very similar to the Pan
ANA hats On al sides underfoot, |
on the rocks, in the caves and in the |
sky We're 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 sealed |
the highest point of the island and the |
view from thore was we'll 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 1t 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 q
number of the birds and capturing
feathers from a large number Of the
female birds sitting on their nests
q NIT lot 41,x