Evening star., 1939-03-24
By G. A. LYON.
Associate Editor Of The Star. Who I
XAcAtioninG In Hawaii

Vacationing In Hawaii.
It Is Idle to attempt to describe q
great natural wonder adequately
IN specific terms. This is especially
the case when the element of color
Ing Is present. Only by comparison
with something else that has been
seen by both writer and reader can
such q description approach the
point OF conveying a realistic con-
ception Of the scene. And even such
an approach is only approximate
For words, however correct or stimu-
latng to the imagination, fail to
paint pictures In the fullness OF
form or hue or vividness.
It may sufnce for general pur-
poses to state that q certain cataract
Is nearly the equal Of Niagara, which
Is well enough known to provide q
basis Of measurement-or at least
1t was before American travellers
began neglecting the scenic attrac-
tons OF their own country and went
far afield for alien substitutes.
am moved to this confession OF
inadequacy by realization that q
description Of one of the wonders of
Hawaii-specifically the Island of
kauai-is q most difficult task in
composition. That wonder" is
the Waimea Canyon, on the Island
OF Kauai, which is one of the most
striking features of the entire
Hawaiian scene. Perhaps It will be
accepted as the most striking fea-
ture, when the volcanoes are not
In eruption.
But fortunately there is a meas
uring rod or descriptive standard
for the formation of a mental con-
cept Of this natural wonder of the
Pacific area, standard that is
fairly well known to all Americans
It is, Of course, the Grand Canyon
OF the Colorado, with a supplement
tary reference to Bryce Canyon and
Zion Canyon. We may eliminate the
latter two and hold the Colorado
Rivers rift as a base for comparison.
Beautiful and Awesome.
Let 1t be made clear first of all
that Watmea Is not as deep, as wide
or Is long as the Grand Canyon OF
the Colorado. That more or less
puts 1t In its place. But it has a very
esttmable place at that. For Waimea
Is stupendous, 1t Is beautiful and 1t
Is awesome. What more can be
asked or expected of q great rift in
the surface of the earth, showing
highly colored rocks in the breach,
Of such proportions as to dwarf giant
trees into the semblance of mere
shrubs when seen from across the
chasm-what more can suchsa scenic
marvel be, indeed?
Just how and when Waimea de-
veloped cannot, of course, be known.
In general. however, it may be ac-
cepted that once upon a time when
the earth at this particular point
where the Hawaiian Islands lie
was in a state of disruption-or
rather eruption-there came a
wrench In the rocky formation that
caused a breach of unusual dimen-
sions, forming great chasm in the
surface. Then at some later stage
came rains of such torrential volume
and such persistence of duration
that the soil and even the rock
faces Of the broken fabric were
eroded. Gulleys we're formed in the
draining OF into the sea q few
miles to the south of the great
volumes Of water that fell from time
to time.
Periods Of natural forestation were
followed by periods Of erosion. Each
cycle caused a further widening ano
deepening of the canyon. The geol.
ogists are unable to figure the pro-
cess out with precision. but they are
able to state pretty accurately-it /,
accepted that their estimates are al
least scientifically plausible-about
how many centuries or centuries Of
centuries it has taken to scour Out
such vast charms as Wiamea ir
Kauai and the Grand Canyon in
Arizona.
Chssm Of Many Colors.
Well, however long ago it started
by what process and at what rate
it developed into . natural won
der" there is Waimea, 5000 feet in
depth-a bit less than one-third the
depth of the Colorado Rivers great
channel at the usual point of obser-
vation, Ell Tovar-and about 10 miles
In length. Smaller though it is in
all of its dimensions than the
Grand" Waimea is in places fully
as highly colored. It has all the
yellows and ochres and reds and
puppies of the continental rift and
1t has greens and mauves as well.
And it also has q marvellous play of
colors as the clouds modify the suns
rays and act as screens to effect
sudden and dramatic fluctuations of
hue and tint and even apparently to
change the shape of the various
formations.
In another respect Waimea is like
the Colorado wonder. It has side
or transverse canyons, formed by
lateral drainage flows under the
pressure of tremendously heavy
rainfalls. And 1t has cataracts-
not great ones, but yet quite sizeable
falls which, if they were viewed at
close range. would be rated as high
grade potential power producers.
In one respect Waimea differs
greatly from the Colorado canyon.
It has a very much heavier rainfall
In the immediate vicinity. Whereas,
In Arizona, where the great Ameri-
can rift is mainly located, as regards
public observation and study and in
respect to its scenic marvels and its
accessibility to view, the rainfall is
slight almost to the point of abso-
lutte drought, in the Waimea region
the precipitation is very heavy.
viii not attempt q statistical COM
parison in this respect, but it will
sufnce to note that the Arizona area
through which the Colorado canyon
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