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DISTRICT OF WAERUA.

CHAPTER XXI.

District of Waerua-Ava-plantations-Arbitrary Power of the ChiefsTax-gatherer's Memorandum-cord-Singular Pile of Coral-Arrival at Waerua-Printing Flowers on native Cloth-Way-side IdolsHonolulu Shampooing-Queen at her Lesson-A Salt-Lake-Interview with Rihoriho-Mortality among Fishes-A clever WomanTrade with the Sandwich Islanders-Evil Effects of ardent SpiritsDepravity of native Children-Pilfering-Two Men devoured by Shark's-Anniversary of American Independence-Royal Repast— Good News from Nuhiva-Thomas Hopoo-Rumor of projected American Aggression-Flies an Abomination to the Natives-Dream of Karaimoku-Proposal that all the People should be taught to read and write.

May. 15. WE traversed a great part of the north-west coast to reach the district of Waerua, about twenty-eight miles from the place where we lodged last night. The road lies over an extensive plain, between two chains of mountains which run in parallel directions, and the flanks of which are deeply furrowed by vertical ravines, the channels of trickling streams, that often crossed our path. The plain is of red loam, with beds of pebbles and brown sand-rocks breaking through the surface. The hills are decidedly volcanic. On our right hand was pointed out a glen, formerly the haunt of cannibals, and known by an appellation signifying the same. The wretches who lived in that hideous retirement not only devoured their prisoners taken in war, but preyed upon stragglers, of any class, whom they could surprise and carry off to their dens. A large stone is yet seen in this valley hollowed out for the purpose of cutting up and dressing their horrible food. The remnant of these worst of wild beasts was exterminated, or dispersed, about thirty years since, and it is said that there is now but one of the tribe surviving, a very old man, who has confessed to Mr. Moxley, our informant, that he has partaken of many a feast on human flesh. Nearly opposite to this valley is another, not inhabited by man-eaters, but cultivated for a purpose eventually much more destructive of the species than the unnatural appetites of the former ;-cannibals may have slain their hundreds, but ardent spirits their thousands; and this tract is planted, to a great extent, with ava, from which a most pernicious liquor is distilled.

We found a shrub here, called kakarioa, which produces a

TAX-GATHERER'S MEMORANDUM-CORD.

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nut of a very poisonous nature. An herb, called hora, also grows in this district: when pounded into paste it is laid upon stones, at the bottom of pools and streams, when the fish, greedily taking the bait, are intoxicated by it, and easily caught. The opora is a plant used by the natives both to color and perfume their clothes.

From the openings into these valleys, after ascending for some time, we came suddenly upon the brink of a stupendous precipice, striking downward, with scarcely any perceptible declination from the perpendicular, to the dell beneath, through which ran a rivulet of fresh water; and on the other side, nearly as steep, but of greater elevation, and crowned with mountains at least seven times higher still, rose a ridge of rock corresponding to that on which we stood. This immense chasm may be seen stretching, on either hand, to a considerable extent. Our guide said that once when he came hither, being very weary and fainting with thirst, he had offered a native, who was with him, a dollar to fetch him a draught of water from the stream below. The man refused, saying, "What good would a dollar do to me; for it would soon be known that I had it, and then I must give it up to the chief?" Thus were these miserable peasantry plundered by their rapacious landowners, of whom they held their little farms. Pigs, dogs, taro, and other produce, are paid by them instead of rent, according to mutual agreement; but the chief, in addition, can at any time extort from his tenant whatever he sees in his possession and covets; for, if refused, he may take away his lands immediately, and the poor man has no redress. The tax-gatherers, though they can neither read nor write, keep very exact accounts of all the articles, of all kinds, collected from the inhabitants throughout the island. This is done principally by one man, and the register is nothing more than a line of cordage from four to five hundred fathoms in length. Distinct portions of this are allotted to the various districts, which are known one from another by knots, loops, and tufts, of different shapes, sizes, and colors. Each tax-payer in the district has his part in this string, and the number of dollars, hogs, dogs, pieces of sandal-wood, quantity of taro, &c., at which he is rated, is well defined by means of marks, of the above kinds, most ingeniously diversified. It is probable that the famous quippos, or system of knots, whereby the records of the ancient Peruvian empire are said to have been kept, were a

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SINGULAR PILE OF CORAL.

similar, and perhaps not much more comprehensive, mode of reckoning dates and associating names with historical

events.

May 16. Continuing our circuminsular tour, we crossed a spacious plain, on the coast, of which the base was coral and the soil a thin layer of vegetable mould. On this level stands a mound, which might be taken for an artificial monument, - consisting of two prodigious masses of coral-rock, the lower about six feet above the surface of the ground, but evidently imbedded in the stratum below; the upper, laid flat upon this, and overspreading it on every side, measured ninetythree feet in compass, and eight, at least, in the thickest part, the shape being conical. The whole pile reached nearly five yards in height, and, when we consider that the substance must have been wrought under water, it is almost a necessary conclusion that the sea has considerably retired from this coast-from twenty-five to thirty feet in depth-or been repelled by some of the volcanic convulsions, which probably heaved the island itself from the bottom of the abyss, at a far distant period in the agency of that Providence of which the records are only preserved in the Eternal Mind. There is no other rock of the same kind within several miles of this irregular formation. It was recently a marae, to which the kings and chiefs repaired to consult Tani, who was worshipped at it, on questions of peace and war, and to pray that in battle their bodies might be rendered invulnerable to the spears of their enemies.

We arrived at Waerua about noon. This is certainly one of the most romantic scenes, consisting of mountain, rock, wood, river, beach, bay, and sea beyond, that we have yet visited; but description would so imperfectly distinguish it from others of a similar character, already delineated, that we need not expatiate upon it. In the course of this day's journey we passed through many small villages, the inhabitants of which flocked round us and followed us, but, on all occasions, behaved with great respect; while, every where, by the way-side and on the rock, like the sower in the parable, we scattered the "seed of the word," saying to the people, "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand."

Night overtook us before we could reach the point at which we aimed, but we persevered, and walked a considerable way in the dark. This was very annoying to the king's messenger, the guide who accompanied us, who wish

PRINTING FLOWER-PATTERNS ON CLOTH.

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ed to go to roost as soon as day-light failed; but we were birds of another feather. He said, "You white men will always do what you intend to do-nothing can stop you till it is done; whether over land or through water, by night or by day, nothing can turn you aside. I never saw such men in our islands." Our quarters, when we reached them, appeared very indifferent; but weariness made them welcome, and their shelter comfortable. For several following days our progress-which was rendered more and more interesting to ourselves by the hospitality of the natives, and the in exhaustible variety of forms of loveliness and grandeur assumed by visible nature in this strange province of her Maker's works-afforded few incidents to gratify the curiosity of general readers by the detail. At one place, in the house of a chief where we were hospitably entertained, we had an opportunity of witnessing the method of printing flowers and other ornamental figures on the native cloth. Four women were industriously employed in this work. The design is neatly engraved upon the sides of thin pieces of bamboo, into the lines of which the colors are introduced by dipping them into calabashes (cocoa-nut shells) containing the dye in a liquid state, and the superfluous matter is thrown off from the smooth surface by striking the bamboo smartly upon the edge of these vessels. The pattern is then carefully transferred to the cloth by pressure of the hand; after which, with the fibre of cocoa-husk, dipped in the coloring matter, any imperfections are supplied, and the whole is delicately finished off. This work is executed with considerable expedition as well as accuracy; and, if not borrowed from the suggestions of European visitors (which is hardly probable), it may be said that printing, as well as engraving, are original inventions of the Sandwich islanders, both being used in this ingenious process.

As we proceeded towards an adjacent village, we had to cross, with great difficulty and some peril, a range of black rocks which overhung the dashing surges with precipices of giddy elevation. The path being exceedingly rough, there were placed, at intervals, small heaps of stones with a large block set upright in the centre of each. The latter, in fact, was a local divinity, tufts of grass and wreaths of leaves be ing devoutly laid around these sanctuaries, by passengers, who thus propitiated his favor that they might be protected from slips and falls by the way. In every instance, when we

VOL. II.

7

[blocks in formation]

were strong enough, we tumbled these idols over the edge of the cliffs into the sea, and scattered the votive offerings to the wind. On the summit of this stupendous range we found a perfect Pandemonium, consisting of multitudes of these dumb, shapeless fragments of the rock on which we were treading, set up to receive the honors due to God alone These seemed to be of a superior order, entitled to inhabit a higher region, than those on the declivities; for, in addition to the grass and leaves that strewed their respective shrines, their tops were wrapped round with native cloth. The savage aspect of nature in this scene of utter loneliness and desolation-where not a tree or plant grew among the innumerable crags, loose or fixed, that lay like the ruins of a mountain shattered to pieces around and below where we stood was well calculated to affect with superstitious awe an ignorant people, the dupes of wily and mercenary priests, themselves the tools of tyrannical chiefs. Upwards of three score of these images-images no farther than as they were representatives of Satan-we hurled from their seats down the precipices, without thinking that we did any wrong to future travellers who might venture their limbs and lives upon these same dangerous ridges, where, in many places, every step secured might be considered as an escape with one's life. Soon, as we hope, will all who visit those scenes be taught to commit their ways to Him "who keepeth Israel," and in whom none who place their confidence shall be confounded; for they who know Him rightly will put their trust in Him unfearingly. We reached Honolulu on the 21st of May.

At several stations where we halted, on this tour, the people came, and, sitting down beside us, began to perform a native office of kindness, by gently pressing the muscles of our legs and thighs with their hands, to remove any sense of fatigue with walking, while others performed the same courteous office on the back and breast. And certainly the operation, though strange at first, was not unpleasant in itself, and it afforded considerable relief from lassitude and the pain of overstrained bodily exertion. This solace to indolence as well as weariness is often administered to the chiefs, who love to lie down flat, with their faces towards the earth, while their attendants knead the small of the back, on either side of the spine, with their hands. Contusions from falls, we are informed, are often successfully treated in this way,

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