Before dusk the green shores had faded from our sight, although the
snow-capped head of Mauna Kea arose as plainly and proudly as if we were
within a mile of his feet.
Sometime during the night we entered the Paipolo Passage, and the next
morning were becalmed, in a triangular sea, between the islands of Maui,
Molokai and Lanai. We were bound to the former; towards meridian the
breeze again filled the sails, and in a few hours we were at anchor in
the Roads of Laihaina, securely sheltered by the high hills of the
island.
The general appearance of this group is not unlike clusters of the
Grecian Archipelago: the same reddish hues to the heights, the same
basking verdure in the valleys, with perhaps a far grander outline and
boldness of scenery. In Maui there is no comparison to the universal
greenness and fertility of the east side of Hawaii. The lofty mountains,
attaining an altitude of ten thousand feet, arrest the trade clouds in
their westward flight, and the contents are condensed on the opposite
side of the island. Yet, although the background shows for a great
extent barren and sterile, there is still much to relieve the eye in the
deep green reposing between the sharp split gorges, where vegetation
creeps in thick profusion to the topmost peaks. And then the town
itself--larger than Hilo--built along the sea-shore, radiant with noble
groves of cocoanut, and bread-fruit, and pretty houses half buried in
shrubbery. There is also a great red-roofed New England meeting-house--a
two-storied square stone edifice, which is the King's country palace,
having a double range of verandas in front, and a little lake of black
mud in the rear, not in the best possible state of order or cleanliness,
but more conspicuous than all, placed a league up the hills, is the
large white buildings of the the native High School of Lahainaluna.
Maui is becoming a great resort for whale-ships to recruit from their
long cruisings; it has been the means of infusing energy and industry
into the native population in the cultivation of the rich soil, and thus
for miles around the town the lands are planted with Irish and sweet
potatoes, taro, yams, and many kinds of excellent vegetables and grains,
which grow all seasons, whenever sown. The markets were well supplied
besides with meats and fruits; and nothing can exceed the clean,
tasteful manner in which the lighter produce of the island is put up in
native baskets. With the fresh leaf of the cocoanut they are woven or
braided in a trice--oval, round or square,--with a pliable green handle
all ready for transportation. The cocoanut is to these simple islanders
what prayers are to the Turks--meat, drink, and pantaloons; or rather,
as I have been told by others professing a deeper knowledge of the
Mahommedan lingo than myself, when listening to the Muezzins shouting
their signals from minarets of mosques. However, here is better
authority:--
"The Indian's nut alone,
Is clothing, meat and trencher drink and can,
Boat, cable, sail, and needle--all in one."
They catch fish, too, with nets, and lash their huts together by braid
of the husk. Their couches are mats of the leaves. The milk makes a
delicious beverage, and is kept cool, no matter how burning the sun, in
the lofty husky reservoirs. The tree itself never ceases bearing while
there is a drop of sap in the body, and I have counted more than a
hundred of these nutty tanks on a single shaft. If I remember aright,
when a boy I was extravagantly fond of a penny's worth of the fruit
fished out of glass jars. I never touch it now, for experience has
taught me to confine myself to the milk alone. Indeed, I know of no thin
potation more truly refreshing before breakfast, than a cooling draught
of cocoanut _wai_. The nut must be neither in its infancy, nor yet
matured, but just on the verge of manhood; then commend me to it, and
they will be rosy lips to draw one from its mouth.
We found everything more advanced than at Hilo--the bread-fruit
particularly--but not only in the vegetable kingdom--for civilization
was far ahead, also; or at least so far as creature comforts
extend--aided by a good hotel, dinners, and pleasant rides in the
vicinity.
The lanes and avenues were so clouded with fine red dust, that walking
any distance was out of the question. Foreigners have many cool,
matted-straw-built dwellings on the sea beach, and there are numbers of
pleasant cottages near the suburbs; but prettier than all, is one
secluded country house, a little way from Lahaina, closely embowered in
foliage, with a trickling rivulet at the door-way, that would make a
retreat for a princess.
The Governor of Maui was James Young, a half-breed, or _happa houri_,
and descended from the English seaman mentioned by Vancouver. He had
visited England, and spoke the language perfectly, although with the
tone and expression of a common sailor. In person he was large--with a
pleasant face--much lighter than the natives generally, and from his
conversation he appeared to be a man of excellent practical sense. His
residence was within the fort--a large square enclosure--constructed of
rough red coral rocks, banked up fifteen feet with earth, and mounting
an oddly assorted battery of some thirty pieces of artillery, of all
sorts of carriages and calibre--long, short, and mediums; they command
the usual anchorage, and no doubt do very well to prevent any acts of
violence from merchant ships; but it is a question, if at the second
discharge of shot they do not tumble to pieces. There were a company of
Hawaiian troops to man this fortress, who were well uniformed, and
looked as well as Kanakas, or any other savages who have been accustomed
half their lives to go naked can look, when their natural ease of motion
is cramped by European clothing.
Governor Young very sagaciously removed all restrictions from the
pleasures of our crew, who had liberty on shore--leaving it a matter of
supererogation to bribe the Kaikos, whose integrity is never above
suspicion. However, there was no liquor to be bought, but Jack got very
comfortably drunk on Cologne water: completely exhausting the large
stocks of a long-tailed Chinaman, in whose possession it had for a
lengthened period lain an unsaleable drug. Even after it had been all
sold, so great was the demand, that an old salt threatened to take the
Chinese by the heels and snap him like a coach-whip, in case he did not
produce another bottle of "tooloone" water, without more palaver.
One evening, during our visit at Lahaina, I was entertained by a
hospitable countryman, at his cool, airy residence, which stood on a
little raised embankment of the sea beach. A group of native maidens
also favored us with their fascinating society, and without further
invitation seated themselves at table, and seizing a pack of cards,
soon became deeply engaged in the game. It was like most other games:
those who held certain cards, certainly won; but although it was to me
incomprehensible, I observed that they cheated in the most expert
manner, at the same time slapping the bits of pasteboard on the table
with the energy of inveterate whisters; occasionally muttering, when
losing or winning, such exclamations as _ka! ka!--maitai!_--meaning "Oh!
I'm ruined!" "Disgusting!" or "I'm in luck!" and the like.
Becoming ennuied with these proceedings, after much entreaty and a glass
of wine, they consented to give me an idea of surf-swimming.
The moon was high and full, throwing a white, bright light athwart the
rippling water, like a quivering sea of silver coins. A Kanaka attendant
speedily produced slabs of light cotton wood, about a foot longer than
the person, and two feet and a half wide. Each provided with one of
these boards, they swam, or paddled out to the farthest roller. It may
be as well to remark here, that there is no reef, as at Hilo, within
whose coral walls shipping can anchor; only a ledge near the shore, that
serves to break the force of the waves upon the beach. Boats, however,
land without inconvenience, through the agency of a small canal cut from
the ledge to the heart of the town, in shape of a letter L.
The girls are at the outermost roller, when awaiting the moment before
it breaks, they come flying in on the very crest of the wave, at the
speed of a race-horse, the great art being to preserve so nice a poise
on the back-bone, as it were, of the breaker, as not to be left behind,
nor yet, as I found at the cost of several abrasions, launched too far
ahead, and thus have the whole crash of the roller pitching you over and
over in a series of hydropathic revolutions by no means safe or
pleasant: but to understand the thing properly, it is excessively
exciting sport. One of the girls, daughter of a chief, possessed the
knack in great perfection, and while dashing in with astonishing
velocity--at least the rate of twenty miles the hour--she would spring
buoyantly upon the board, and then maintain a _pose_ on one leg, either
kneeling or standing, with an _a plomb_-like security of balance, that
would have ruined the reputation of Ducrow!
During the day every little idle imp and lounger about the town devote
the time sporting in the surf; I have watched them for hours, a dozen of
them perhaps in a group: their black heads set in a liquid frame of
sparkling foam, half lost to view, as the wave subsides, then taken up
by another, and borne on the unbroken ridge of a green roller, crossing
and recrossing each other's tracks, shouting and laughing, until the
moment before striking the coral strand, the boards are turned aside,
and off they paddle again for another ride.
I was not successful at the first lesson, although carefully instructed
by my amiable companions in boards; and after an hour's practice,
finding I had swallowed as much salt water as I could conveniently, we
returned to the house.
Never having witnessed a legitimate native dance, all our persuasive
eloquence was exerted to induce the young ladies to delight us with a
_hexar_, but they proved obdurate; and one assured me, with great
indignity, that she was _mikonaree all ovar_; at the same time making a
graceful manipulation with her hands, from head to foot, to add strength
to her assertion. Thus finding myself associated with so pious and
virtuous a coterie, who, however, did not deem it incompatible with
their morality to sit down, with renewed zest, to cards, I desisted from
further efforts, and betook myself to a cigar.
In this, as with all my later experience and intercourse with island
beauties, I became convinced that I should never fall in love with them
out of the water. There is their native element for grace and witchery,
whilst cleaving the yielding fluid with rounded limbs and streaming
tresses, when one's nice sense of perfume is not offended by rank odors
of cocoanut oils, and other villanous cosmetics, which in themselves are
enough to transform a Hebe into a Hecate.