430-431

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Reports of Committee on Foreign Relations 1789-1901 Volume 6 pp430-431 300dpi scan (VERY LARGE!)

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Kahului.—An important place for exporting the produce of the northern part of Maui; there are railways connecting it with Wailuku to the westward, and Spreckelsville and Haiku on the east. (See Communications.)

There was being built in 1881, out from the shore near the customhouse, a jetty which it was proposed to extend as far as the edge of the reef.

Anchorage may be obtained in from 21/2 to 7 fathoms.

Wailuku.—A nourishing village about 2 miles northwest of Kahului. Here there is a female seminary occupying an extensive range of coral buildings, beautifully situated on an inclined plane, with high precipices behind. It is considered one of the best organized establishments in the Hawaiian Islands.

Lahaina.—A town situated on the west side of West Maui, and at one time a nourishing place much frequented by whaling vessels for refitting and for obtaining supplies, but now only visited by vessels loading with sugar, which is grown on the estates in the vicinity.

The town is built along the beach for a distance of three-fourths of a mile. It is principally composed of grass houses situated as near the beach as possible. It has one principal street, with a few others at right angles to it. From seaward the town may be recognized by some conspicuous buildings, especially Government House, which is near the beach and has a tall flagstaff before it. The seminary of Lahainaluna is situated on the side of the mountain above the town.

Off the town there is an open roadstead which is completely sheltered from the trade wind by the high land of Maui, but the holding ground is reported indifferent.

Supplies.—Supplies of all sorts can be obtained here—beef, vegetables, fruit, and water in abundance.

Landing.—The landing place is at a small pier, extending from the light-house, and protected by a breakwater.

The tide is irregular, generally running northwest sixteen hours out of the twenty-four.

Patoa.—A roadstead (so called by Vancouver) situated on the southern side of West Maui. "The anchorage at Patoa is abreast of the easternmost of these valleys, which appeared fruitful and well cultivated."

Kamalalaea Bay settlements.—The bay is on the west side of Maui, lying between two peninsulas, the western side formed by rocky cliffs and precipices. Nearly in the middle of this side is a village called Mackerrey, off which is an anchorage in 7 fathoms. No details known.

Maalaea.—Near the head of Kamalalaea Bay, in the northeast corner, is the small village of Maalaea. Here there are some houses for storing sugar. Besides sugar there is a great quantity of wheat, maize, and potatoes grown in this district, and supplies of fresh provisions are obtained in plenty from Wailuku, which is about 6 miles distant.

The anchorage off this place is not good, as the trade wind blows across the low isthmus in heavy gusts, and communication with the shore by boats is sometimes interrupted.

There is a small pier here for loading schooners and boats can always go alongside, the channel leading to the landing place being about 20 yards wide, between two coral reefs.

Makena, or Makees Landing.—A small indentation in the west coast of East Maui, near the southwestern extremity of the island. It

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derives the latter name from a planter whose estate is situated on the side of Mauna Haleakala, on a plateau 2,000 feet above the sea and about 5 miles east of the landing place. Near the landing are a stone church and several houses. The anchorage is exposed to the heavy squalls which occasionally blow over the low isthmus in the center of Maui, and landing is at times impracticable for ships' boats owing to the heavy surf. The holding ground is not good.

Island of Kauai. (Map E).

Kauai lies 64 miles west by north of Oahu, and is separated from it by the Kaieie Waho channel. This island is of volcanic formation, somewhat circular in shape, 25 miles long and 22 miles wide, and rises in the center to a peak 5,000 feet in height.

Coast.—From the seaward the northeast and northwest sides appear broken and rugged, but to the south the land is more even; the hills rise with a gentle slope from the shore, and at some distance back are covered with woods.

The southern point of the island is a bold, barren, rocky headland, falling perpendicularly into the sea.

Ninini Point, north point of Nawiliwili Harbor, is low, level, grassy laud, sprinkled with volcanic bowlders extending from a range of low hills that stretch along the coast at a short distance from the beach, which extends northward to Wailua.

Along the coast from Wailua sugar cane appears to be cultivated in large quantities, especially in the vicinity of Wailua and Kanala Point, where there are several factories.

From this point to Hanalei Bay are several small villages scattered along the coast near the mouths of mountain streams which are closed by sand bars. The land near the sea is flat and very fertile, but soon rises to the mountains behind. The rivers as well as the sea abound in fish.

The northwest coast of Kauai, forming the district Na Pali, has a very rugged appearance, rising to lofty abrupt cliffs that jut out into a variety of steep rocky points destitute of both soil and verdure, but terminating nearly in uniform even summits, on which, in the valleys or chasms between them, are several patches of green. Here and there a stream running from the lofty mountains behind finds its way to the ocean.

Mana Point, the western extremity of Kauai, is a long, low sand spit, commencing at the foot of a high range of mountains, and from it a sandy plain extends to the town of Waimea. This plain is from a quarter to a mile wide and 150 feet above the sea, whence it rises gradually to the mountains.

It has a sunburnt appearance and is destitute of trees, except on the low grounds where the cocoanut thrives. The sea here abounds in fish. Between Waimea and Kaloa Bay, the south point of Kauai, extends a series of sunburnt hills and barren plains, sloping gradually to the shore from the mountains, and here and there intersected by ravines. There is no cultivation, and the soil only produces a kind of coarse grass quite unfit for pasture.

Interior.—The island of Kauai is considered one of the most pleasant of the group. Portions of it appear better adapted to agriculture than the other islands, and the coffee and sugar plantations on the weather


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