Diseases of the eye are not unfrequent; and sometimes produce entire blindness: when they are called "mate kaha," "the sickness of a spell or charm"--which some few persons are supposed to have the power of inflicting. These enchanters, in order to produce this effect, are said to procure the saliva of their intended victim; and folding it in a parcel of leaves, wrought together in a peculiar manner, bury it under the ground. As this decays, it is believed the object of their malice will gradually lose his sight, or pine away and die. The only remedy, in such cases, is thought to be the discovery of the hidden kaha. Boils, abscesses, and cutaneous diseases are common--among others, one, of which little urchins at school, and sometimes older fellows, in our own country, occasionally feel the inconvenience. The people, notwithstanding, are altogether a more smooth skinned race than the Sandwich Islanders; and few, here, exhibit the disgusting deformity, so common among our old friends, attending such affections. After having crossed the mountain torrent several times, on the back of my kind and attentive guide, and gone the distance mentioned, a native overtook us walking rapidly and talking loudly and angrily with my companion-without noticing any thing said by me. The latter immediately manifested some uneasiness, and said "let us return." asking why? the only answer I could get, was "let us go to the sea side "--and taking me by the hand, he hurried on. Though many we met, exchanged my friendly "aloha" on passing, with as much kindness as usual, I perceived from the sour and On 324 FXPRESSIONS OF ILL WILL. angry looks of others, that all was not right; and was confirmed in the belief, as a large fierce looking fellow, seated between the stone images at the tabuhouse mentioned, scowled on me like a demon, without taking the least notice of my salutation. All the explanation I could get from the guide was, "kakino!" "It is bad!" as he hastened me forward, in evident apprehension till we came in sight of the ship, and to the beach, where the boat had already arrived, and those on shore were beginning to assemble. I have not yet learned the cause of anxiety expressed by my conductor, or of the manifest ill will exhibited by many met on our return. LETTER X. TRIP TO THE VALLEY OF HAKAPAA. Bay of Oomi at Nukuhiva, That in the OOMI is the most eastern of three deep indentures in the coast, separated from one another, by two beautifully verdant, but unwooded promontories, projecting into a common inlet of the sea. centre is the largest and deepest-running two miles farther inland than either of the others. It is called Hakahaa; and fronts the neutral ground between the Hapas and Taipiis-the scene of Commodore Porter's principal skirmishes with the latter. The most western indenture called Hakapaa, three miles from Oomi, is the smallest of the three, and washes the shores occupied by the Hapas. Finding our present anchorage to be so much in the vicinity of these places, Captain Finch determined on visiting both,--the bay of the Hapas at Hakapaa, for the purpose of an interview with the Taua of that tribe--and that of Hakahaa to ascertain the character of the neutral ground, and to compare its scenery and capacity for improvement with other portions of the island already visited by us. We left the Vincennes accordingly, at nine o'clock this morning, in three cutters; and had scarcely doubled the first promontory, a half a mile from the ship, before we had the assurance, that in point of scenery at least, the excursion would not be devoid of interest. The morning was unclouded and delightful; the heat, though powerful in the sun, not being oppressive under the awnings of our boats. The high point-consisting of successive shelves of black lava, covered with smooth grass-gleamed cheerfully in the brightness of the day, while the whole interior of the valley, and the mountain above, presented one mass of groves, rich in splendid and various verdure. To the very mountain's top, the cottages of the Taipiis, bleached by alternate sun and rain till white as a plastered dwelling at home, were seen sprinkled among the hanging woods. Perched high in the solitudes of the forest, and but partially exposed to the sight amidst the thick shades by which they are encircled and overhung, had we not known them to be only the lairs of the savage, there would have been little fancy in supposing from their apparent VOL. I. 28 326 ROW ACROSS THE BAY neatness and good taste, that they were the abodes of men, more happy in all their circumstances, than the highlander of Scotland or the peasant of the Alps. We knew it, indeed, to be one of those cases in which "Distance lends enchantment to the view”— and that the seeming neatness, taste and artificial improvement would vanish on a closer inspection, leaving little to admire but that loveliness, which Providence has scattered, in such rich profusion, over these unfrequented shores. Still, without any thing in sight to remind us of being in a land of barbarians, it was difficult to free the mind, as we gazed with enthusiasm on the scene, from the associations of rural quiet, purity, and contentment, which the same imagery in a civilized and Christian country would irresistibly have excited. That nothing might be wanting to complete the picturesque character of the whole, two noble cascades, high upon the mountain side, glittered like streams of silver on the eye, as they sported and tumbled hundreds of feet down the dark chasms, through which their waters are hurried to the sea. Our first destination was to the valley of Hakapaa, to seek an interview with the Taua of the Hapas ; and we rowed directly across the mouth of the central bay-stretching two or three miles inland to the shores of the neutral ground, seen winding far among the mountains in the blue distance-to the point of the second promontory. On doubling this, which entirely conceals, in the direction we approached, the habitable parts of Hakapaa, the first object that caught our eye was the top of a waterfall, leaping TO THE VALLEY OF HAKAPAA. 327 down the centre of a richly wooded precipice, five or six hundred feet in height, which incloses, by a semicircular sweep of a half a mile, the entire valley except towards the bay. The stream was larger than any we had before seen, and gave promise of a degree of gratification, on a nearer view, which did not prove deceptive. On landing at the little beach skirting the bottom of the basin, we found the place as interesting in its general features as any we had seen; the neatness and massive character of the walls, enclosures of stone, and apparent comfort of the dwellings, being quite equal to any thing we had observed, even at the glen of Taioa. The stream forming the falls above, winds with rapidity through the middle of the valley, pouring itself into the bay, at the east end of the beach. Near its outlet a fleet of fishing boats was drawn up on the bank, and in the midst of them a large war-canoe, similar in its construction to that in which the chiefs at Taioa paid their visit of ceremony to the ship. In addition to the wooden god and the decorations of human hair behind, the skull of a murdered Taipii was lashed on each corner of the platform elevated at the stern-proclaiming the prowess of the victor in past engagements, and designed, by their spectral gaze, to throw intimidation and terror upon the enemy hardy enough to approach in another conflict. Not having met any thing of the kind before, the unexpectedness of the sight was accompanied by a feeling, that made us sensible of being in one of those "dark places of the earth," that are "full of the habitations of cruelty." |