104

DESCRIPTION OF THE CASCADE

by precipices of rock a hundred and fifty feet or more high, richly covered with moss, fern, and shrubbery. An insulated, pyramidal peak, at the base of which we stood, rises directly opposite to the cascade; its formation, like that of the arch, being almost precisely that of the Giant's Causeway--possessing the same distinctive characteristics in form, and in regularity of arrangement.

There was something so secluded in the location, so wild in the outline, so rich and beautiful in the foliage and clothing of the cliffs, and in the mantling of their summits, so imposing in the rushing of the stream-as it poured itself in a silvered mass, directly, as it were, from the blue bosom of the sky, and then plunged, in equal splendor, into the depths below-that we were irresistibly charmed with the whole scene; and greatly regretted, that we should not have an opportunity of revisiting it for a day, in addition to the single hour we could now remain.

There is another waterfall in the Wairuku, still farther inland, which, Mr. Goodrich thinks, cannot be less than three hundred feet in height. Indeed, the numerous streams furrowing this section of Hawaii, from the mountains to the shore, are filled with them; and the whole may appropriately be styled "the region of cascades."

We returned to the bay, by a different path, from that by which we went up. It led us directly to a range of three old craters, in the rear of the mission house, and half a mile from it. The highest and largest is that next the bay; and, when viewed from the water, partially conceals the others. Its trun

AND ADJOINING SCENERY.

105

cated summit, a half mile in circumference, rises three or four hundred feet above the adjoining ground; and is now, in every part, perfectly covered with turf. The sides of the rims next the sea, are in all of thein the lowest; and show plainly, that when in action, they disgorged themselves in that direction. Mr. Goodrich has encircled the largest, with a broad, deep ditch; and converted it into a pasturage for his cattle, and for the horses of some of the chiefs, which have been sent to Hido for keeping.

The tops of the craters command fine views of the surrounding country; especially of the bay, in its entire outline-from the blue and peaceful waters of which, the Vincennes was now seen to rise, loftily and beautifully, with her long pennant and broad banner gleaming brightly, in the setting sun.

LETTER VI.

THE HEREDITARY AND LAST PRIESTESS OF PELE.

U. S. Ship Vincennes, Byron's Bay,

October 12th, 1829.

On our return from the cascade of the Rainbow, Mr. Stribling and myself called at the mission house, and were, unexpectedly, gratified by an interview with the hereditary and last PRIESTESS OF PELE.

In speaking of the volcano, Mr. Goodrich incidentally remarked, that this individual was now residing in the immediate neighborhood; and, at our

106 PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF THE PRIESTESS.

suggestion, sent a messenger to invite her over. She almost immediately came, attended by her household, consisting of eight or ten individuals, male and female. I should judge her to be forty or forty-five years of age; a tall, finely formed, majestic woman, wrapped in a large, black mantle of native cloth, falling in thick folds like the Roman toga, from the bust to the ground. We were much impressed with her appearance, as she entered at the head of her train, and, after receiving our salutations, became seated on a mat in the centre of the apartment, in the attitude of a Turkish female on a divan. style of her face is remarkably noble and commanding-indicative of strong traits of character-with a full, piercing black eye, which I can readily imagine, might be fearfully intimidating to the superstitions, when flashing in the wildness of an imaginary inspiration. There was not only a deep seriousness, but a decided cast of melancholy in her whole aspect, which reminded me, in connection with the strongly marked and superior contour of of her features, of a fine print of the tragic muse, which I recollect to have seen.

The

Perhaps the impression on my mind was deepened, by the recollection of a rencontre, when a resident of Lahaina, with an inferior priestess of the same order, then still holding, or claiming the prerogatives of her class. I unexpectedly met her in an evening walk, followed by a considerable company; some, evidently under the influence of a superstitious feeling in reference to her; and others, as evidently disposed to deride her pretensions. She

INSTANCE OF AFFECTED INSPIRATION.

107

was dressed in a fantastic manner, with dishevelled hair-her eyes flashing in a half-frenzy, from the degree of excitement to which she had wrought herself-and appeared altogether like a maniac: such as I supposed her in reality to be, till undeceived by the exclamations of the crowd, "it is a goddess— it is a goddess!”

As if to intimidate, she approached me with a fierce and daring look; and waving before her a small flag of tapa, appended to a light staff, supported the claim by the declaration, "I am a goddess—a goddess indeed!—the palapala and the pule (letters and religion) are not good: they will destroy the people!" Until then, I was passing without intending to take further notice of her; but, understanding this-in view of the respective causes thus brought forward by her as a kind of challenge, I stopped; and deliberating, for a moment, what course to pursue, fixed my eyes fully on hers, and charged her with falsehood and wickedness, in her attempts to deceive the people, by proclaiming herself a goddess, while conscious that she was an impostor, and that her pretensions to inspiration were a “mea punipuni wale no," "a thing of falsehood only." I spoke in a serious and positive tone, and my words had the effect designed. She could not meet the fixedness of my gaze; her eyes wavered and dropt; and becoming greatly embarrassed, she endeavored to turn the whole into a laugh; but I continued my reproof, till she hurried silently away, followed by the hootings and ridicule of the whole throng.

108

CONVERSION TO CHRISTIANITY.

This individual was of small figure, and not of striking face, except in the brilliancy and power of a fine eye; yet, in the fit of enthusiasm in which she at first appeared, there was an expression so unnatural, as to be fearful, even to the mind superior to superstitious emotions; and which, irresistibly, reminded me of what I have imagined the looks of a demoniac to have been, in the times, when such possessions were, for wise purposes, permitted.

A lively recollection of the impressions of this incident, connected with the disadvantage in person and feature in the case, compared with the individual now present, enabled me easily to conceive, how fully this chief priestess, from the strength of expression and action of which her face and figure are evidently capable-under the excitement of a supposed inspiration by the goddess whose altar she served, while her

"eye, in a fine frenzy rolling, Should glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven,”

might infuse, into a credulous votary, impressions and fears, that would readily be attributed to the power and agency of a supernatural being.

It was by exhibitions of this kind, and the effect produced by them on the populace, that the priests and priestesses, especially those of Pelé, or the goddess of volcanoes, continued their sway over the belief and superstitious feelings of the people.

The priestess is now a firm believer in Christianity, and is one of the most attentive pupils of the station, at which, entirely for the benefit of instruc