https://hmha.missionhouses.org/files/original/50a08a846964ae0f66086c47d0de9bc9.pdf 39dad5f9529c061dcbc5b76235e84949 PDF Text Text CONTENTS Committee report on the d is t r ic t of Waimea, as p o ssib le s i t e for a h e a lth resort for m issio n arie s. 1830 Submitted by the Committee, Lorrin Andrews, Jonathan S Green, Levi Chamberlain, G errit P Judd. La h ain a , Maui, Map of area January 9th 1830 ��[ Committee Report on d is t r ic t of Waimea] [ Ja n . 1830] The committee appointed by several o f the M issio n aries at November Honolulu in l a s t , and approved by those not p r e s e n t, fo r the purpose of exploring the d is t r ic t of Waimea on the is la n d of H a w a ii, with the hope of fin d in g a place favourable to the re sto r a t io n of h e a lth in cases where i t has been a ffe c te d by the in flu e n c e of the hot clim ate o f these islands ; here communicate the fo llo w in g as the resu lt of t h e ir observations and i n q u ir ie s . The committee arriv ed at Waimea on the 2nd day of D ec . and resid e d there nearly three w eeks. (1 8 2 9 ) They resid ed at two d iffe r e n t places in [paper torn] d is t r ic t about four miles distant from each other & from each of these places frequently made excursions i n the n e i g h b o r h o o d f o r the purpose o f extending th eir info rm ation - and comparing the lo c a l advantages of d if f e r e n t sections o f the d i s t r i c t . I n the Meteorological Observations Kuahewa a place up the h i l l from K a i l u a , and Kuapehu b ack o f Kaawaloa are compared w it h Waimea. The M eterological observations of these places are as fo llo w s : The places where the committee re s id e d were were ( ! ) at Ke a a l i i situ ated about eleven miles a l i t t l e South of East from Kawaihae �2. Committee Report n ea rly at the summit of the table lands of Waimea on the Western d e c l i v i t y ; and at Puukapu about four miles [paper torn] erly from K e aa lii. The d i s t r ic t of Waimea i s the Southern part of the d i v i s i o n of K o h a la . I t i s hounded on the North by the abrupt term ination of the D iv is io n mountains of K o h a la , on the East by the of Hamakua, on the South by the mountains Kea and H u a l a l a i, and on the West by the s e a . This d i s t r i c t , as n early as could be a sce rta in e d is about 2 0 miles in le n g th from E a st to We s t , and from 5 to 9 North and S o u th . Prom the Sea Shore on the W est, the ascent i s gradual the d i s ­ tance of about 11 m ile s; so much so th at w ith a to le ra b le ro a d , c a r t s , w aggons, & c . could ea sily and sa fe ly be drawn up. K e a a lii. This place i s called From th is point Eastwardly the distance of 6 or 8 m iles perhaps more, the la n d s , though by no means a dead l e v e l i s even p l a i n , a pretty frequently interspersed w it h h illo c k s & r i s in g grounds, and towards the Eastern p a r t, are several of considerable s i z e . Prom th e E astern part of Waimea towards the sea, through the d i v i s i o n of Hamakua, the descent i s not so great as on the West but is terminated a t the Sea by high lava p r e c ip ic e s , some of which are judged to be from one thousand to two thousand, or two thousand fiv e hundred f e e t . On th e supposition that the table lands of Waimea i s 11 miles from the sea on the West and the ascent is three d e g r e e s , the perpen­ d ic u la r elevation w i l l be no t fa r from 2600 f e e t . This estimate is probably w it h in bounds when i t is considered that there i s some con­ sid e r a b le descent from Waimea to W aipio a distan ce o f 10 or 12 miles and that the perpendicular b l u f f at W aipio is at le a s t 2000 f e e t . �Committee Report 3. The general & p r e v a ilin g winds are probably the trade w in d s , though during most of the time that the committee spent at Waimea, the w in d blew alternately from the East & th e W e s t, or what i n most other places would be c a lle d land and sea b re e zes. however are evidently very much m odified by distance and th e ir passage over lands ence . These trade winds from the sea elevated much above th e ir general i n f l u ­ When the w in d is from the E a s t , i t i s much stronger at Puu- kapu than at Ke a a l i i and v ic e versa. The information obtained from n a tiv e re sid en ts at Waimea re sp e c t­ ing w in d , rain & cold is very in d e f in it e owing to t h e ir h av in g no standard by which to judge of them. Mauae an i n t e l l ig e n t young n a tiv e having re sid ed there fo r f i v e years says: "th a t E a ste rly w in ds are fre q u e n tly strong, but not so strong as to tear down h o u s e s. That this same wind when i t reaches the s e a at Kawaihae ( ! ) Is much strong­ er than at Ke a a l i i , of Waimea. or than any wind that blows over the table land That the strongest w ind that blows at that place is c a l l e d Kona and i s from th e W e s t ." (K e a a l i i ) The w inds so n o ted fo r violence c a lle d Mumuku and which come down upon the sea between K awaihae ( ! ) and Puako are not near as strong when passing over the h ig h ground of Waimea. I t i s im possible from the short p e rio d of observation, to state p a r tic u la r ly the various degrees of heat or cold during th e y e a r . The M eteorological ta b le w i l l show the degrees of heat a n d cold during a few day s. I t is to b e remarked however that in c le a r weather the Thermometer stood several degrees lower than i n c lo u d y ; and and (! ) hence i f th e d is t in c t io n between wet and dry seasons be as marked as at most other parts of the is l a n d s , there w i l l no t b e great range of the Thermometer as might be expected. such a The cloudy wet �Committee Report: season of w inter w i l l cause the Mercury to r is e w hile the weather of Summer w i l l cause i t to f a l l . No signs clear dry of f r o s t appeared in a n y part of the d i s t r i c t , though the n a tiv e s say that sometimes there are f r o s t s . The most correct data for forming an opinion re sp ectin g the quantity of r a in that f a l l s , is the q uantity and appearance of vege­ tatio n . I t is w e l l known to a l l who have t r a v e lle d much on these is la n d s , that the growth o f v eg etatio n is luxurious wherever rains are fr e q u e n t. At and near the sea shore at K awaihae & Puako, is no appearance of vegetation except very low shrubs, dry looking g r a s s . there t h is t le s and On ascending towards the E a s t , v e g eta tio n slowly but gradually in c r e a s e s , so that at K e a a l ii there are found grass in considerable q u a n t it ie s , and potatoes grow w e l l , large bushes & even sm all t r e e s ; upland kalo and there is no doubt but gardens might be cu ltiv a te d to good advantage, subject perhaps to great d ro u ghts. Proceeding s t i l l farth er Eastw ardly, to W aikoloa (about 2 m iles) there i s evidence of s t i l l more ra in , indigenous grass i s as vegetation of a l l kinds to the isla n d s is i n abundance and always g re e n . The high and thick and trees grow to the height of from 20 to fifty fe e t . Proceeding s t i l l fu rth e r to th e Eastward towards Puukapu & on­ ward, the quantity of r a i n that f a l l s is evidently g r e a t e r . The trees here are much l a r g e r , that is , from 10 to 2 0 or 25 inches in diameter & from 20 to 50 or 60 feet h ig h . such as grass, w eed s, bushes & c . The smaller species of v egetatio n are t a l l , thick & ta n g le d . The ra in s are g e n e ra lly not heavy showers but the gen tle d i s t i l ­ la tio n of clouds that run low . borne by the trade winds, As these clouds come from the E a s t , the h eig h t of land is so great when they leave the, sea that they d isch arge themselves b e fo r e they reach even �Committee Report 5. the Western descent of Waimea. Hence proceeding from West to East through t h i s d i s t r ic t , the evidence of more and more r a i n increases at e v e ry s t e p . S t i l l there appears no evidence of g reat floods or of great quantities of r a in f a l l i n g at any one time; as there evidently would be were I t o ften the f a c t . the ta b le or le v e l lan d of Waimea. This remark app lies e s p e c ia lly to Add to this the f a c t that two of the streams of Waimea h ereafter to be mentioned pass down to the Westward and though they are streams of considerable s iz e when they descend from the m ountains, yet are lost long before they reach the sea, w hich would not be the case i f they were frequently rep len ish ed w ith heavy r a in s f a l l in g upon the le v e l lands of this d i s t r i c t . When the rain f i r s t appears at Puukapu it has the appearance of This comes on g e n e ra lly between the hours of 12 a t h ic k dense f o g . & 1 in the day and continues u n t i l 4 or 5 in the a fterno o n when i t clears o f f . This fo g does not always produce r a i n nor does the fog appear every d a y . There is less o f it at the South s id e o f Waimea, much less both o f fo g and wind at W aikoloa and s t i l l le ss at Ke a a l i i . The reason therefore why the Thermometer i s lower at Ke a a l i i than at Puukapu is owing to the greater frequency and d e n sity of clou ds, w eath e r. as the Thermometer always stood lower in clear than in cloudy I t could not be ascertained however, w it h any degree of certain ty that rains are more frequent at one part of the year than another. Besides the r a in s just mentioned, there are three streams of water running through parts of th is d i s t r i c t each o f them s u f f i c ie n t l y large to propel machinery equal to two horse power. descend from the mountains on the North; W aikoloa & one a t Puukapu. These streams one at Ke a a l i i , one at The one at Ke a a l i i is a r a p id stream of �Committee Report 6. a rocky bottom and as soon as it reaches the p lain which is ju st below the h eig h t of land on the Western d e c l i v i t y , i t turns to the Westward and w i t h i n a distan ce of fo u r or fiv e m iles is en tire ly absorbed except when great r a in s f a l l upon the M ountains, in w hich case it sometimes perhaps reaches the s e a . This stream is e v id e n tly a t times h ig h and ra p id as appears from g r a s s , w eeds, leaves &c l e f t on the m argin or lodged ( ! ) against the larger brush wood and rocks w it h in the beds of th e stream. The stream a t Waikoloa is perhaps g enerally as large or larger than th e one at K e a a l i i , though the former has no appearance of b ein g suddenly or greatly a ffe c t e d by r a in s from the m ountains. On reaching the p la in i t runs Southwardly some d ista n c e , then turns to the W est­ ward n early p a r a l l e l , b u t some distance to the south of the stream at K e a a l i i , and lik e it is lost long before i t reaches the s e a . It s f l ow is very gentle w h il e i t continues on the table la n d n o t u nlik e the streams that pass through the meadow land of New E n g la n d . The stream at Puukapu is very sim ilar to the one at W a ik o lo a . Perhaps i f there be any d ifferen ce there is more w a te r. A fter coming down upon the p la in it turns to the East and probably empties into the sea in some part of Hamakua. It is to be observed th at the in flu e n c e o f these streams i s co n fined to the northern part o f Waimea, so that i f a l i n e were drawn from East to West through t h is d i s t r ic t separating that part which might be watered from these streams from those parts which are e n tire ly dependant on the r a i n s , perhaps four f i f t h s would be without any permanent w ater. Whether water can b e obtained by digging must remain fo r future experim ent. The growth of wood either for fu el or timber is abundant on the Eastern part of Waimea or s t i l l n earer on the mountains b o rd erin g this d i s t r ic t on the North. Timber fo r n a tiv e b u ild in g s could be e a s ily �Committee Report 7. obtained and even timber fo r frames would not be d i f f i c u l t . Stones are plenty a l i t t l e below the s u r face of the grounds as appears from the long stone w a lls b u i l t to confine the w ild ca ttle to the Southern part of the d i s t r i c t . The present state of land c u ltiv a tio n i s very sim ila r to every part of the Is l a n d . L it t le or n o thin g is done by the people except to provide for t h e ir present n e c e s sitie s; the garden of of ( ! ) the i s l a n d s . cannot go into d e t a i l . but th is land might be made On th is subject however the committe e S u ffic e i t to say that large f i e l d s might ea sily be prepared for the plough and made to wave w i t h productions f i t t e d for the f ood of man & b e a s t. lu xu ries A l l the necessaries & many of the of l i f e might be e a s il y produced. I t i s w ell known that large herds of w ild cattle range the South part of t h is d i s t r i c t , but frequently come to the North s id e for w ater. Some o f these might be domesticated and made se rv ic e ab le to the in h a b ita n ts, and horses also might e a s ily be kept and made to add extensively to t h e ir comfort & convenience. The present population must be co nsiderable though fo r the want of water i t is mostly confined to the Northern p a r t . The congregations on the Sabbaths amounted to f i v e or s i x hundred, though it the men were a l l absent from home cutting sandal wood. was s a id The p ro b a b il­ ity is that a congregation of from 1000 to 1500 might be c o lle c te d every Sabbath i f there were regular p rea c h in g . These people appeared anxious f o r In s t r u c t io n and desirous that M issionaries should come and liv e w ith them. Two roads might be made to th is place; from Puako. one from Kaw a ih a e , the other The former route ( ! ) Is two or three m iles n e a r e r , but the expense o f making a good waggon road would be considerably greater �Committee Report 8 than t h e o th e r . The p r in c ip a l obstructions consist i n larg e loose st o n e s , b u t in general not d i f f i c u l t to be removed w ith good le v e r s . A good road from Puako to K e a a lii could easily be made. I t w i l l b e observed that the foregoing remarks have been confined mostly to the Northern section o f th is d i s t r i c t . I t was early d i s ­ covered that the Southern parts were d estitu te of running water and there being no evidence that water could be procured by d ig g in g , it was thought unnecessary to examine a country so d e f i c i e n t i n that e s­ s e n tia l a r t i c l e . I t should not be concealed that the committee th in k from a ll they have been able to learn from natives and fo re ig n e rs who have frequent­ ly passed through the d i s t r i c t , that they were at Waimea i n a very favourable tim e; that i s , when there were less ra in and w in d than usu al. But t h is cannot be decided w ith certainty w ith o ut an actu al resid en ce at the p lac e . Should an establishm ent be made either at K e a a l i i , W a ik o loa or Puukapu the natural scenery is of a k in d the most In t e r e s t in g p ar­ taking of the grand and b e a u t if u l . On the North and n ear at hand r is e the almost p e rp en d icular, l o f t y , but ever verdant h i l l s of K oh ala. On the South E a s t, and H u a l a l a l , South and South W est, Mauna K e a , Mauna Loa the two former ra isin g t h e ir summits to the clouds and g en erally covered w ith snow present a prospect w ith w h ic h the eye is not soon s a t i s f i e d . From the elevations at Waikoloa and Puukapu, the whole d i s t r i c t appears spread out e x h ib itin g gentle undulations groves of trees - here and there a house amids ( ! ) luxuriant verdure and d istan t herds of cattle fe e d in g on the e xten siv e p l a i n . These prospects occasionally ( !) obscured or rendered unpleasant by fo gs, c lo u d s, winds and r a i n , and a g a in bursting fo rth w it h a l l t h e ir �Committee Report 9. dista n t and v a r ie d b e a u t y , must constitute those g ra te fu l v ic is s it u d e s so agreeable to men generally and e s p e c ia lly to those accustomed to the changes of a Northern clim ate. I n conclusion, a fte r a l l the information they could co llect u n ite d w ith personal observation, the committee are unanimous In the o p in io n , that considering the d e b il it a t in g influence of the hot climate of these isla n d s upon the constitutions and health of many of the M issio n arie s and that I n order to prevent [hole i n paper] premature death they are l ia b le to be sent from t h is f i e l d o f labour paper ] [hole in s u ffic ie n t inducements for making a thorough t r i a l of the d i s t r i c t of Waimea as a place of residence h ig h ly fa v o u ra b le to the recovery of h e a lth , comfort and usefu lne ss of those who may resort that a to. i t , and ( hole i n paper) statio n there would be connected w ith interests 'the moral & s p ir it u a l [hole i n paper] o f an in t e r e s tin g portion of these i s l a n d s . Of the expediency of taking a s t a t io n at Waimea at t h is other time under any circum stances, an o p in io n . or any the committee here do not express They l e ave this fo r the general meeting of the M issio n ar­ ie s and t h e ir patrons in America to d e c id e . A l l which is r e s p e c tfu lly subm itted. Lorrin Andrews Levi Chamberlain ) ) ) ) ) G errit P . Judd ) Jonathan S . Green Lahaina January 9th 1 8 3 0 . Committee � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Mission Station Reports - Hawaii Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Mission Station Reports - Hawaii - Waimea - 1830 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1830