roughing it-第75章

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stretching　up　into　the　curtaining　clouds；　and　at　the　specks　of　houses　in
the　rearward　distance　and　the　diminished　schooner　riding　sleepily　at
anchor。　　And　when　these　grew　tiresome　we　dashed　boldly　into　the　midst　of
a　school　of　huge；　beastly　porpoises　engaged　at　their　eternal　game　of
arching　over　a　wave　and　disappearing；　and　then　doing　it　over　again　and
keeping　it　upalways　circling　over；　in　that　way；　like　so　many　well…
submerged　wheels。　　But　the　porpoises　wheeled　themselves　away；　and　then　we
were　thrown　upon　our　own　resources。　　It　did　not　take　many　minutes　to
discover　that　the　sun　was　blazing　like　a　bonfire；　and　that　the　weather
was　of　a　melting　temperature。　　It　had　a　drowsing　effect；　too。
In　one　place　we　came　upon　a　large　company　of　naked　natives；　of　both　sexes
and　all　ages；　amusing　themselves　with　the　national　pastime　of　surf…
bathing。　　Each　heathen　would　paddle　three　or　four　hundred　yards　out　to
sea；　（taking　a　short　board　with　him）；　then　face　the　shore　and　wait　for　a
particularly　prodigious　billow　to　come　along；　at　the　right　moment　he
would　fling　his　board　upon　its　foamy　crest　and　himself　upon　the　board；
and　here　he　would　come　whizzing　by　like　a　bombshell！　　It　did　not　seem
that　a　lightning　express　train　could　shoot　along　at　a　more　hair…lifting
speed。　　I　tried　surf…bathing　once；　subsequently；　but　made　a　failure　of
it。　　I　got　the　board　placed　right；　and　at　the　right　moment；　too；　but
missed　the　connection　myself。The　board　struck　the　shore　in　three
quarters　of　a　second；　without　any　cargo；　and　I　struck　the　bottom　about
the　same　time；　with　a　couple　of　barrels　of　water　in　me。　　None　but　natives
ever　master　the　art　of　surf…bathing　thoroughly。

At　the　end　of　an　hour；　we　had　made　the　four　miles；　and　landed　on　a　level
point　of　land；　upon　which　was　a　wide　extent　of　old　ruins；　with　many　a
tall　cocoanut　tree　growing　among　them。　　Here　was　the　ancient　City　of
Refugea　vast　inclosure；　whose　stone　walls　were　twenty　feet　thick　at　the
base；　and　fifteen　feet　high；　an　oblong　square；　a　thousand　and　forty　feet
one　way　and　a　fraction　under　seven　hundred　the　other。　　Within　this
inclosure；　in　early　times；　has　been　three　rude　temples；　each　two　hundred
and　ten　feet　long　by　one　hundred　wide；　and　thirteen　high。

In　those　days；　if　a　man　killed　another　anywhere　on　the　island　the
relatives　were　privileged　to　take　the　murderer's　life；　and　then　a　chase
for　life　and　liberty　beganthe　outlawed　criminal　flying　through　pathless
forests　and　over　mountain　and　plain；　with　his　hopes　fixed　upon　the
protecting　walls　of　the　City　of　Refuge；　and　the　avenger　of　blood
following　hotly　after　him！

Sometimes　the　race　was　kept　up　to　the　very　gates　of　the　temple；　and　the
panting　pair　sped　through　long　files　of　excited　natives；　who　watched　the
contest　with　flashing　eye　and　dilated　nostril；　encouraging　the　hunted
refugee　with　sharp；　inspiriting　ejaculations；　and　sending　up　a　ringing
shout　of　exultation　when　the　saving　gates　closed　upon　him　and　the　cheated
pursuer　sank　exhausted　at　the　threshold。　　But　sometimes　the　flying
criminal　fell　under　the　hand　of　the　avenger　at　the　very　door；　when　one
more　brave　stride；　one　more　brief　second　of　time　would　have　brought　his
feet　upon　the　sacred　ground　and　barred　him　against　all　harm。　　Where　did
these　isolated　pagans　get　this　idea　of　a　City　of　Refugethis　ancient
Oriental　custom？

This　old　sanctuary　was　sacred　to　alleven　to　rebels　in　arms　and　invading
armies。　　Once　within　its　walls；　and　confession　made　to　the　priest　and
absolution　obtained；　the　wretch　with　a　price　upon　his　head　could　go　forth
without　fear　and　without　dangerhe　was　tabu；　and　to　harm　him　was　death。
The　routed　rebels　in　the　lost　battle　for　idolatry　fled　to　this　place　to
claim　sanctuary；　and　many　were　thus　saved。

Close　to　the　corner　of　the　great　inclosure　is　a　round　structure　of　stone；
some　six　or　eight　feet　high；　with　a　level　top　about　ten　or　twelve　in
diameter。　　This　was　the　place　of　execution。　　A　high　palisade　of　cocoanut
piles　shut　out　the　cruel　scenes　from　the　vulgar　multitude。　　Here
criminals　were　killed；　the　flesh　stripped　from　the　bones　and　burned；　and
the　bones　secreted　in　holes　in　the　body　of　the　structure。　　If　the　man　had
been　guilty　of　a　high　crime；　the　entire　corpse　was　burned。

The　walls　of　the　temple　are　a　study。　　The　same　food　for　speculation　that
is　offered　the　visitor　to　the　Pyramids　of　Egypt　he　will　find　herethe
mystery　of　how　they　were　constructed　by　a　people　unacquainted　with
science　and　mechanics。　　The　natives　have　no　invention　of　their　own　for
hoisting　heavy　weights；　they　had　no　beasts　of　burden；　and　they　have　never
even　shown　any　knowledge　of　the　properties　of　the　lever。　　Yet　some　of　the
lava　blocks　quarried　out；　brought　over　rough；　broken　ground；　and　built
into　this　wall；　six　or　seven　feet　from　the　ground；　are　of　prodigious　size
and　would　weigh　tons。　　How　did　they　transport　and　how　raise　them？

Both　the　inner　and　outer　surfaces　of　the　walls　present　a　smooth　front　and
are　very　creditable　specimens　of　masonry。　　The　blocks　are　of　all　manner
of　shapes　and　sizes；　but　yet　are　fitted　together　with　the　neatest
exactness。　　The　gradual　narrowing　of　the　wall　from　the　base　upward　is
accurately　preserved。

No　cement　was　used；　but　the　edifice　is　firm　and　compact　and　is　capable　of
resisting　storm　and　decay　for　centuries。　　Who　built　this　temple；　and　how
was　it　built；　and　when；　are　mysteries　that　may　never　be　unraveled。
Outside　of　these　ancient　walls　lies　a　sort　of　coffin…shaped　stone　eleven
feet　four　inches　long　and　three　feet　square　at　the　small　end　（it　would
weigh　a　few　thousand　pounds）；　which　the　high　chief　who　held　sway　over
this　district　many　centuries　ago　brought　thither　on　his　shoulder　one　day
to　use　as　a　lounge！　　This　circumstance　is　established　by　the　most
reliable　traditions。　　He　used　to　lie　down　on　it；　in　his　indolent　way；　and
keep　an　eye　on　his　subjects　at　work　for　him　and　see　that　there　was　no
〃soldiering〃　done。　　And　no　doubt　there　was　not　any　done　to　speak　of；
because　he　was　a　man　of　that　sort　of　build　that　incites　to　attention　to
business　on　the　part　of　an　employee。

He　was　fourteen　or　fifteen　feet　high。　　When　he　stretched　himself　at　full
length　on　his　lounge；　his　legs　hung　down　over　the　end；　and　when　he　snored
he　woke　the　dead。　　These　facts　are　all　attested　by　irrefragable
tradition。

On　the　other　side　of　the　temple　is　a　monstrous　seven…ton　rock；　eleven
feet　long；　seven　feet　wide　and　three　feet　thick。　　It　is　raised　a　foot　or
a　foot　and　a　half　above　the　ground；　and　rests　upon　half　a　dozen　little
stony　pedestals。　　The　same　old　fourteen…footer　brought　it　down　from　the
mountain；　merely　for　fun　（he　had　his　own　notions　about　fun）；　and　propped
it　up　as　we　find　it　now　and　as　others　may　find　it　a　century　hence；　for　it
would　take　a　score　of　horses　to　budge　it　from　its　position。　　They　say
that　fifty　or　sixty　years　ago　the　proud　Queen　Kaahumanu　used　to　fly　to
this　rock　for　safety；　whenever　she　had　been　making　trouble　with　her
fierce　husband；　and　hide　under　it　until　his　wrath　was　appeased。　　But
these　Kanakas　will　lie；　and　this　statement　is　one　of　their　ablest
effortsfor　Kaahumanu　was　six　feet　highshe　was　bulkyshe　was　built
like　an　oxand　she　could　no　more　have　squeezed　herself　under　that　rock
than　she　could　have　passed　between　the　cylinders　of　a　sugar　mill。　　What
could　she　gain　by　it；　even　if　she　succeeded？　　To　be　chased　and　abused　by
a　savage　husband　could　not　be　otherwise　than　humiliating　to　her　high
spirit；　yet　it　could　never　make　her　feel　so　flat　as　an　hour's　repose
under　that　rock　would。

We　walked　a　mile　over　a　raised　macadamized　road　of　uniform　width；　a　road
paved　with　flat　stones　and　exhibiting　in　its　every　detail　a　considerable
degree　of　engineering　skill。　　Some　say　that　that　wise　old　pagan；
Kamehameha　I　planned　and　built　it；　but　others　say　it　was　built　so　long
before　his　time　that　the　knowledge　of　who　constructed　it　has　passed　out
of　the　traditions。　　In　either　case；　however；　as　the　handiwork　of　an
untaught　and　degraded　race　it　is　a　thing　of　pleasing　interest。　　The
stones　are　worn　and　smooth；　and　pushed　apart　in　places；　so　that　the　road
has　the　exact　appearance　of　those　ancient　paved　highways　leading　out　of
Rome　which　one　sees　in　pictures。

The　object　of　our　tramp　was　to　visit　a　great　natural　curiosity　at　the
base　of　the　foothillsa　congealed　cascade　of　lava。　　Some　old　forgotten
volcanic　eruption　sent　its　broad　river　of　fire　down　the　mountain　side
here；　and　it　poured　down　in　a　great　torrent　from　an　overhanging　bluff
some　fifty　feet　high　to　the　ground　below。　　The　flaming　torrent　cooled　in
the　winds　from　the　sea；　and　remains　there　to…day；　all　seamed；　and　frothed
and　rippled　a　petrified　Niagara。　　It　is　very　picturesque；　and　withal　so
natural　that　one　might　almost　imagine　it　still　flowed。　　A　smaller　stream
trickled　over　the　cliff　and　built　up　an　isolated　pyramid　about　thirty
feet　high；　which　has　the　semblance　of　a　mass　of　large　gnarled　and　knotted
vines　and　roots　and　stems　intricately　twisted　and　woven　together。

We　passed　in　behind　the　cascade　and　the　pyramid；　and　found　the　bluff
pierced　by　several　cavernous　tunnels；　whose　crooked　courses　we　followed　a
long　distance。

Two　of　these　winding　tunnels　stand　as　proof　of　Nature's　mining　abilities。
Their　floors　are　level；　they　are　seven　feet　wide；　and　their　roofs　are
gently　arched。　　Their　height　is　not　uniform；　however。　　We　passed　through
one　a　hundred　feet　long；　which　leads　through　a　spur　of　the　hill　and　opens
out　well　up　in　the　sheer　wall　of　a　precipice　whose　foot　rests　in　the
waves　of　the　sea。　　It　is　a　commodious　tunnel；　except　that　there　are
occasional　places　in　it　where　one　must　stoop　to　pass　under。　　The　roof　is
lava；　of　course；　and　is　thickly　studded　with　little　lava…pointed　icicles
an　inch　long；　which　hardened　as　they　dripped。　　They　project　as　closely
together　as　the　iron　teeth　of　a　corn…sheller；　and　if　one　will　stand　up
straight　and　walk　any　distance　there；　he　can　get　his　hair　combed　free　of
charge。




CHAPTER　LXXIV。

We　got　back　to　the　schooner　in　good　time；　and　then　sailed　down　to　Kau；
where　we　disembarked　and　took　final　leave　of　the　vessel。　　Next　day　we
bought　horses　and　bent　our　way　over　the　summer…clad　mountain…terraces；
toward　the　great　volcano　of　Kilauea　（Ke…low…way…ah）。　　We　made　nearly　a
two　days'　journey　of　it；　but　that　was　on　account　of　laziness。　　Toward
sunset　on　the　second　day；　we　reached　an　elevation　of　some　four　thousand
feet　above　sea　level；　and　as　we　picked　our　careful　way　through　billowy
wastes　of　lava　long　generations　ago　stricken　dead　and　cold　in　the　climax
of　its　tossing　fury；　we　began　to　come　upon　signs　of　the　near　presence　of
the　volcanosigns　in　the　nature　of　ragged　fissures　that　discharged　jets
of　sulphurous　vapor　into　the　air；　hot　from　the　molten　ocean　down　in　the
bowels　of　the　mountain。

Shortly　the　crater　came　into　view。　　I　have　seen　Vesuvius　since；　but　it
was　a　mere　toy；　a　child's　volcano；　a　soup…kettle；　compared　to　this。
Mount　Vesuvius　is　a　shapely　cone　thirty…six　hundred　feet　high；　its　crater
an　inverted　cone　only　three　hundred　feet　deep；　and　not　more　than　a
thousand　feet　in　diameter；　if　as　much　as　that；　its　fires　meagre；　modest；
and　docile。But　here　was　a　vast；　perpendicular；　walled　cellar；　nine
hundred　feet　deep　in　some　places；