File:Sandwich island notes (1854) (14788240583).jpg

Identifier: sandwichislandno01bate (find matches)
Title: Sandwich island notes
Year: 1854 (1850s)
Authors: Bates, George Washington
Subjects:
Publisher: New York, Harper
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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ty in the boat onlyby being exposed in our shirt sleeves. The cave was a perfect niche, one hundred feet high, fortywide, and retreated about sixty feet from the entrance. Itsentire interior had a steppy formation. The floor was cover-ed with a rich volcanic soil. We were probably the firstwhite men that had ever set foot in this lofty cavity, but notthe first human beings who had ever been there. It was oncethe abode of a sorcerer, whose nightly descents to the banksof the beautiful stream were always accompanied with pres-ents from the superstitious persons that followed in his rear.He was called the Man of the Rock/ and many were thedeeds of darkness and death which his evil genius prompted. Before leaving this home of the old sorcerer, we gave threecheers, as indicative of our success, which were responded toby our party on the river; and the sounds of their responsecame echoing up the mighty cliffs like the notes of distantmusic. The descent was more rapid, but not less difficult
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MOONLIGHT. \gj than the ascent. Clutching at the stunted foliage, to aid usas we glided down, mostly in a sitting posture, we soon foundourselves once more by the side of the river. At the head of navigation—only four miles from the mouthof the stream—we landed, and sat down beneath the cool fo-liage in a romantic dell. After a brief rest on the part of theladies, we pursued our way up the dell. On turning an ab-rupt projection, nearly at its source, a magnificent view openedbefore us. Several cascades were leaping, one after the other,into a deep basaltic basin, placed there by the hand of Naturefor their reception. The rugged walls that inclosepl the streamwere also of a basaltic character. Such a spot as this wouldbe the home for a poet, an artist, or a man of a snug inde-pendency. Pouring out a libation in front of the lowest fallof water, we gave the place the title of Valley of Cascades,and took our leave. In no part of the world is the moonlight more splendidthan at the San

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