Meal, or ALGA west-north-west of Oahu, is about forty miles long, and more than twenty-four miles broad in the widest place. It is a mountain mass sloping on all sides towards the sea, where it terminates with a rather high coast. Wide valleys run from the shores towards the centre of the island, and they are well cultivated and fertile. On the southern coast, at \Calmed, there is a roadstead, but there is no other anchorage round the island.
Nihau, or Onechow, the most western of the Sandwich Islands, is about twenty miles long from north to south, and seven miles across where widest. The most southern point rises abruptly to a consider able height ; but about five miles north, the rocky mass sinks down to a moderate elevation, and afterwards rises again, but not so high as before. The inhabitants make a great number of painted and varie gated mats, which are extensively used in all the other islands, and the island produces abundance of yam; which also go to the other islands. On the western side of Nihau there is a very good harbour.
Clinaatc —The climate is principally regulated by the trade-winds, which durio? the summer, or from March to October, are strong and regular, but in winter light, and frequently Interrupted by calms and south-westerly winds. The rainy seam= occurs in winter. In summer the atmosphere is usually clear and bright, and in many places on the western or leeward side of the islauds not a drop of rain falls. On the eastern or windward parts however, even in this season, seldom a day or night passes without a smart shower, and occasionally heavy rains falL From September to April the atmosphere is more or lees hazy, obscure, and cloudy, with frequent light rains in some places, and in other parte heavy rains of two or three days' continuance.
The heat is considerable in the lower tracts, but perhaps less than might be supposed from the latitude. This is partly owing to the vast expanse of water by which time islands are but principally to the prevalence of the north-east trade-wind, which during the greater part of the year sweeps over and about the islands with great velocity, and, having passed a great expanse of sea, is far from being hot. In the eastern districts the thermometer in summer seldom rises Miller than 80' or 82', and during the winter not higher than 72' or 74 ; but the lower tract. on the western side of the mountains are exposed to greater beat, and in those parte the thermometer frequently rises to 8S' or 90'. According to observations made at Honolulu, the
mean annual temperature of that place does not exceed 75' Fehr. In general the thermometer ranges between 70' and 83'. The greatest heat experienced was 8S', and the least 61' Fehr. The elevated table land in the Interior of Hawaii is of course much colder, and snow frequently falls there. In the lower districts on the western side of the islands the sea and laud breezes are generally regular, especially during the summer. The sea-breese seta in at 10 o'clock in the morn ing, and continues till sunset, when it is Immediately followed by the which lasts till sunrise. From sunrise till 10 o'clock • calm prevails Prodection&—The quadrupeds found on these islands at the time of their discovery were the hog, dog, and rat, to which have been added the cow, horse, sheep, goat, and mouse, all of which thrive very well except the sheep. Fowls were found at the discovery ; but turkeys, geese, ducks, and pigeons were iutrodueed afterwards. Fish abound, but there is no great variety ; the most common are sharks, boustos, flying-fishes, and red and whits mullet,. Many families live on the produce of the fishery. Pearls are found in Pearl River; they are small, but flue.
It does not appear that the European grains are cultivated to any great extent, with the exception of maize. The principal objects of cultivation are roots, especially the tarro-root (Anon onacrorAison). Potatoes and catootes, or sweet potatoes, are also generally grown. The fruit-trees which were cultivated before the arrival of Europeans were the cocoanut, the bread-fruit tree, the °hie- or jumbo-tree of the East Indies, and the ken ; several kinds of bananas were also grown. Strawberries and raspberries are also indigenous. The Europeans have introduced oranges, lemons, citrons, grapes, pine-apples, papaw apples, pomegranates, and figs, all of which corna to perfection except ldne-apples. The sugar-cane is indigenous, and much cultivated, but ooly for eating. Melons and water-melons are The most cultivated vegetables are cucumbers, pumpkins, French beans, onions, and red pepper. The wauti, or paper-mulberry tree, is grown for its interior bark, which is used here, as in China, for making cloth. The forests do not ooutaln many trees fit for ship-building. In several parts the mountains were formerly covered with sandal-wood; but as the exportation of this wood to China has been very great :t begins to be rare.