at Lahaina, I was entertained by a
hospitable countryman, at his cool, airy residence, which stood on a
little raised embankment of the sea beach. A group of native maidens
also favored us with their fascinating society, and without further
invitation seated themselves at table, and seizing a pack of cards,
soon became deeply engaged in the game. It was like most other games:
those who held certain cards, certainly won; but although it was to me
incomprehensible, I observed that they cheated in the most expert
manner, at the same time slapping the bits of pasteboard on the table
with the energy of inveterate whisters; occasionally muttering, when
losing or winning, such exclamations as _ka! ka!--maitai!_--meaning "Oh!
I'm ruined!" "Disgusting!" or "I'm in luck!" and the like.

Becoming ennuied with these proceedings, after much entreaty and a glass
of wine, they consented to give me an idea of surf-swimming.

The moon was high and full, throwing a white, bright light athwart the
rippling water, like a quivering sea of silver coins. A Kanaka attendant
speedily produced slabs of light cotton wood, about a foot longer than
the person, and two feet and a half wide. Each provided with one of
these boards, they swam, or paddled out to the farthest roller. It may
be as well to remark here, that there is no reef, as at Hilo, within
whose coral walls shipping can anchor; only a ledge near the shore, that
serves to break the force of the waves upon the beach. Boats, however,
land without inconvenience, through the agency of a small canal cut from
the ledge to the heart of the town, in shape of a letter L.

The girls are at the outermost roller, when awaiting the moment before
it breaks, they come flying in on the very crest of the wave, at the
speed of a race-horse, the great art being to preserve so nice a poise
on the back-bone, as it were, of the breaker, as not to be left behind,
nor yet, as I found at the cost of several abrasions, launched too far
ahead, and thus have the whole crash of the roller pitching you over and
over in a series of hydropathic revolutions by no means safe or
pleasant: but to understand the thing properly, it is excessively
exciting sport. One of the girls, daughter of a chief, possessed the
knack in great perfection, and while dashing in with astonishing
velocity--at least the rate of twenty miles the hour--she would spring
buoyantly upon the board, and then maintain a _pose_ on one leg, either
kn