mouse),
which came in with the early natives, were unknown prior to the advent
of the whites. There were no land reptiles and few indigenous noxious
insects; although mosquitoes, not to mention certain domestic pests,
abound in a few places, and there are some scorpions and centipedes;
but these, like measles, smallpox, tuberculosis, and worse diseases,
are adjuncts of an enforced civilization. The mongoose, brought in to
destroy rats, and the myna bird, to devour insects, are themselves now
beginning to be detrimental.

Along the coasts, on the headlands and lower hills, and to a less
extent farther inland, are village sites, foundations of temples and
houses, garden patches inclosed by stone walls, and long rows of
stones, some of which are borders of roads or trails, others being for
purposes which are undetermined. Among these, taro beds and sweet
potato patches may still be traced.

The most remarkable among the remains are the great temple site on
Senator Cooke's ranch, toward the east end of the island, and the
"paved trail" 10 miles down the coast from Kaunakakai, the principal
village and harbor. The former is rectangular in outline, built on
irregular ground, of stones large and small, to form a level platform
on which a thousand persons could assemble without being hampered for
lack of room. The outer faces of the walls vary from 3 to 20 feet in
height; and except at the lowest parts there are terraces or steps all
around, about 5 feet in height and of differing width. Surrounding
this platform, extending for half a mile up the little valley of which
it marks the entrance, on the slopes to either side, and on the nearly
level area reaching down to the sea in front, are all the indications
of a populous settlement.

It is said that the ruins were formerly much more numerous and
extensive, the larger part of them being swept out of existence by a
great rush of water from the mountains "a long time ago."

The "paved trail" is a causeway of large stones. Some parts of it are
obliterated by slides and encroaching ravines; other parts preserve
the original condition and appearance. The width is not quite uniform,
as the stones are of different sizes, but it departs very little
either way from 6 feet. So far as can be judged in its present
overgrown state, it extends in a straight line for about 2 miles, from
the beach to a point on the hill at an altitude of fully 1,000 feet.
To what it led, or why it was buil