The valley looks as if it could only be reached in a long day's
travel, so very far it is below, but the steepness of the track
makes it accessible in an hour from the summit. As we descended,
houses and a church which had looked like toys at first, dilated on
our sight, the silver ribbon became a stream, the specks on the
meadows turned into horses, the white wavy line on the Pacific beach
turned into a curling wave, and lower still, I saw people, who had
seen us coming down, hastily shuffling into clothes.
There were four houses huddled between the pali and the river, and
six or eight, with a church and schoolhouse on the other side; and
between these and the ocean a steep narrow beach, composed of large
stones worn as round and smooth as cannon balls, on which the surf
roars the whole year round. The pali which walls in the valley on
the other side is inaccessible. The school children and a great
part of the population had assembled in front of the house which I
described before. There was a sort of dyke of rough lava stones
round it, difficult to climb, but the natives, though they are very
kind, did not, on this or any similar occasion, offer me any help,
which neglect, I suppose, arises from the fact that the native women
never need help, as they are as strong, fearless, and active as the
men, and rival them in swimming and other athletic sports.
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