Miscellany
"At
Niumalu, 2 miles from Léhu'e, on the road leading south and west from
the harbor of Nawiliwili, is a fish pond known as Alakoko. It is a
short distance above the mouth of the river, where the little valley
widens in a half-moon shape, the stream flowing close to the bluff on
the right. The bottom land on the other side is so low as to be swampy.
Along the river bank on this die is a heavy wall of stone and earth,
reaching the higher land at each end, thus forming a pond of 15 or 20
acres in which the ancient Hawaiians kept their surplus catch of fish.
The wall has been raised and strengthened by its present owner, a
Chinese who raises ducks instead of fish." |
"Daylight
comes before they [menehune] had finished the work, and the two gaps
were left in the wall. These were filled in by Chinamen in late years,
and the pond is still in use." |
Menehune-passed stones from makaweli to pond, left 2 stone gaps unfinished. |
The Niamalu [sic] pond is in use today and has been altered by adding cemented intakes and outlets so that the old mechanics are unknown. [Bennett 1931:24] |
Ka'iwi
states that the famous watercourse was completed during the night of
Akua, on which there was a full moon....perhaps memenhune built ponds
on moonlight night as well. |
Pi
was living at Hulaia on Kaua'i when the chief of that place began a
large bank for a taro patch which was called "Alakoko, to separate it
from the river. |
The
sister's pond is 'Alekoko. The brother's pond was behind 'Alekoko but
not finished. Full of fish in the old days. Fish in pond; mullett,
'awa, swordfish, kalamoho, 'aholehole, papiopio, 'o'opu, shrimps. |
all
: ancient, faced and fitted stones, cuts off bend of river with wall
900 ft long; stone faced dirt to a height of 5 ft above water level and
4 ft wide at top. |
State I.D. No. 501. |
Previous
to Chow 's lease the wall of pond had sections where the water flowed
in at high water and out at low tide. The floor of the pond would be
visible, like low islands, at low tide; but there would be water in
enough places for the fish to take refuge until high water came in
again. There was no control of the flow of water. |