Great Flooding in Waimea.

During this year, 1862, there was flooding here in Waimea. This is what I saw on the day of the flood, a lot of kindling; it wasn’t like that before in the years since I arrived here to Kauai, that being 1830; in the floods I’ve witnessed, there was only a little kindling. This year is the first time I’ve seen so much wood for fire; people were gathering it up and making piles. A strong man would have a pile and a half or more, and another would have a cord or less. Men would gather, women, and children too; people gathered it up, but there was no end to it; your body would get tired from carrying the wood, and yet the kindling, it would still be remain here and there.

Another thing I witnessed in the flood was a horse, and I hear from some other people that four horses came ashore at Pawehe; all together that makes five horses. And from some other people I hear that a cow died but did not wash up ashore, but was searched carefully for all the way until Kokole, but was not found.

I’ve seen pigs and goats that were dead, laying on the shore, and there are some ducks still alive; there are places which I’ve heard that are obstructed in the uplands of Waimea, and some people almost got in trouble in this flood.

J. W. Kapehe,

Waimea, Kauai, Jan. 3, 1862.

(Kuokoa, 3/22/1862, p. 2)

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke I, helu 17, Aoao 2. Maraki 22, 1862.