pure kona wrote:
> On Sat, 06 Aug 2011 22:16:07 -0400, "Jean B." > wrote:
>
>> pure kona wrote:
>>> On Fri, 05 Aug 2011 20:03:10 -1000, dsi1
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 8/5/2011 2:24 PM, pure kona wrote:
>>>>> On Thu, 04 Aug 2011 12:08:28 -1000, dsi1
>>>>> > wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> On 8/4/2011 11:05 AM, Andy wrote:
>>>>>>> > wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On 8/4/2011 10:26 AM, Andy wrote:
>>>>>>>>> "John > wrote:
>>>>> Settlers to Hawaii came from the Marquesas, probably, and they brought
>>>>> all the food plants and animals that they were used to. Hawaii was
>>>>> quite barren and there was really nothing to eat once they landed. It
>>>>> is not known if coconuts were even growing here when they arrived
>>>>> about 1100 or 1200 years ago. (No recorded history:<)
>>>> I have never heard that Hawaii was a barren place before the humans
>>>> arrived. If this was true, one would expect the variety of flora and
>>>> fauna to be limited to introduced species. This is not true since there
>>>> are species in Hawaii found nowhere else. This probably means that they
>>>> thrived and lived here long before man did. How long does it take for
>>>> differing species of plants and animals to evolve? Hundreds of thousands
>>>> of years would be my guess but I am no expert.
>>>>
>>>> I'm not sure that there are any barren tropical islands existing
>>>> anywhere. I've never seen one.
>>>>
>>>>> They brought along pigs and everything they needed for a life
>>>>> elsewhere.
>>>>>
>>>>> aloha,
>>>>> Cea
>>> When our volcanic island arise out of the sea, there is nothing on
>>> them for a long time. Makes sense? And slowly things get caught in
>>> the jet stream and land - remember the eagle on Kauai long ago? or
>>> they float along and land here- again - on the most isolated place on
>>> earth.
>>>
>>> Of course I am not a geologist- but you could go the Archives in
>>> downtown Honolulu and get many more facts.
>>>
>>> It should be a reminder that our only indigenous land mammal was the
>>> Hawaiian Hoary Bat.
>>>
>>> Evolution of a Species is well discussed by Darwin and many others.
>>>
>>> But it is safe to assume not much edible stuff was here when the first
>>> settlers arrived from the Marquesas. There were large forests of koa
>>> and ohia. The seeds had floated along the waves or got caught in the
>>> jet stream and were deposited here. Quite random
>>>
>>> But then as soon as man came, many things were brought. Not only by
>>> the early settlers form the Marquesas but Capt. Cook and Vancouver
>>> brought cattle and English type pigs (that interbred with the wild
>>> pigs and are thriving today) and horses etc. and to say nothing of
>>> all that tropical vegetation from other tropical areas.
>>>
>>> It is just evolution and it happens slowly.
>>>
>>> aloha,
>>> Cea
>> This is beginning to sound Micheneresque
> I actually did meet James Michener long time ago- but what I know is
> the usual history. My husband and brother in law write research
> books- factual ones about Hawaii. Family has been here for almost 200
> years...
>
> aloha,
> Cea

Very cool. Any books we should know about?

--
Jean B.