Hidden Valley

Ancient Polynesians knew how to build canoe boats that were sea worthy. To escape over crowding in places they lived, several, including families, would use a canoe boat to search for new places to live. They were excellent navigators, and skilled in making long voyages.
On one such island, a group of Polynesians found the tyranny of their chief to be unbearable. Several times he had taken a son or daughter from a family to be sacrificed to the god of the fire mountain. In addition, he had established a large number of taboos that were repugnant to the people.
This Chief of this island built a large canoe boat designed for warfare. When the wind blew against its two sails, it was very fast. At great risks to themselves, the group took the boat while everyone else was asleep. The speed of the boat prevented pursuers from catching them.
The group had no preplanned destination, but after many cycles of the moon they discovered The Island of Palms and made it their new home. They inhabited the leeward side of the island, which had two beaches separated from each other by arms of lava that extended into the sea. There was a harbor between the two beaches. A very steep and heavily forested mountain stretched the entire length of the island. Because of its rugged terrain, no one on the island had found a way to climb it and get to the other side. Men had sailed to the other side of the island hoping to explore it, but were prevented from doing it by a coral reef.