diff options
| author | pgww <pgww@lists.pglaf.org> | 2025-07-13 23:22:02 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | pgww <pgww@lists.pglaf.org> | 2025-07-13 23:22:02 -0700 |
| commit | 47c8ae024d4f0f14ed8d8b9160c893774ce5ecf3 (patch) | |
| tree | 40e4a65f706a0b9cfc0108dd6e6434479227699d /76499-h | |
Diffstat (limited to '76499-h')
| -rw-r--r-- | 76499-h/76499-h.htm | 3884 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 76499-h/images/cover.jpg | bin | 0 -> 703597 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 76499-h/images/coversmall.jpg | bin | 0 -> 256207 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 76499-h/images/frontispiece.jpg | bin | 0 -> 96194 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 76499-h/images/titlepage.jpg | bin | 0 -> 63941 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 76499-h/images/titlepagedeco.jpg | bin | 0 -> 22418 bytes |
6 files changed, 3884 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/76499-h/76499-h.htm b/76499-h/76499-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..35310fa --- /dev/null +++ b/76499-h/76499-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3884 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + Hawaiian idylls of love and death | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2 { + text-align: center; + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} +hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} +@media print { hr.chap {display: none; visibility: hidden;} } + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} +h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.tdr {text-align: right;} + +.pagenum { + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; +} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.ph1 {text-align: center; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;} +.ph2 {text-align: center; font-size: xx-large; font-weight: bold;} + +div.titlepage {text-align: center; page-break-before: always; page-break-after: always;} +div.titlepage p {text-align: center; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: 2em;} + +.xlarge {font-size: 150%;} +.large {font-size: 125%;} + +img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; +} +img.w100 {width: 100%;} + + +.caption {font-weight: bold; text-align: center;} + +.x-ebookmaker .hide {display: none; visibility: hidden;} + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +.footnote {margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 75%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +.poetry-container {display: flex; justify-content: center;} +.poetry-container {text-align: center;} +.poetry {text-align: left; margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 5%;} +.poetry .stanza {margin: 1em auto;} +.poetry .verse {text-indent: -2.5em; padding-left: 3em;} +.poetry .indent {text-indent: 2em;} +.poetry .verseright { text-align: right;} +.poetry .first {text-indent: -3em; padding-left: 3em;} +.poetry .center {text-align: center;} + +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:smaller; + margin-left: 17.5%; + margin-right: 17.5%; + padding: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; } + +.illowe28_125 {width: 28.125em;} + + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76499 ***</div> + +<div class="figcenter hide"><img src="images/coversmall.jpg" width="450" alt=""></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<figure class="figcenter illowe28_125" id="frontispiece"> + <img class="w100" src="images/frontispiece.jpg" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption"><p class="caption">Statue of Kamehameha I, Honolulu.</p></figcaption> +</figure> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/titlepage.jpg" alt="title page"></div> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="titlepage"> +<h1>Hawaiian Idylls of<br> +Love and Death</h1> + +<p>BY THE<br> +<span class="xlarge">REV. HERBERT H. GOWEN</span><br> +F.R.G.S., M.R.S.A. (<span class="smcap">Lond.</span>)<br> +<i>Author of “The Paradise of the Pacific,” etc.</i></p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/titlepagedeco.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<p>NEW YORK<br> +<span class="large">COCHRANE PUBLISHING CO.</span><br> +1908</p> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="center">Copyright, 1908, by<br> +COCHRANE PUBLISHING CO.</p> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_1">[1]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">INTRODUCTION</h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> following stories are concerned mainly with incidents +bearing on the career of the first sovereign of +the Hawaiian archipelago, Kamehameha I, worthily distinguished +from his successors as “Kamehameha the +Great,” who, born about the year 1736, achieved the +unification of the group in 1795, and died in 1819, +leaving behind him no one capable of following in his +footsteps.</p> + +<p>A few words about this notable ruler of a kingdom +now no more may not be amiss as introductory to the +stories to follow.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Every visitor to Honolulu finds his way in course +of time to the splendid square between the Iolani +Palace and the Aliiolani Hale. At least, such were +the names borne till recent years by the dwelling-place +of the sovereign and the meeting-place of the legislators +of Hawaii. But times are changed, and names +have changed with them. Now more prosaic names +have been adopted by more prosaic times.</p> + +<p>Changing times, however, can never take away the +interest attaching to one prominent object in this +square, just in front of the Legislative Buildings. For +monarch and legislature, ay, and people, too, may pass<span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">[2]</span> +away and only bring into greater relief the true greatness +of the man whose statue here keeps sentry guard.</p> + +<p>It is the statue of the chief who made Hawaii a +kingdom, and gave it such cohesion and such stability +that as a kingdom it endured for just a century. Here +stands Kamehameha I, “the lonely one,” as his name +implies, represented by the artist as he might have appeared +in life at the head of his army in those heroic +days when the chiefs of Hawaii fought “like gods of +war dispensing fate.”</p> + +<p>We see him here a man of gigantic mould, with furrowed +and smileless countenance, as of one who seldom +spoke save to command, and who commanded to be +obeyed. Spear in hand, feather-helmet on head, and on +his shoulders the famous feather cloak which took nine +generations of kings to construct—we seem to see +before us that “Mars armipotent,” of whom it might +be said, as it was said of the Homeric hero:</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="first">“On him the war is bent, the darts are shed,</div> +<div class="verse">And all their falchions wave about his head:</div> +<div class="verse">Repulsed, he stands, nor from his stand retires,</div> +<div class="verse">But with repeated shouts his army fires.”</div> +</div></div> + +<p>The statue was modelled after a fine specimen of the +Hawaiian race, named Kaopuiki, with whom the writer +has several times crossed the channel from Maui to +Lanai, but we have authority for the features in the +portrait painted by M. Choris, the artist attached to +Kotzebue’s expedition in 1816. This is the only authentic +picture of Kamehameha in existence, and was +painted when he was nearly eighty years old.</p> + +<p>Over a hundred and ten years ago, in the year of our<span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[3]</span> +era 1795, this man effected what, under the circumstances, +seemed a task of insuperable difficulty—the +union of the eight islands of the Hawaiian group under +one government. What those difficulties were only +those who have studied the matter will be able to appreciate. +Here it will suffice to say that of his race +there was none like him before, there has been none +like him since. In all that shadowy time from the +dawn of Hawaiian history to the establishment of +intercourse with the western world, the time of heroes +eight or nine feet high, who wielded spears ten +yards long; heroes who fought with gods and received +aid from gods, as the Greek warriors at Troy +from Minerva and Apollo—heroes like Kiha of the +magic conch, like Liloa and Umi and Lono, there +was none who accomplished what Kamehameha did +by the patient toil and dauntless courage of forty +years.</p> + +<p>And in all the time since, in spite of that unexampled +advance in civilization, which has made of Hawaii +a land of telephones, electric light, public schools, +universal suffrage and the rest, there has arisen no +Hawaiian with one-tenth part of the manhood possessed +and used, mainly for good, by this heroic savage.</p> + +<p>If the conquests of Kamehameha were inferior in +extent to those of Alexander, it was because he had +not Alexander’s scope. At any rate, he fought till +he had no more worlds to conquer, and what he conquered +he kept for himself and his family until the +dynasty expired. Like Napoleon (and Kamehameha +is often spoken of as the “Napoleon of the Pacific”),<span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[4]</span> +he had an unswerving faith in his destiny. Otherwise, +he never could have overcome so completely the +obstacles in his way.</p> + +<p>For, although the uniting of eight small islands into +one kingdom may appear to us a slight achievement, +as a matter of fact, the task was anything but easy. +Each of the islands had its traditions of pre-eminence, +and the relations of island with island were marked +by furious jealousy and hostility. Intercourse, for +many generations, was almost suspended, except for +purposes of war. Even a few years ago the natives +of the windward and the leeward islands could be +distinguished by their language—the Kauai and Oahu +people using <i>t</i> and <i>r</i> in the Tahitian dialect, where +the natives of Hawaii and Maui used <i>k</i> and <i>l</i>. But +the fusion commenced by Kamehameha has progressed +so well that the ancient differences of language are +nearly as much obliterated as the desire for separate +and independent governments.</p> + +<p>The consolidation of the kingdoms had been attempted +before by able soldiers and statesmen, but had +failed. Even the wise and philanthropic Vancouver +tried to dissuade Kamehameha from what he believed +a Utopian scheme which must result disastrously. +Nevertheless, the savage followed his stars and prevailed.</p> + +<p>The late king—Kalakaua—an unbiased witness, +since he succeeded to the throne as the first of a new +line, unconnected with and in a measure hostile to +the dynasty of the Kamehamehas—thus passes judgment +on his illustrious predecessor:</p> + +<p>“Kamehameha was a man of tremendous physical<span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[5]</span> +and intellectual strength. In any land, and in any +age, he would have been a leader. The impress of +his mind remains with his crude and vigorous laws, +and wherever he stepped is seen an imperishable track. +He was so strong of limb that ordinary men were but +children in his grasp, and in council the wisest yielded +to his judgment. He seems to have been born a man +and to have had no boyhood. He was always sedate +and thoughtful, and, from his earliest years, cared for +no sport or pastime that was not manly. He had a +harsh and rugged face, less given to smiles than +frowns, but strongly marked with lines indicative of +self-reliance and changeless purpose. He was barbarous, +unforgiving and merciless to his enemies, but +just, sagacious and considerate in dealing with his +subjects. He was more feared than loved or respected; +but his strength of arm and force of character well +fitted him for the supreme chieftaincy of the group, +and he accomplished what no one else could have done +in his day.”</p> + +<p>This extract does no more than justice to Kamehameha’s +powers of body and mind. Indeed it was +his intellectual greatness which distinguished him so +much from his contemporaries, and which forms his +chief claim to the recognition of thoughtful men of +all times and races.</p> + +<p>He is, in the first place, worthy to be put beside +Fabius Maximus for his invincible pertinacity and patience. +“<i>Unus homo cunctando restituit rem</i>,” was +said of Hannibal’s great conqueror, and of the conqueror +of Kalanikapule and <i>la haute noblesse</i> of all +Hawaii it might be said with truth that not less by<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[6]</span> +waiting than by fighting did he make for himself a +kingdom. There may have been something of the Hawaiian +indifference to the flight of time in the patience +which enabled Kamehameha to take defeat so easily +and to retire so contentedly, like another Cincinnatus, +to cultivate his patrimonial fields at Waipio, but there +was also without doubt abundant faith in waiting for +the fullness of time—a faith the very reverse of common +in barbarous or semi-civilized communities.</p> + +<p>None knew, like Kamehameha, how to endure defeat +so as to make it but a step to a deferred but more +complete victory. Had he been a student of history +he might well have adopted the words of Admiral +Coligni, who said of himself: “In one respect I may +claim superiority over Alexander, over Scipio, over +Cæsar. They won great battles, it is true. I have lost +four great battles; and yet I shew to the enemy a +more formidable front than ever.”</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, Kamehameha knew when to strike and +did strike hard. Like Napoleon, he could hurl all his +force at a given point with marvellous celerity and precision, +and, once having developed his plan, he suffered +no obstacle to prevent its being carried into effect.</p> + +<p>In the third place, he had a singular power of knowing +the right instruments to employ in his undertakings. +Very many great men ruin the work they take +in hand, either by undertaking too much personally, +or else by employing inefficient and unsuitable instruments. +In either case, the work fails to outlive the +worker, even if he be not destined to see the ruin himself. +It is sometimes said that such and such a successful +ruler had the good fortune to be surrounded<span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[7]</span> +by such and such a brilliant galaxy of statesmen. The +good fortune is in reality the good sense and insight +which lead a ruler to select the fit instruments for his +purpose.</p> + +<p>Kamehameha’s throne had for its pillars of support +men who might very well have been his rivals, and +among all the notable chiefs of the time none was discarded +or neglected, save such men as Kaiana, whose +fickleness made him more of a menace than a mainstay. +As it was, few kings ever had an abler council—more +conspicuous for courage in battle or for wisdom +in the arts of government—than that which included +men like Kalanimoku, <i>alias</i> William Pitt, Kameeiamoku +and Keeaumoku, and the Englishmen—Young +and Davis.</p> + +<p>Kamehameha, too, lived long enough after he had +crushed out all opposition to his rule to show that +he understood the art of consolidating as well as that +of establishing a monarchy. For twenty-five years he +governed Hawaii with steadily increasing skill and enlightenment, +piloting the new kingdom through every +kind of embroilment with the nations represented in +the realm.</p> + +<p>Like William the Conqueror, he purposed to govern +with good laws what he had won with a cruel sword, +and, if he was overstern to repress, he undoubtedly +spared the country much misery which a weaker or +more lenient policy might have entailed.</p> + +<p>Finally, looking at Kamehameha as a man, rather +than as a ruler, we need not deny him the title of +“Great.” He could be loved as well as feared. He +was scrupulously just, even when it came to the condemnation<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[8]</span> +of his own past actions, and perhaps greater +than any victory over the rival chiefs was the victory +he won over himself when he broke free from the +trammels the “fire-water” of the foreigner were fast +making for him, and bade his countrymen imitate him +and be free.</p> + +<p>Enough has been suggested in these introductory remarks +to make clear that not only to the antiquary, +searching amid the ruins of a perishing people for +some faded remnants of romance; not only to the historian, +seeking here and there in the archives of nations +to glean illustrations of some great historical +generalization; not only to the lover of the story of +war and adventure; but, above all, to the student of +men as men the memory of the first monarch of Hawaii +ought to be of sufficient interest not to pass into +oblivion.</p> + +<p>For heroism is of no one age, and of no one race. +It commands the sympathy and respect of all, and it +is the writer’s hope that these simple sketches may +show, in the story of the first Kamehameha, that touch +of Nature which makes the whole world kin, that +quality of manhood which obliterates the distinction +between white and black, between East and West, between +the man of yesterday and the man of to-day.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="first">“For East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet,</div> +<div class="verse">Till Earth and Sky stand presently at God’s great Judgment Seat;</div> +<div class="verse">But there is neither East nor West, Border, nor Breed, nor Birth,</div> +<div class="verse">When two strong men stand face to face, though they come from the ends of the earth.”</div> +</div></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[9]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CONTENTS</h2> +</div> + + +<table> + +<tr><td class="tdr" colspan="3"><small>PAGE</small></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">I—</td><td><span class="smcap">The Poison Goddess of Molokai</span>  </td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_11"> 11</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">II—</td><td><span class="smcap">The Story of the Kiha-Pu</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_19"> 19</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">III—</td><td><span class="smcap">The Splintered Paddle</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_27"> 27</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">IV—</td><td><span class="smcap">The Slandered Priest of Oahu</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_34"> 34</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">V—</td><td><span class="smcap">Keala</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_43"> 43</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">VI—</td><td><span class="smcap">Pele Declares for Kamehameha</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_51"> 51</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">VII—</td><td><span class="smcap">The City of Refuge</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_59"> 59</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">VIII—</td><td><span class="smcap">Sweet Leilehua</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_67"> 67</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">IX—</td><td><span class="smcap">The Spouting Cave of Lanai</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_78"> 78</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">X—</td><td><span class="smcap">Lono’s Last Martyr</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_89"> 89</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">XI—</td><td><span class="smcap">Keoua, a Story of Kalawao</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_101"> 101</a></td></tr> +</table> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[10]</span></p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[11]</span> + +<p class="ph2">Hawaiian Idylls of Love and Death</p> + +<h2 class="nobreak">I<br> + +<small>THE POISON GODDESS OF MOLOKAI</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Kaneakama</span> was as handsome a young fellow as +you could have found on the eight islands; neither +unknown to war nor unskilled in divination and the +learning of the priests. But he had one vice—he was +an inveterate gambler.</p> + +<p>And here he sat in his grass hut on the slopes of +the Olukui, feeling as miserable as any wretch of +to-day who had squandered his patrimony at Monte +Carlo, for he had been playing <i>maika</i> the whole day +long and luck had been against him at every throw. +The devil, he thought, must have been in the smooth +black stones; throw as he might, they would not go +straight. Yes, they were certainly bewitched. And +now he had nothing to call his own but one little pig—everything +was lost.</p> + +<p>Why did he not stake the pig? you ask. Ah! +Kaneakama had asked himself that question many a +time that evening, but had each time repelled the very +thought as a temptation. For he had dedicated this +pig to his Aumakua, or tutelary divinity, and with all<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[12]</span> +his faults he was too pious to break his vows to the +gods.</p> + +<p>So, although happy thus far in the possession of a +good conscience, he nursed his grief until the kind +divinities sent their messenger, sleep—welcome to all +men everywhere.</p> + +<p>And, as Kaneakama slept, he had a wonderful vision. +The song of a bird broke upon his ear, then the sweet +sounds transformed themselves into an aura of radial +light and in the light he beheld the loveliest form he +had ever seen.</p> + +<p>It was that of a young girl, but Kaneakama’s first +impression was that it was some glorious bird, for he +wanted to get up and throw a mat across the door lest +she should fly away. Her black hair fell in a great +shadow behind her like a pair of wings; no chief arrayed +for battle had feather cloak so rich in orange +and scarlet as that which clung to her perfect form +from throat to shapely knee. Her eyes, too, even in +the bright aura which encircled her, shone like stars +in the night.</p> + +<p>Kaneakama gazed he knew not how long, and when +he came to himself he was only conscious of having +received a command from the goddess (for such indeed +was his adorable visitant) to take his dedicated pig and +stake it as he had done the rest. You see, the gods and +goddesses of ancient Hawaii had rather backward +ideas regarding the morality of gambling.</p> + +<p>However, Kaneakama is not to be blamed for this. +He did as his divinity had told him, and now if the +ill-luck of his former experience had been surprising, +still more so was the turn of fortune which seemed to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[13]</span> +pour riches into his lap. He went home from that +day’s <i>maika</i>-playing a rich man, but, remembering the +source of his wealth, he determined to dedicate one-half +of it to the service of the goddess, and to build a +temple where she might dwell and receive his worship.</p> + +<p>This he did, and no sooner was the temple so far +completed that it only lacked its central idol, than once +more the vision of the Aumakua broke in upon his +sleep.</p> + +<p>This time there was no doubt about the voice. It +was as sweet to hear as the vision was to see.</p> + +<p>“Go to the king, O Kaneakama,” it said; “tell him +that the <i>akua</i> wish to dwell in the temple made by +man in the shadow of his court. Power shall be his if +he will shelter them. Let him send warriors with +their axes and knives to the top of Maunaloa. Out +of the wood let them hew me an image, and this shall +be my shrine in the <i>heiau</i> you have built, and you, O +Kaneakama, shall be my high-priest, worshipper and +lover of Kalaipahoa, terrible to mortals.”</p> + +<p>When Kaneakama awoke he hastened to obey the +command, and the king was pleased to hear of the +honours in store. Three hundred men were chosen; +and these, carrying, besides their weapons, great folds +of <i>kapa</i> (for the venom of the poison goddess was a +thing to be dreaded), set out on their march. Kaneakama, +commissioned by the king, went before them as +a guide to the spot designated in his sleep.</p> + +<p>As they marched they recalled all they had heard +of the poison goddess—how she had come from an +unknown land to Molokai and had made her home on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[14]</span> +Maunaloa. There, so it was said, the earth was burnt +and blackened, and the birds fell dead as they flew +over it. It was, moreover, the dwelling-place of +Laamaomao, the god of the winds, and at any moment +a strong spirit of the air might break loose from the +calabash of the god and hurl the intruders afar into +the Paiolo Channel.</p> + +<p>So they journeyed on with teeth chattering and +hearts cold within them. They climbed upwards along +the torrent-bed over boulders for two hours or more; +then they came to the forest belt where the silver +leaves of the <i>kukui</i> seemed to shiver with sympathetic +fear; then they came to the black lava slopes, where +they had to look carefully to their steps.</p> + +<p>At last they heard a rumbling like that of the winds +of Laamaomao wrestling in his calabash, and suddenly +before them lay the vast extinct crater, half hidden in +the mist.</p> + +<p>Their way lay downwards, the mist parting to receive +them, until they saw in front of them a great +black blot, such as a fire would make in some weird +forest which shrivels and blackens but will not burn. +The only whiteness was the whiteness of the bones +strewn around, and the only greenness came from one +tree in the centre, which rose erect and plumy in this +wilderness of death. Some said they beheld a scarlet +and yellow bird perched in its branches, but many +doubted, as they saw strong-winged birds fly right up +to the rim of the circle and fall dead as though pierced +by an arrow.</p> + +<p>It was true, then, this story of the poison goddess; +it was true that her touch was death. One hundred<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[15]</span> +men went straightway back to the king, afraid. But +Kaneakama stayed the fear of the others and commanded +them to do their work.</p> + +<p>Twenty men took their axes and went forward to +hew down the tree, but, alas! they fell dead before +they had advanced twenty yards. Five times did Kaneakama +send fresh detachments forward, moving +slowly in a circle, and five times did they perish as +beneath a blast of death. So five circles of dead men +lay round about the tree.</p> + +<p>Then Kaneakama commanded half the remaining +hundred to take <i>kapa</i> and wrap themselves in it, making +of it masks and shields, and they went forward till +they reached the tree. Then they hewed at it, each +man dying with the blow he struck, till, with a noise +that awoke echoes in Maunaloa, the great tree fell +crashing through the shrivelled trunks around it. Then +the remaining band, still shielding themselves as best +they could with the <i>kapa</i>, took their <i>pahoas</i> and cut +away the branches, working feverishly, for men fainted +and fell apace, till at last a rough shape was ready to +be carried back to the <i>heiau</i>.</p> + +<p>It was a rough and ugly idol, with widely distended +mouth (to be filled presently with hideous rows of +shark’s teeth), extended arms, hands and fingers, but +Kaneakama looked beyond the art of the craftsman, +and, wrapping the image in fold upon fold of <i>kapa</i>, he +with his few remaining men wended his way down the +mountainside, through the long valley to the seashore.</p> + +<p>There was great rejoicing at the court when Kalaipahoa, +for so the goddess hewn out with daggers was +named, was placed in her shrine, and the temple dedicated<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[16]</span> +with many victims; but all the rejoicing was faint +and hollow as compared with the joy of the man who +was at once the high-priest and lover of the goddess.</p> + +<p>When he ministered before the shrine he saw not +the rough and hideous idol, but the celestial beauty of +the birdlike maiden who had visited him in the night +visions. If she was terrible to others, she was always +smiling and beneficent to him.</p> + +<p>Yet, though he faithfully performed his duties at +the <i>heiau</i>, carrying and presenting the offerings, interpreting +the wishes of the goddess to the king, performing +all the accustomed rites and observing all the +prescribed tabus, he was not yet satisfied. It grew +more and more hard to nourish himself on visions of +the past. He recalled how that Pele, the volcano goddess, +had had a mortal lover and had come down on +earth to dwell. Why should not Kalaipahoa give him +at least a sign? From pitying those who had died in +the mountain, he began to envy them.</p> + +<p>O man of little faith! The sign came. He dreamed +and seemed in his dreams in Paliuli, the Elysian land, +land of the blue mountain and the water of life, and, +as soon as his eyes could bear the light, he saw Kalaipahoa +in all her radiance, and around her stood the +men who had perished at the shaping of the idol. They +bore her calabashes, waved her <i>kahilis</i>, and stood about +her as her soldiers and her slaves. But after one swift +glance around him, Kaneakama saw only Kalaipahoa, +and she, so he believed, saw only him.</p> + +<p>“O Kalaipahoa,” he cried, “why am I worse off +than the serfs who died in Maunaloa? They stand in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[17]</span> +thy presence and see thy face, while I toil in thy service +and have no reward!”</p> + +<p>Kalaipahoa’s face lightened with a smile.</p> + +<p>“Foolish mortal!” she cried, “did you not see that +my court is incomplete, wanting its greatest? The +great chiefs have their ‘companions in death,’ but you +have your household gone before you. However, you +shall have your reward to-night.”</p> + +<p>Then she bade him bring the <i>puhenehene</i> board and +play.</p> + +<p>He played; but, alas! such was his confusion that +he lost every game, and such his preoccupation that +he was not even sorry to find himself once again a +pauper. At last he had nothing left to lose, and knew +not what to do.</p> + +<p>“Stake yourself!” cried a sweet voice.</p> + +<p>No sooner said than done. Once more the stones +were thrown. Once more Kaneakama lost. And the +vision vanished, the goddess with a smile still upon +her face.</p> + +<p>“Ah, well!” said Kaneakama, “I am the lover of +the goddess; I will die. Let me prepare an offering +for her; I will place bananas in her hands and will +share her feast. It may be she will bid me come sit at +her feet.”</p> + +<p>He prepared his offering, and dared to take of the +food presented to the goddess. The banana he ate must +have received from the hands of the goddess the gift +of death, for when the temple slaves came next morning +to the <i>heiau</i>, there, before the shrine of wickerwork, +lay the lover of the goddess—dead, and, by the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[18]</span> +look of his eyes, he had died neither unwillingly nor +afraid.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>It was this image of Kalaipahoa that Kamehameha +long begged in vain from Kahekili. It came to him +after the death of the savage old Maui chief and he +kept it always near him. It was a useful idol to him, +for a single chip placed in the food of an obnoxious +person would send him to the shades in less than +twenty-four hours. Kamehameha, by his will, had the +image divided among some of his chiefs, but the good +Queen Kaahumanu collected all the chips she could +lay her hands on, and burned them.</p> + +<p>It is said, however, one or two fragments are still +in existence. Perhaps the visitor to Honolulu may +find them in the Kamehameha museum, but let us hope +their virulent properties may never be put to the test.</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[19]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">II<br> + +<small>THE STORY OF THE KIHA-PU</small></h2> +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="first">“Of this small horn one feeble blast</div> +<div class="verse">Would fearful odds against thee cast.”</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verseright">—“<i>The Lady of the Lake.</i>”</div> +</div></div></div> + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> minstrels of the olden world were wont to sing +of the marvels of Olifant, the magic horn of Roland, +which that glorious paladin had won in battle from +the giant Jatmund. All nature trembled at its blast, +the fowls of the air fell dead, the trees shivered and +the hearts of the Saracens failed them for fear, even +though the sound came from thirty miles away.</p> + +<p>The counterpart of this famous horn is, we believe, +still to be seen among the relics of the old savage +world of Hawaii preserved in the museum at Honolulu. +Let the visitor not fail to ask for a sight of +the Kiha-pu, the famous war trumpet or magic conch +of Kiha. It is a huge nautilus-shell of a species exceedingly +rare in the island group, adorned (one can +scarcely say beautified) with the inlaid teeth of conquered +chieftains whose death-cry was once drowned +by that strident blast. Whenever the trumpet is blown, +such at least is the popular belief, the groans and cries +of these old warriors are heard on the wind. Far<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[20]</span> +back in the generations of old, in the twelfth century +of our era, this wonder-working shell was brought +from the distant isles of Samoa, but its historical career +in Hawaii does not commence till the reign of +the mighty warrior Kiha, who ruled the land for forty +years midway in the fifteenth century.</p> + +<p>Since then in what innumerable battles has it played +its part! Kamehameha prized it as he prized Kalaipahoa, +the poison goddess; Kaili, the war god, or even +as he prized the fire-vomiting guns of the white men. +The unique qualities of the Kiha-pu caused its possession +to be eagerly coveted by the rival chiefs. When +blown with skill, it had power over the gods and over +the legions of genii. Were the canoes at sea and the +rowers lacking food, one blast of the Kiha-pu would +summon Ukanipu, the shark god, to drive the flying +fish so that they might fall into the open boats. Were +it necessary to replenish the water calabashes, then +the trumpet could call upon Kuluiau, the goddess of +rain, and the oarsmen would have scarce time to arrange +the vessels ere the rain came down from the +clouds in torrents. Was it wind that was wanted, lo! +in answer to the prayer of the Kiha-pu, Laamaomao, +the god of wind, would open his swelling calabashes +towards the sea, and the breezes would rush forth. +Thus useful in peace, it was a hundredfold useful in +war. The king could send forth at will strident voices +such as startled the ears of the enemy with challenge +to battle and premonition of defeat. He could make +the magic conch utter clarion notes such as would +summon the forces of the spirit world to his aid and +rally his people from the most hopeless fight. The<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[21]</span> +sound was like the sound of breakers against the +rocky shores of Hawaii.</p> + +<p>To-day, alas! though the horn may still be blown, +no deity responds to its despairing wail. When, during +the native insurrection of 1889, the shell conches +sounded out shrilly upon the air, many of those present +thought of the Kiha-pu and its traditional magic. +But Lono came not from his age-long sleep, and all +things conspired to show that the potency of the trumpet +of Kiha was no more.</p> + +<p>Here is a tale founded on the old meles, of the times +when the famous conch was in the hands of the king +who gave it its name.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Kiha was desirous of a new feather cloak to mark +his dignity among the <i>alii</i>. He would summon to his +presence the feather hunters to go forth into the forest +to snare the <i>mame</i> and the <i>oo</i>, that from their +brilliant feathers of scarlet and yellow he might weave +his royal mantle. To bring them to the royal enclosure +he bethought himself of the Kiha-pu and dispatched +its trusted guardian, whose name was Hoilo, +to bring it forthwith from the <i>heiau</i> or temple. In a +little while Hoilo came back with rueful countenance +and announced that the treasure had disappeared. In +its place was an ugly, carved black stone.</p> + +<p>The king, as may be imagined, was terribly wroth, +but waxing wise with cunning he concealed from everybody +his loss, even announcing to Hoilo that the +shell was in a place known to himself. But, as soon +as he dared, he hastened to the <i>heiau</i> and there made<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[22]</span> +a confidant of the high-priest, with whom he consulted +as to the fate of the Kiha-pu. After the due sacrifices, +there came a response from the oracle. A voice +from the wicker shrine announced that the conch had +been stolen by a band of marauders, half human and +half demon, who had for some time been prowling about +the neighborhood. The king was in despair, but presently +a gleam of hope was vouchsafed by the tidings +that the lost treasure should be recovered by the king +on the day when Kiha ate of the first fruit of the +cocoanut tree to be planted by himself at the next fullness +of the moon. In answer to the question as to +who should be the instrument of the restoration, only +the mysterious reply was given that it would be a +being without hands and wearing neither a <i>malo</i> nor +mantle.</p> + +<p>It was with a very heavy heart that Kiha returned +to his palace, knowing that his trumpet was in the +hands of the demi-demon band, but nevertheless he +dissembled his grief, kept his secret manfully, planted +his cocoanut and watered the soil daily with his own +hand.</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile the demons departed with their +spoil northwards to Kauai, where after many adventures +they arrived and settled themselves down in the +mountains at the back of Waimea.</p> + +<p>Here Ika, the leader of the band, who took care to +retain the personal control of the Kiha-pu, had the +misfortune to provoke, by some unusual piece of +tyranny, a quarrel with one of his comrades, and this +latter, bent upon revenge, determined to repeat the +theft, for his own personal ends, of the magic trumpet.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[23]</span> +Not willing to run the risk of being its possessor, +however, he contented himself with robbing it +of its miraculous powers. He found out that this +could be effected by placing a cross mark upon its +rim, accompanying the operation with incantations +and prayers to Lono. So, while Ika lay, made drunk +with <i>awa</i>, the Kiha-pu was stolen, marked with the +tabu sign by the priest at Waiolani and returned again +to its place. The next day Ika arose, hung the horn +by its cord of human hair around his neck and sallied +proudly forth, as he had been wont, to exhibit its +wonderful powers, and extort the admiration of his +followers. But, alas! when he raised the conch to his +mouth and blew, even though he blew with the full +force of his lungs, there came back nothing but a +comparatively feeble, natural hollow sound.</p> + +<p>Ika was sadly mortified at his humiliation in the +sight of men, and still more so when, after further +and fruitless experiments, he had to confess that the +virtue of the ill-gotten trophy had departed.</p> + +<p>He came to the conclusion that supernatural powers +had been invoked against him, and in search of +further light paid a visit to an aged seer at Waialua +to enquire whether the voice of the Kiha-pu would +be ever restored. To his great joy the answer was +returned: “Yes, once more among the hills of Hawaii +the Kiha-pu shall speak to the ears of gods and men.” +More than this, the prophet, after the manner of +oracles, refused to tell.</p> + +<p>Thereupon Ika decided to return at once with his +companions to Hawaii, and in a few days they had +crossed the channels, beheld once more the snows of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[24]</span> +the very district from which they had so suddenly +decamped eight years before.</p> + +<p>Now it happened that on this very day King Kiha, +who, to the amazement of his people, had been apparently +spending eight years in the cultivation of a +single palm, went out to his tree and was delighted +to find that three cocoanuts had attained their maturity +and were ready for his eating. In accordance +with the ritual prescribed by the priests, these were +now solemnly eaten, and at the very moment the feast +was consummated came the news that the band of +demoniac marauders had reoccupied the marshy wood +behind the mountains of Waipio.</p> + +<p>The tidings had scarcely reached the expectant chief +when, lo! there was a tumult at the palace gate and, +advancing a few steps, Kiha beheld the royal guard +bringing into his presence the strangest looking old +man he had ever seen. His hands were tied behind +his back for more security, but at his heels followed +an object still stranger to the eye. It was a dog, a +big, ill-shapen beast of no earthly breed. It had blue +bristles, its ears were human and the eyes were small +and fiery, like those of a demon, one burning with a +greenish light, and the other white.</p> + +<p>The charge against the man was that of stealing +<i>awa</i>, and it was represented that the dog, in this business, +was his accomplice and a marvellously cunning +brute. Across the mind of the king, however, there +flashed the prediction of the oracle, which he had kept +hoarded up in his mind. Surely, here, in this dog, +was a being without hands and wearing neither <i>malo</i><span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[25]</span> +nor mantle. Was not this the instrument of the gods, +sent to his aid?</p> + +<p>Without a moment’s delay he had the two, the man +and the dog, sent to the <i>heiau</i> at Pakaalani, and thence +he sent forth the dog to hunt through the mountains +the wonder-working conch, and recover it from the +hands of the thief.</p> + +<p>There could be no doubt that the strange hound understood +his mission, for he leaped through the open +door, hurried to the mountains, and, after a long hunt, +at length seized and bore away in his teeth the object +of Kiha’s eight years’ quest. As, however, he was returning +down the mountains, for one moment he +dropped his spoil, and then there rang out upon the +air a sound terrible to hear. For in the fall a tiny +piece of the Kiha-pu, the very piece upon which was +scratched the tabu cross of Lono, was broken off, and, +liberated from silence, the old voice sounded forth as +in the years gone by, startling the unaccustomed +echoes of the mountains.</p> + +<p>The robbers heard and, discovering their loss, +started in pursuit. The king heard, too, and found +it hard to possess his soul in patience till the dog’s +return. Presently the door of the temple burst open +and in rushed the green-eyed dog with the Kiha-pu +in his mouth. The weird brute dropped it at the +king’s feet, and then immediately fell dead. His companion, +the <i>awa</i>-stealer, was inconsolable for his loss, +but Kiha awarded to him a royally generous compensation, +and then placing the horn to his lips blew such +a blast as the mountains of Hawaii had not heard for +many a year. The troops rushed together at the potent<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[26]</span> +summons, and, led at once into the mountains, fell +upon the demon band.</p> + +<p>In a few hours the whole gang was exterminated, +with the exception of Ika and two or three of his +comrades, who were reserved for the sacrifices at the +<i>heiau</i>, to be offered on the rededication of the Kiha-pu.</p> + +<p>After this, Kiha took more care of his famous trumpet +and regarded it as one of the chief talismans by +which the authority of the throne was supported, but +the <i>awa</i>-stealer, though having no further need of +recourse to his old trade, deemed his new fortune no +true compensation for the loss of his old friend, the +green-eyed dog.</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[27]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">III<br> + +<small>THE SPLINTERED PADDLE</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">In</span> the year 1784 there was raging on the island of +Hawaii the conflict known as “<i>Kaua awa</i>,” or “the +bitter war,” a name very accurately descriptive of its +exasperating and unmerciful character. There were +in those days two kinds of wars in Hawaii, viz., wars +of courtesy, when the arrangements for the contest +were made with the most punctilious regard for the +etiquette of Hawaiian chivalry, when the object of the +invasion was considerately notified, and the place of +landing and of battle carefully chosen, and, in the second +place, wars of devastation, when everything was +done to harass a foeman without respect to his feelings.</p> + +<p>The “bitter war,” however, outran even this latter +in the envenomed nature of the hostility aroused between +the contending chiefs. These were, on the one +side, Keoua and Keawemauhili, high chiefs who had +lately shared the defeat of the ill-fated Kiwaloa in the +battle of Mokuohai, and, on the other side, Kamehameha, +whose future destiny had already been revealed +to men like Keeaumoku, “the king-maker” of Hawaii.</p> + +<p>These three waged a kind of triangular contest for +the sovereignty of the island and brought to the struggle +animosities which had been intensified by the events +following the death of Kalaniopuu and his son.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[28]</span>For the moment, however, there was a lull in the +campaign. Kamehameha had retired foiled, with his +fleet, upon Laupahoehoe. Keawemauhili had just lost +the help of the mercenaries from Maui, and Keoua was +busy collecting his forces. In fact some parts of the +country were enjoying the unwonted feeling of peace, +and remained undisturbed by the arrival of the fleet-footed +<i>lunapais</i> to gather together the tribesmen for +the war.</p> + +<p>Such was the case along the Puna coast, near the +extreme southeastern point of the island, not far from +the ever-burning abode of Pele in Kilauea. A traveler, +dropping down near the village of Kapoho one +morning in the early summer, would have thought the +scene an ideal picture of peace. The purple mountains +in the background seemed still asleep under the morning +shadows which hung among the groves of <i>kukui</i> +and <i>kou</i>; the surf on the white reef was lazily playing +with the branching coral; and the blue-green water +of the Pacific slumbered under the long, level rays +of the awaking sun. Yet, early as it was, a hundred +dusky fisher folk of the Puna coast were plying their +business, not with the fierce energy of western workers +who rise early to wage war with the hours, but +with the happy languor of those who have no quarrel +with Time, and know that the whole day is before +them, one long free leisure, in which they can lazily +catch and prepare and enjoy the bounty of the sea.</p> + +<p>They have taken out in the canoes an immense rope +of banana leaves, fully half a mile in length, and are +spreading it in a circle upon the shining waters. When +spread out it is a veritable magic ring. Glancing<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[29]</span> +down into the waters beneath, you may perceive hundreds +of strange creatures of the deep, blue, green, +scarlet and yellow, with queer beaks and fins, darting +hither and thither, but never daring—poor, silly fishes, +like some inhabitants of the upper air—to cross the +black shadow which hangs so threateningly over them. +And, after a while, the fishermen enter with the canoes +and, poising their spears, strike where and when +they choose, till the boats begin to sink deeper in the +sea with the weight of their finny spoil.</p> + +<p>Such was the aspect of things on the Puna coast a +moment before it was suddenly changed by a very unwelcome +apparition. Sweeping around the headland +of Kumukahi, there bore down upon the peaceful fishermen, +from the direction of Laupahoehoe, the war +canoe of a chief, one inspired, doubtless, with no amicable +intentions. It was painted red from stem to +stern and bore a pennon at the masthead. The sturdy +rowers wore short cloaks of yellow feathers which +gleamed in the sunlight. Now, a visit of a chief was +at no time a very welcome event to the fishermen, as +it meant the confiscation of their spoil to supply the +necessity of a by no means scanty following. Sometimes +they felt inclined to follow the example of the +men of Kau and respond to the demands of the chief +for fish by hurling enough into the canoes to sink +them and their occupants to the bottom of the sea. In +this case, however, there was evidently more to be +feared than confiscation. And as, when some hungry +shark enters the lagoon where all the children are +bathing and surf-swimming, there rises the dread cry +of “<i>Mao!</i>” and instantly there follows a “<i>pilipili</i>”<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[30]</span> +scramble to the shore, so when this great red and yellow +monster of the deep, with its swift paddles and its +human voices, swept over the waves, there was such +a movement shoreward as showed that the indolent +Hawaiian could be agile enough when he chose.</p> + +<p>But the pursuit did not end with the shore. Leaping +from the war canoe, the attendants of the ravaging +<i>alii</i> hurled their spears with effect. Some of the fishermen +resisted and more than one with his paddle +made things lively for his assailant. Presently, however, +in the manner of Hawaiian warfare, the combat +resolved itself into a duel. The combatants on either +side grounded their spears and paddles to watch a +single combat which promised to decide the fortunes +of the day. The champion of the fishermen was Napopo, +who, with a child slung upon his back, seemed +unequally matched with his opponent, a chief of tremendous +size and unspeakable ferocity of countenance. +Once seen, this chief was not to be forgotten, +and, as he rushed towards the unlucky fisherman in +his path, he appeared to both sides alike irresistible. +But Napopo was no coward, and he knew the ground +better than his foe. Craftily he drew his antagonist +over the coral beach and watched with lightning eye +the moment when the spear should rush forth upon +the air. Thus it happened that in launching his spear +the chief tripped in a crevice of the rocks and fell +face downward, while the missile whizzed harmlessly +through the air. Then, leaping forward, Napopo used +his paddle to such effect that he had surely left the +chief dead upon the ground had not his followers +rushed forward to the assistance of their lord. Encumbered<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[31]</span> +with the child and fearing to risk its life +by continuing as the aggressor, Napopo allowed the +retainers to take away the battered and crestfallen +raider. With his child and his splintered paddle he +retired to his house a little distance from the shore, +and was in time when he reached it to see the gaily +painted canoe put back around the headland, the rowers +somewhat sobered, doubtless, by their adventure +and without a single fish.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Years have passed away and the wars of Hawaii +are well nigh over. Kamehameha has won the reward +of his patience and of his many defeats, and is now +overlord of all the Eight Islands.</p> + +<p>He has been making his triumphal progress round +the coast of Hawaii, consecrating new <i>heiaus</i>, superintending +the construction of fish ponds and collecting +his tributes in labor, sandalwood, yellow feathers and +fish. He has come, in due course, to Kapoho, and +many are assembled at the royal enclosure to meet +him and present their <i>hookana</i>. Among these comes +Napopo with an enormous calabash of fish. He has +no reason to fear, but as he approaches the <i>lanai</i> and +sees the concourse of runners, heralds, soldiers, and +executioners, priests and hula-dancers, it seems impossible +for him to raise his eyes. What is there in +the eyes which face him which seems to freeze his +blood? Glaring at him with the recognition of an ancient +enemy are the eyes of the man whom he had once +encountered on the coral beach and whose head he had +broken with his paddle. The recognition is, at any +rate, mutual. Kamehameha, the quondam raider, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[32]</span> +Napopo, the bold fisherman of Puna, have met face +to face. It is in vain to attempt escape. Napopo feels +that, even did not the soldiers crowd the entrance, +there was no strength in his limbs to move. He can +only await death with what composure he may. Kamanawa +and Kalaimoku, and the two white chiefs, +Young and Davis, glance at the king for orders, conscious +of his emotion, though ignorant of its cause. +But the king waved them aside and, rising amid the +assembly, spoke in tones which reached the outer +fringe of the spectators.</p> + +<p>“Chiefs and people of Hawaii, and ye men of Puna +in particular, I thank you for your welcome and your +gifts to-day. Not for the first time, however, have I +come among you, and I venture to confess that when +I came before, you treated me even better than you +have to-day. For you gave me wisdom, which is better +for kings than valor. I came among you in the +bitterness of my heart, thinking to revenge the rebellion +of Keawemauhili upon his subjects. I swooped +down upon you as the shark upon the flying fishes, and +had well nigh plundered you of your fish and burned +your houses and slain your men. But this man here +before me came against me, not with battle-axe or +javelin, but with his fisher’s paddle, and therewith +stayed the course of the blood-drinking spear and well +nigh ended the battles of Kamehameha. Surely even +then were the gods my friends, or I had gone down +shamed into the halls of the dead. And now what +shall be done with the fellow who lifted up his hand +against me?”</p> + +<p>The chiefs looked upon one another, and no one ventured<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[33]</span> +to speak. They knew the grim, sardonic humor +of the man and, in spite of his words, would not have +been surprised at some fearful sentence. As for Napopo, +the bitterness of death was almost past. Hope +had not yet begun to torture him.</p> + +<p>Then amid the silence of the multitude the king +spoke again, almost a smile in his furrowed face.</p> + +<p>“My sentence is that the men of Puna be not required +to pay the fish tax, except as a gift of love. +Well do I deserve to lose the fish. That day, I remember, +I felt lucky not to have lost my life. Go, +Napopo, and defend the shores of Puna against every +doer of a lawless deed. And the child thou didst bear +upon thy back, what has become of it?”</p> + +<p>“He is here, my lord,” said Napopo, scarcely knowing +whether or not he was dreaming, as he brought +forward a young man, tall and erect and handsome as +any warrior in Kamehameha’s suite.</p> + +<p>“It is well,” said the monarch, “he shall be my care +and shall be numbered among my bodyguard. May +the gods give him a heart as fearless as his sire’s!”</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>The next day Kamehameha promulgated the law +known as “Mamalahoe”—“the law of the splintered +paddle”—by which it was decreed that any chief who +should henceforth engage in a raid upon unarmed +and helpless people should be surely put to death.</p> + +<p>Thus the king proved himself worthy to rule, because +strong enough to condemn publicly the errors +of his past.</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[34]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">IV<br> + +<small>THE SLANDERED PRIEST OF OAHU</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> chiefs left the council chamber of Kahahana +moody and displeased. Such a proposition as they had +heard had never before been suggested by a king of +Oahu. The wiles of Kahekili, the <i>moi</i> of Maui, they +knew. Like a greedy octopus, he was ever stretching +out his tentacles to lay hold on everything within +reach, and his eyes had for many a long year been +on the coastland of Kualoa. But that Kahahana, their +own feudal lord, the king who had but recently been +installed with extraordinary solemnities and the sacrifice +of an unwonted number of victims, the king +whom they were expecting to bring back the glorious +days of Peleioholani, should propose such a cession +was far more than weakness; it was imbecility and +treason. They gazed in imagination upon the beautiful +amphitheatre of Koolau Bay, stretching in a perfect +semi-circle from Kualoa Point to Kaneohe, +counted up the revenue in whalebone and whale’s teeth +it was wont to produce and at once, in a fierce kind +of unanimity, overrode the proposal of the king. They +then despatched, in the name of the whole college of +the <i>alii</i>, a rejoinder to the king of Maui, such as +would stir up that terrible old warrior even from his<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[35]</span> +<i>awa</i>-drinking to order forth the <i>lunapais</i> with the +chant of war. However, better war than disgrace, +they felt—better even defeat, better to prostrate themselves +before Kahekili with the ignominious appeal of +the vanquished, “<i>E make paha, e ola paha—iluna ke +alo? ilalo ke alo?</i>” than tamely to give away the choicest +of their lands. Let the country be parcelled out +after defeat, and not before!</p> + +<p>Such had been the patriotic advice of the priest +Kaopulupulu, who had long stood near the throne of +Oahu, a support to its kings, learned in the traditions +of kingship and in the lore of the gods, skilled not +only to read the clouds and the auguries, but also to +understand the hearts of mortals and of spirits. The +white hair which descended over his dusky shoulders +covered a brain whose like for experience and sagacity +Oahu did not contain from Maena to Makapuu.</p> + +<p>So the chiefs departed to send their message, leaving +Kahahana in no enviable mood, reclining on the +<i>lanai</i>. Truth to say, he was ashamed of himself and +had made his proposal not over willingly. He had +been brought up with Kahekili on the island of Maui, +had adventured with him in the wars against Hawaii, +their spears had drunk blood together, nay, they had +become almost one in family ties, for he had taken the +half-sister of Kahekili for his bride. Thus, in making +himself the tool of Kahekili, the weak and credulous +chief had acted without considering the aspects +his proposal would present to the rest of the <i>alii</i>. +Now, ill at ease, bitter and angry, as well as ashamed, +he could only anticipate what would be the wrath of +Kahekili and what degree of revenge he would plan.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[36]</span>Kahahana was right in one particular at least. Kahekili, +when he received the news, went almost stark +mad with anger. His followers whispered one to another +that he had become “<i>hehena</i>,” and quailed before +him, or, if possible, kept themselves afar from +the royal enclosure. At length, however, the paroxysm +passed and counsel took the place of passion. +There sits Kahekili, a mighty man yet, in spite of his +years, emaciated somewhat through the drinking of +awa, but terrible to look on. One side of his body +was tattooed almost black, the other retained its natural +hue, his eyes were somewhat heavy, yet now and +again lustrous with his thoughts. Long had he +dreamed of being the possessor of Kualoa. It was +his “Naboth’s Vineyard.” Here were ivory and whalebone +enough to make him rich and envied. He had +deemed the fool Kahahana sufficiently his creature and +vassal not to gainsay him in such a matter as this. +Now, wherefore should he not pronounce the word +and send out the black <i>maika</i>-stone to the chiefs for +war?</p> + +<p>But other and craftier counsels prevailed. Why go +to the trouble of war if he could break the power of +Oahu some easier way? Oahu was strong and formidable +in battle array, thanks to the counsel of the +priest Kaopulupulu. The issue of conflict on the field +was by no means assured while he remained by Kahahana’s +side. Kaopulupulu removed, the fruit of Oahu +would fall from the tree into his hands. Were it not +better to proceed craftily? Fortunately, he had in his +court the younger brother of Kaopulupulu, whose jealousy +of the high-priest of Oahu was notorious, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[37]</span> +with him ere the day was done, had Kahekili speech +and agreement.</p> + +<p>The days went by and Kahahana began to lose his +uneasy mind. Kahekili had taken his rebuff much +more readily than of wont, and there was no sign of +hostile preparation or intent. Only Kaopulupulu persisted +in urging the king to beware and remain ready +for a visit from Kahekili’s flotilla of canoes at any +hour of the day or night.</p> + +<p>One day, nearly two weeks from the time the cession +of Kualoa had been rejected, he was on his way +to the royal <i>lanai</i> to urge a doubling of the coast +watch, when, greatly to his surprise, as he went in +to stand before the king, there went out Nanoa, his +brother, who had come with messages from Kahekili. +Kaopulupulu liked not the look which Nanoa cast upon +him as he passed, but shame withheld him from mistrusting +so close a kinsman, and he replied heartily to +the other’s formal salutation. But when he stood before +the king, Kahahana looked blackly on him and +gave him no such greeting as had been customary. +Kaopulupulu misdoubted in his heart that some evil +was afoot, and presently learned from the king that +he was adjudged a traitor to Oahu. Had he not, so +the charge ran, conspired to aid Kahekili to the overlordship +of Oahu? But for the desire of the Maui +king to be true to his old roofmate and kinsman by +marriage, the treachery had remained unrevealed.</p> + +<p>Kaopulupulu remained awhile silent, sorrowful, and +in bitter anger before the king. “I scorn,” he said, +“to defend myself with words—I whose deeds ought +to speak louder than the calumnies of Kahekili. Yet<span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[38]</span> +is he laboring to overcome with guile those whom he +fears to meet with the war-spear. Beware of Kahekili, +but if ye will heed me not, suffer me to depart +with my only son to Waianae to till my fields. Time +shall be the judge between us.”</p> + +<p>The king, who was scarce prepared as yet to take +upon himself the risk of an arrest, did not withhold +his permission, and presently Kaopulupulu might have +been seen with bowed head, led by the hand of his +only son, and followed at a little distance by his amazed +retainers, wending his way slowly to Waianae. Hither +he arrived just as the rising moon had kindled its +beacon on the mountain-tops.</p> + +<p>That very night, in spite of his dejection, he tattooed +himself and all his followers upon the knee, in +token of loyalty to Kahahana.</p> + +<p>“<i>He eha nui no, he nui loa lakuu aloha!</i>”<a id="FNanchor_1" href="#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a> said the +faithful slaves as the sharp instrument of fish-bones +pierced their skin.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a id="Footnote_1" href="#FNanchor_1" class="label">[A]</a> “Great is the pain, but greater still is our love.”</p> + +</div> + +<p>“Soon, I foresee,” answered Kaopulupulu, “you will +tattoo yourselves not for the living, but for the dead.” +And all the household uttered their loud “<i>auwe</i>.”</p> + +<p>And now followed lamentable days for Oahu. The +king, distrusted and distrustful, held few parleys with +his chiefs: more and more careless grew the guards +along the coast; fewer and fewer the appeals to the +gods. In the <i>heiaus</i> the shrines stood neglected. A +few tattered shreds of clothing washed by the rain +and bleached by the sun were all that was left of their +once gaudy array of idols, while piles of broken calabashes +and cocoanut shells, with rotten wreaths of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[39]</span> +flowers and putrid masses of meat, formed unsightly +heaps in the sacred enclosures. Men’s hearts seemed +to have gone to sleep and even the old warriors allowed +their spears to rust, and to dream only of the +past.</p> + +<p>Into the midst of this doleful time came the news +that Kahekili was preparing to muster his canoes on +the beach of Lahaina, but Kahahana, so far from allowing +the tidings to reveal to his heart the craft of +the Maui chief and his emissary, kept still within his +bosom the poisoned shaft and muttered:</p> + +<p>“Kaopulupulu predicted this. Surely the priest is +skillful to ensure the fulfillment of his own predictions.”</p> + +<p>So his anger waxed against the aged priest and he +sent canoes with his <i>ilamoku</i>, or executioner, to Waianae. +In his frenzy it seemed better to slay one who +had been his friend than to sit still and await the +oncoming of Kahekili.</p> + +<p>Kaopulupulu and his son were fishing along the +shore when the boat hove in sight, and, as it were, by +the afflatus of the gods, the priest knew that it was an +errand of blood.</p> + +<p>“Farewell,” he said, “my son, blood of my blood. A +little while we shall wander apart, but Lono will see +and hear, and will not allow death to sever us long, +since we are true kin!”</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, he went courteously to the landing-place +to meet the men and asked them whence they +had come. But they answered roughly and straightway +seized the boy, who cried piteously for his life. +Out into the canoe they bore him, and then hurled<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[40]</span> +him headlong into the water between the boat and the +reef. When he tried to swim they smote him on the +head with the paddles and with clubs, till the waves +were reddened with blood and the sharks scented their +prey afar. Then upon the shore stood Kaopulupulu, +his white hair streaming in the breeze, and cried aloud +under the inspiration of the gods:</p> + +<p>“It is better to sleep in the sea, for from the sea +comes the means of life.”</p> + +<p>Men mused much upon this saying in the aftertime, +but understood it not till many years had flown. The +enemies of Kaopulupulu said: “It is a proof of his +conspiracy with Kahekili,” but all men afterwards interpreted +it of the coming of Kamehameha, the overlord +of the Eight Islands, from the sea.</p> + +<p>Kahahana was, however, not content with the death +of the son, and when he had allowed Kaopulupulu some +space for the torment of grief, he sent again the death-boat +for the priest.</p> + +<p>So Kaopulupulu was brought, not all unwillingly, +to Puulio, and there in the presence of the king for +whom he would willingly have died to preserve him +from the impending storm, he was slain by the club +of the <i>ilamoku</i>. All men wept to see such sacrilege +committed, as the old man stood up for his death-blow +before the king. Once more the prophetic fire +glowed in his eye-sockets, and once more he cried aloud +so that all the assembly might hear:</p> + +<p>“Farewell, my lord, O king! Alas! that I should +in my death foreshadow thine own. When the fatal +club whirls behind thee, then shalt thou know the +faith of Kaopulupulu to Oahu and to thee!” A moment<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[41]</span> +after he fell face foremost and was dragged +away with a hook to the temple.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Great is the commotion on the beach of Waikiki. +The echoes of Diamond Head are rudely awakened +with the shouts of warriors. The forces of Maui have +swept over from Lahaina and have effected their landing +almost without opposition from Kahahana. The +Oahu forces, undisciplined and demoralized, are driven +helter-skelter to the valleys, and Kahekili may solace +himself ere long with Kualoa, and all Koolau to boot.</p> + +<p>Kahahana fled to the mountains around Ewa and +here for nearly two years was hidden, fed and clothed +by his compassionate subjects. Then, having learned +how lovely it is to rely upon fidelity, such fidelity as +he now knew to have been that of his slandered priest, +Kaopulupulu, he learned in his turn also how bitter +it is to be betrayed.</p> + +<p>His wife’s brother, Kehuamanoha, yielded up the +secret of his hiding-place to Kahekili, and he was +dragged by the order of the conqueror from Ewa to +Waikiki, to stand in the presence of his crafty antagonist.</p> + +<p>Thus in all points Nemesis overtook him, and when +he died a sacrifice to the gods at Waikiki, he cried out +for the vengeful deities to wash out in his blood the +wretchedness of his unfaithfulness and allow him to +meet the manes of Kaopulupulu in peace.</p> + +<p>But a man’s folly, so far as its consequences are +concerned, does not end with repentance, and heavily +did Kahekili lay his yoke upon Oahu. Men, women<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[42]</span> +and children were butchered, the streams were piled +high with the dead, and ran scarlet to the sea, and +one of the Maui chiefs built a house at Lapakea with +the bones of the slain.</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[43]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">V<br> + +<small>KEALA</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> man-eating <i>mu</i> was in the street.</p> + +<p>This accounted for the silence in the village. No +one was in sight when the two chiefs, Kakaua and +Kapahala, met.</p> + +<p>“Ha, Kakaua, hearest thou the news? Kahekili is +dead!”</p> + +<p>“<i>Auwe!</i> dark the day of Maui! There will be pickings +for crows, now the eagle is gone! Methinks the +‘Lonely One’ in Kohala will soon be looking this way +again.”</p> + +<p>“Ay, said not Kahekili to him: ‘When the black +<i>kapa</i> covers me, then shalt thou be the <i>maika</i>-stone +sweeping from Hawaii to Niihau’?”</p> + +<p>“What say Kaeo and Kalanikapule?”</p> + +<p>“Nay, I know not. When I left the royal enclosure +they were wailing and knocking out their teeth, and +between whiles they discussed the disposal of Kahekili’s +bones.”</p> + +<p>“Ah, Kalani had best grind them to powder and +mix them with <i>poi</i> for the eating of the chiefs. They +will need all the strength of Kahekili’s heart to stand +up against the lord of Halawa.”</p> + +<p>“Yea,” said a newcomer, “and methinks, Kakaua,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[44]</span> +you need to eat his liver, for I hear the man-eating <i>mu</i> +is in the street, seeking some victim to please the +gods and the dead chief therewith. The <i>mu</i>, who is, +you may know, none other than Ahi, the priest, has +a special love for you, Kakaua! Is it not so? <i>Aloha!</i> +I go a-fishing.”</p> + +<p>Kakaua turned white under his dusky skin, and apparently +concluded to go fishing, too, for when an +hour later the priest Ahi came to make a call of honor—having +destined Kakaua for the sacrifice which +was to appease the manes of the dead king—the intended +victim was not to be found, nor was his canoe.</p> + +<p>This looked bad, for the surf was thundering upon +the reef as though the shark god himself had come +to attend the obsequies of Kahekili, and Laamaomao +in his train—a big leak in his calabash, from whence +poured forth angry gusts of wind along the shore.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Ahi, acting the part of that unpopular +functionary, the <i>mu-ai-kanaka</i>, was parading the +empty streets with horrible yells and contortions of +the body. In one hand he held a club with which to +fell his victim from behind, in the other a hook with +which to drag the body to the <i>heiau</i>. He was very +angry, for he had calculated by this time to have had +the hook in the flesh of Kakaua, against whom he bore +a special grudge.</p> + +<p>The history, as is so often the case, concerned a +maiden.</p> + +<p>Sweet Keala! ill was it for thy peace that thou +wast beautiful as the <i>lehua</i> which is wooed by the +<i>olokele</i> in the morning sun, and ill was it for Ahi and +Kakaua that they, the one or the other, agreed not<span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[45]</span> +to give thee up and seek another maiden, whereof +there were many in the Eight Islands!</p> + +<p>Ahi was a priest and cruel, and Keala loved him +not, loved neither himself nor his vocation; but Kakaua +she loved because he was a warrior, straight as +a palm-tree and smiling as the dawn. This was not +pleasant knowledge to Ahi, and he had loved the idea +of personating the man-eating <i>mu</i>, because he might +thereby rid himself of his rival, and, Kakaua away—why, +surely Keala would love him.</p> + +<p>And now Kakaua was away—if not consumed upon +the altar of the gods, assuredly eaten by the sharks +outside the reef, for the surf which boomed upon the +coral rocks had cruel white teeth which must have +devoured any canoe out that night. Ahi protested to +Keala that, beyond all doubt, Kakaua had gone down +to the realm of Milu to eat lizards and butterflies and +recline under ghostly trees—nevermore to revisit the +upper air. But, somehow, such is the obstinacy of +womankind, Keala loved Ahi none the more, and Kakaua +none the less. Moreover, she told the priest to +his face she would rather be the bride of the sharks +than share his loathsome couch.</p> + +<p>In his heart, however, Ahi was by no means so sure +of the death of Kakaua, and oftentimes at night he +would build a fireplace on the hearth of his hut, plant +<i>kapa</i>-sticks at the corners and make a fire by rubbing +the firestick, <i>aulima</i>, on a twig of <i>akia</i> and endeavor +to send out his soul through the smoke, to discover +the whereabouts of the man whom he feared absent +even more than present.</p> + +<p>But his visions for many nights were vague—rolling<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[46]</span> +seas, surf-beaten shores, groves of palms, slopes +of lava, concourses of men, troops preparing for battle, +but no Kakaua. Each night his soul came back +to his body fruitlessly wearied.</p> + +<p>His disappointment he revenged upon the girl whom +he hoped to win. Day by day he persecuted her with +his advances, and day by day she repelled him with +the bitterest scorn. All the power of the gods he denounced +against her faithful obstinacy, but Keala refused +to believe that the <i>akua</i> were hostile to human +constancy, and bore the revilings of the priest in patience.</p> + +<p>But it was hard to live in the Hawaii of olden time +the enemy of the priests. The high chief Hua had +ventured to oppose them, and of him it was said in +proverbs: “Rattling are the bones of Hua in the sun.” +Is it, then, to be wondered at that, week by week, the +situation of Keala became more perilous? Till one +day, after Ahi had been most violent in his protestations +of love, and Keala most bitter in her repulse, the +struggle ceased with the slaughter of the maiden—on +a charge, supported by false witnesses, of having +broken the <i>kapu</i> and eaten of the forbidden food. Like +a meek lamb, and amid the tears of the people, Keala +was slain before the altar of the <i>heiau</i>, but with her +dying voice she appealed to the only goddess whose +power she knew—Pele, the mistress of the great volcano +whose lava-floods ravaged the coasts of Hawaii. +Pele was a fickle deity, she knew, but surely she would +avenge the wrongs of her sex. So Keala died, faithful +to Kakaua. Yet Ahi was not happy. The people +hated him, and his own heart was not at peace.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[47]</span>More zealous than ever in his priestly duties, he +made daily offerings to propitiate the volcano goddess, +for he feared the prayer of the dying maiden, and as +the rumor of his subornation grew he feared even +more the living arm of Kakaua, to be assured of whose +death he would have given half his wealth. Again +and again he projected his spirit into space, to search +for his former rival, and each time he grew certain +that Kakaua was alive and not dead.</p> + +<p>But one night, no sooner had he made his fire, prepared +and drunk his <i>awa</i>, chanted his fire-prayer and +called upon the terrible name of Uli, than he felt his +soul go out through the smoke, like an invisible bird, +over the sand plains and over the sea, till he came to +a dark mountain mass rising far above the clouds. +Here he once more felt himself touch the ground and +able to look about him. Down below through the +driving mists he could see the gray shore-line and the +white reef. The locality seemed familiar to him, though +he recalled not its name. Up above was the mountain +sparsely covered with <i>ohelo</i> and with clouds of sulphurous +smoke rolling from its summit. Now he suspected +his whereabouts, and when he glanced a second +time along the road he was certain. The green +water below was the bay of Hilo, the mountain was +the terrible Kilauea, where in Halemaumau, the house +of everlasting fire, the goddess Pele was wont to ride +the red surges with her sisters and tilt with lances +of flaming lava. The road was the mountain-path +from Waiakea to Kapapala, and up the road, as the +spirit of Ahi gazed at the well-known landmarks, a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[48]</span> +strangely familiar figure was making its way. A foretaste +of malicious joy thrilled the disembodied spirit +and he hurriedly gained the path which the toiling +wayfarer must take. Right in the middle of the road +he made the magic sign known only to the <i>kahunas</i>, +uttered the imprecation of Uli, and then, although +conscious that he was only a ghost, and invisible, withdrew +to a cave near by to watch the working of his +wizardry.</p> + +<p>Scarcely had he reached his place of concealment +when he felt a strange trembling of the earth, and a +moment later, gazing out, he beheld a sight which +made him, spirit though he was, shiver like a leaf. The +traveler had almost reached the spellbound square +when from the top of the mountain there appeared +the head of a tide of lava like a river of molten lead, +and on the lurid crest, as though riding upon the +surf-board, was the dreaded goddess of the crater. +The tide of flame was making its way straight along +the channel of the road, and Ahi saw with relief it +would sweep by him and leave him untouched. And +when the traveler lifted his face in terror toward the +oncoming death, Ahi was happy at last, for the face +was indeed the face of Kakaua. The spell was working. +His old enemy was doomed, and by the very +power to whom Keala had made her supplication.</p> + +<p>But Ahi’s joy was short-lived and gave way to convulsive +rage when he looked again. For the terror +had fled from Kakaua’s face and in its stead was joy, +and the priest following the eyes of the doomed man +looked upon the countenance of Pele, and lo! it was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[49]</span> +Pele no longer, but Keala. And the man stretched +out his arms in ecstasy for the embrace of the goddess. +Yes, Pele had, after all, hearkened to Keala’s +prayer.</p> + +<p>Darkness came over the frustrate ghost, and presently +from the smoke of his own hearth Ahi’s spirit +went out unbidden and stood in the halls of the underworld, +the abode of Milu. A great paradise +stretched out before the portals of the gloomy prison-house. +There were waters fresher and palms greener +than those of Waipio, and down the mossy rocks +trickled the sparkling drops which made the stream, +as though the tears of lovers shed on earth were here +distilling into the river of the water of life. Delicious +perfumes and the song of innumerable birds filled the +air.</p> + +<p>But all this gave no pleasure to the soul of Ahi, +who made fruitless efforts not to see, when before +him glided the happy shades of Kakaua and Keala in +joyous converse, and he cursed Uli and Kiiaka and +all his gods when they looked upon him and said:</p> + +<p>“Thanks, Ahi, through thee we are alive, for we +love, and thou, alas! art dead!”</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Ahi awoke and the ashes upon his hearth were dead +and cold.</p> + +<p>As for Ahi himself, his hair was white and his limbs +palsied. He knew that the words of Kakaua and Keala +were true, and that the gods had written down his +name as dead. His heart within his breast was like +stone, and his life was gone from him like smoke. He<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[50]</span> +lived thus many years, but he gave no more offerings +to Pele, for he said: “Verily, the fires of Pele turn to +sunshine, and the spells of the <i>kahuna</i> are vain before +such love as that of Kakaua and Keala.”</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[51]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">VI<br> + +<small>PELE DECLARES FOR KAMEHAMEHA</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> ancient kings of Hawaii showed their wisdom +and their appreciation of the beautiful when they +chose Waipio for a royal residence. There was no +other spot in the Eight Islands so blessed by nature, +prodigal as she was of her gifts from Niihau to Hawaii. +A romantic valley nearly a mile wide at the +seaward entrance, enclosed on the other sides by nearly +perpendicular hills, clothed with grass, creepers and +shrubs—such was Waipio. Winding paths led upwards +amid the jutting rocks and threadlike cascades +descending almost at one leap, forming the stream below +which flowed deviously among the sand-hills to +the sea.</p> + +<p>At one time, says an old legend, the stream was +more sluggish than now, but a great fish which lived +off the Hamakua coast found the supply of fresh water +too scanty for his need and appealed to Kane for +more. In consequence, fresh springs were created, +the bed of the river tilted up and the requisite increase +of water obligingly supplied. The great fish +is there no longer; but, if so disposed, you may still +see the finger marks of Kane on the huge stones +which he hurled into the river to raise its bed.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[52]</span>A hundred and eighteen years ago Waipio was +still the loveliest spot in the Paradise of the Pacific. +Here the palms were tallest, the foliage greenest, the +blossoms brightest, the water coolest. And in recognition +of this fact many were the folk who here made +their abode. Along the foot of the mountains and extending +up the valley as far as the eye could reach +were little groups of grass huts looking almost as +natural as the trees and mountains. Nearer the sea +was part of the patrimony of Kamehameha, and many +were the evidences of the labors in which the great +chief, like a modern Cincinnatus, had indulged in the +intervals of fighting his many foes. Here were the +fish ponds, here the taro-patches, here even attempts +at the construction of an aqueduct—attempts rendered, +however, futile by the lack of adequate tools.</p> + +<p>At the time of which we speak Kamehameha was +at home, but nevertheless not bent upon peaceful pursuits. +This was at once evident from a glance at the +coral beach. Gigantic war canoes painted and pennoned +lay along the sand mile after mile. A great +double pirogue, containing mounted cannon and +chests of firearms, was evidently the king’s own special +craft. There were, however, several more or less +seaworthy schooners of American build in the royal +fleet.</p> + +<p>In these Kamehameha and his army had come hurriedly +back from Molokai, whither he had gone after +his great victory in Maui. The battle in the Iao valley, +known as the “damming of the waters,” had rendered +him, for the time being, master of Maui, and, +after sending one ambassador to Kauai to look out a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[53]</span> +powerful wizard and another to Oahu to interview +Kahekili, he had gone himself to Molokai to secure +influence over the high chiefess Kalola, her daughter +Liliha and her granddaughter Keopuolani. With these +on his side, or under his protection, Kamehameha knew +he could appeal with every hope of success to the aristocratic +instincts of the people.</p> + +<p>But suddenly, almost from the blue sky, a thunderbolt +had fallen into the midst of his plans. A messenger +landed one morning with the news that Keoua in +Hawaii had attacked and slain Keawemauhili in a battle +near Hilo, had overrun and annexed his dominions +in Puna and Kau, and had forthwith invaded the territories +of Kamehameha in Hamakua, Waipio, and +Waimea, destroying fish ponds and potato fields, and +committing all kinds of barbarities.</p> + +<p>Such news was an imperative summons to Kamehameha +to return at once to Hawaii, and this he had +done with his usual celerity. Keoua, taken by surprise, +retreated to Paauhau in Hamakua and there awaited +attack. Two bloody battles were fought, but neither +side gained much advantage, and, while Keoua fell back +on Hilo, Kamehameha withdrew to Waipio, where we +now behold him, in November, 1790, getting ready +for the final struggle.</p> + +<p>Little groups of chiefs and warriors are sitting on +the beach, polishing their weapons and talking of the +prospects of the campaign.</p> + +<p>“Kamehameha has been playing with Keoua so far,” +said an old grizzled warrior, scarred with the wounds +of twenty battles. “When he begins to fight real battles, +he will win.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[54]</span>“He has the favor of the gods,” said another; “he +should soon make an end of rebellion.”</p> + +<p>“Ay,” added a third, “what chief in Hawaii aforetime +has been at once the guardian of Kaili, the war +god, and the possessor of Kalaipahoa, the poison goddess?”</p> + +<p>“And,” said Kamanawa, “the owner of the magic +conch, Kiha-pu!”</p> + +<p>“And has had the help of the white men,” interposed +Kaiana, proud of his friendship with the <i>haole</i> +captains, with whom he made a visit to China. “See +what havoc the red-mouthed guns made in Kepaniwai!”</p> + +<p>“Yea,” resumed Keeaumoku, “the ‘Lonely One’ must +succeed. Years ago, when I withdrew from the battlefield +because I knew no leader whose battle-shout +stirred my blood, the old prophet Keaulumoku came +across the hills from Lahaina to my dwelling and +chanted me the events which were to come. That was +years ago, but I wait in patience.”</p> + +<p>“One thing Kamehameha lacks,” said a chief who +had hitherto remained silent—and as he spake the +others lifted their faces in expectant surprise—“one +thing the lord of Kohala lacks. Marked you not the +other night how, while we slept, there came a tremor +of the earth which waked us all and brought cold +blood to our hearts? If that same goddess who thus +changed sleep into fear would come to the help of our +chief, Keoua would not long remain in the upper air. +Pele is stronger than the white man’s fire-breathing +guns! But, behold! yonder comes the <i>lunapai</i>, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[55]</span> +with him a goodly number of recruits for the war. +Let us go and hear his news.”</p> + +<p>As though the speaker’s thought were the thought +of the whole camp, there was a simultaneous movement +towards the <i>lanai</i>, whither the messenger had +directed his steps. The excitement grew when it was +seen that the <i>lunapai</i> had news. He had gone well +nigh round the island, three hundred miles in nine +days, and had met with signal success. There had +been no need of the <i>uluku</i> to slit the ears of the recruits +and drag them reluctant to the war. Goodly +young men had joined him at every village, and Kamehameha’s +ranks were swelled by a daily increasing +army of those who had heard of his exploits in Maui +and how he had at last avenged the slaughter on the +sand-hills fifteen years before.</p> + +<p>But the man had evidently something else to relate +besides his success as a <i>lunapai</i> and, refusing to eat or +drink until he told his tale, he only waited until Kamehameha, +who had just come in from fishing, had taken +his place on a couch of <i>pulu</i> and then began:</p> + +<p>“O king, verily a mightier <i>lunapai</i> than Pakahala +has gone through the island. Hearken, chiefs, and +fear the gods! Hearken, warriors, and follow your +lord, the beloved of heaven, to sure and happy victory!”</p> + +<p>The chiefs and spearmen gathered round at once +and a great silence was made. Then the orator resumed:</p> + +<p>“Keoua assembled his warriors and set out for Kau. +They marched, a great host lusting for the noise of +battle, along the road which leads by the abode of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[56]</span> +Pele, the death-dealing Kilauea. Heedless of the +power of the goddess, they rolled stones into the crater, +unmindful of the sacrilege.</p> + +<p>“But Pele was not pleased with their amusement, +neither liked she to receive rocks instead of <i>ohelo</i>-berries. +And when the men slept, she awakened in +her anger and threw out the stones they had thrown +in, with flame and cinders, to a great distance. Then +were Keoua’s men afraid and in vain tried to soothe +the goddess. But she refused to be appeased, and all +through that day and the second and the third the +earth shook and the fire leaped from the mountain, +and the ashes rained down upon the host.</p> + +<p>“Then on the third night Keoua spake and said: +‘Why stay we here to be consumed of Pele? Let us +advance.’ So they advanced in three companies. The +first company moved on over the mountain, and, verily, +as they went they died a thousand deaths.</p> + +<p>“For the earth rocked beneath their feet and darkness +came forth from the crater which entered into +their souls, and the thunder made their hearts quake, +and the lightnings burned up many among them. From +the pit beside them the fire glared red and blue and +yellow, as though all the sisters and cousins of Pele +were holding revel and mocking their victims. Scarce +could they breathe, but they hastened on and gained +at last the free air.</p> + +<p>“After these marched the second company and, a +little later, the third. These felt the earthquake and +the showers of sand, but lost no men in the darkness +and storm. As they pressed on, hoping soon to overtake +their fellows, they rejoiced and each bade the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[57]</span> +other be of good cheer, since they had escaped the +fury of the goddess.</p> + +<p>“But, ere they had gone a hundred paces further, +they saw a sight which moved their hearts with such +a fear as comes to man but once in life. What was +that crowd of warriors doing yonder, sitting silent on +the earth? Were they asleep or turned to stone? There +was the whole central band of the army, silent and +still; some sat upright, some were lying down, some +even yet embracing their wives and children, some +joining noses, as taking leave one of another. And all +was ghastly and still. Every heart was chilled with +the cold shadow of death.</p> + +<p>“Nevertheless, scarce could they believe the truth +until they approached and touched and shook them. +Then they knew that suddenly, as in a moment, the +third part of Keoua’s army had been breathed upon +by Pele, and the life had fled from them like vapor +before the fire. But one living thing was there. It +was a hog rooting among the trees, and the men were +afraid, believing it to be Kamapuaa, the man-pig, +spouse of the goddess. So they did not dare to stay +to raise the wail of mourners. They hurried on and, +after much time, reached the band which first crossed +the mountain. From these, O king, I heard the story, +and thither I am come to proclaim that the queen of +Halemaumau has declared herself on our part. Verily, +Pele has accepted thee for a son and will bring +thee to the lordship of Hawaii!”</p> + +<p>The concourse scarce awaited the orator’s peroration. +A mighty shout arose from the host, and with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[58]</span> +one voice they cried: “<i>E Kamehameha!</i> Praise we the +goddess of fire, gracious to us and to our lord.”</p> + +<p>Kamehameha arose. He had thrown his cloak over +his shoulders, donned his feather-helmet and grasped +his terrible spear. Head and shoulders he appeared +above every man in the assembly, and as he spake his +form seemed to swell and his voice increase in power, +as though the afflatus of the gods possessed him. Then +he cried, and men in the canoes far out to sea heard +his voice:</p> + +<p>“Great is the favor of Pele! Now, chiefs and warriors +of Hawaii, the time is come. On with the building +of the great <i>heiau</i>! On with Puukohola! Make +the altar ready for the body of the victim, even for +Keoua. A few more days and Keliimaikai shall present +Kaili the blood for which he thirsts. Keoua’s +death-day draws nigh and the day of victory. Praise +to Pele, dwelling in the vaults of eternal fire, the friend +and guardian of Kamehameha, your king.”</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[59]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">VII<br> + +<small>THE CITY OF REFUGE</small></h2> + +<p class="center"><i>A Tale of Oahu</i></p> +</div> + +<p>“<span class="smcap">All</span> day long the noise of battle roll’d.”</p> + +<p>But it was night now, and there was silence on the +battlefield. As the moon rose, its long shafts of light +quivered across the lagoons which stretched between +Moanalua and Waianae, and silvered the coral beach +of Ewa, so that the dark heaps of corpses stood out +with weird distinctness.</p> + +<p>The treachery of Kalanikapule had been crowned +with success—a success which in the aftertimes +proved ruinous enough, since the folly of Kahekili’s +heirs was preparing the way for the supremacy of +Kamehameha—and Kaeo was dead. The brave invader +from Maui had accepted war with a light heart, +since it brought him immunity from the plottings of +his chiefs, and might even have repelled the wanton +attack of his brother, had it not been for the guns +and ships of the white man.</p> + +<p>But, as it was, he found himself in a trap. “Better +to die in battle,” he said, “many will be the companions +in death,” and so fought to the last, and died.</p> + +<p>Yes, indeed! many <i>had</i> been the “companions in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[60]</span> +death”—not only among the yellow-cloaked <i>aliis</i> who +had hurled their spears in vain against the “red-mouthed” +guns, but even among the women, who, following +at first to supply the warriors with food and +drink from their calabashes, stood at last, side by side, +with their husbands to aid them, and fell across their +corpses.</p> + +<p>It was thus that Liliha had stood by and fallen with +her husband Kahulu; but, in the moonlight, who was +to distinguish hero from hero? Their souls had gone +down into the dark halls of Milu, their bodies were +objects of attention to the foul night-birds which +flapped their dusky wings with joy and scarce had +leisure to break the silence with a scream as they +gorged themselves on the red fruit of fraternal discord.</p> + +<p>There was apparently no one to disturb the horrid +feast, but suddenly a little cry came from one of the +hills of slain which sent the whole black brood whirring +across to another part of the battlefield. A bird +had been pecking at the eyes of the slain and had +aroused, by the smart, some unconscious one back to +life.</p> + +<p>The cry was faint enough, but presently from the +gory hillock whence it came, there might have been +seen a form of a woman painfully disengaging herself +from the surrounding dead. One corpse she sought, +but could not find, or she had been content to clasp +it and send forth her soul to seek its soul in the nether +world. So with a little cry, which might have been +the expression of disappointment or of hope, Liliha, +daughter of the high-priest of Kauai and wife of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[61]</span> +Kaulu (for so you might have recognized her as the +traveling lamp of night sent its cold rays across her +beautiful face), slipped, with a shudder, from her gruesome +bedfellows, and laboriously sought the shore. The +little waves were sleepily plashing on the coral beach, +toying with the dripping branches and blossoms of +the overhanging <i>hau</i>. Here was an invitation if not +to life, at least to death, which latter Liliha felt was +almost, if not quite, as good.</p> + +<p>But when the water flowed around her limbs she +felt suddenly strong and instinctively swam out into +the silver waters of the lagoon. The waves bathed +her wounds and cooled her fevered brow, and there +seemed above her the spirit-wings of Hope whom even +Hawaiian mythology recognized and worshipped. She +struck out for the Aiea shore, where she hoped to +find refuge among her kin until the wrath of Kalanikapule +should be overpast.</p> + +<p>But, as she went on, the wounds bled again, some +hungry shark was surely behind her scenting the +blood, and, when at length she cast her body, bruised +and bleeding, upon the beach, she no longer hoped +for life, but for a cave in which to die.</p> + +<p>At the entrance of the Halawa valley was a thicket +almost concealing the mouth of the pass. A tangle of +<i>ieie</i> had overgrown the shrubs and trees, so that to +right or left of the white boulders, over which in +freshet-times the torrents passed from the mountains +to the sea, there was just the place where a hunted +fugitive might hide or a wounded animal might die.</p> + +<p>Here Liliha lay on the <i>pulu</i>, never so luxuriously +soft as now. (We may appreciate the instinct which<span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[62]</span> +leads the Hawaiians to-day to pad their coffins with +it.) But the valley of Halawa was not to be Liliha’s +coffin. Her swoon of the battlefield was but repeated, +and when she awoke there was near her the sound of +many men all talking together around a fire whose +glow penetrated her hiding-place. They were mixing +<i>awa</i>; the bowl was in their midst, and they were busy +chewing the narcotic root and steeping the masticated +morsels in the bowl. They had evidently shared in +the recent fight, for they had their weapons with them, +and, as the firelight shone upon their breasts, Liliha +saw that the ivory <i>palaoa</i> of several had been stained +with blood.</p> + +<p>But presently a groan startled the awakened woman. +It came from an inert bundle just beyond the fireglow. +The warriors turned their heads. They were in a +merry mood. Victory had crowned their arms, and +an <i>awa</i> orgy was in sight. Hence they only chuckled +and said:</p> + +<p>“<i>E Kahulu!</i> but you shall soon drink <i>awa</i> with +Milu! Kaeo will have some boon companions down +there in the dark. There is twitching of the eyes in +the house of Kahulu to-day, or verily the <i>akua</i> are all +asleep.”</p> + +<p>The object of their mockery answered not, but +turned over to nurse his thoughts in silence. As his +face for one instant caught the light, the woman in +the thicket knew him and—decided to live.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the <i>awa</i>-brewing went on, and presently +came the <i>awa</i>-drinking. For an hour the merriment +grew and then for an hour it declined, till one form<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[63]</span> +after another, with a sidelong glance at the helpless +prisoner, yielded to the seductive narcotic and slept—a +sleep not pleasant to look on, for the bodies of the +men turned uneasily and writhed as in pain.</p> + +<p>But one slept not. He had had no <i>awa</i>, and bitter +thoughts keep him wakeful. Death was certain. All +the omens proved it. Was not even now that low cooing +sound the voice of the <i>alae</i>, the waterfowl, whose +call was always the harbinger of death? He raised his +head to listen, and then he doubted. Had he been in +his native woods in Kauai that low cry would have +brought him to Liliha’s arms. How often had she thus +greeted him as she came back from beating the <i>kapa</i> +in the pools. Alas! nevermore should he see her on +this beautiful earth, but, perchance, when the ordeal +of the sacrificial oven was passed——</p> + +<p>Ah! that <i>coo-ee</i>, softly repeated and so near him! +He had never thought of Milu—the Hawaiian Pluto—as +a benign deity, but now he breathed a thanksgiving +to the grim <i>akua</i> that he had permitted the +shade of Liliha to come back from the dead. They +would keep together, and soon enter the underworld +together, and then—who shall separate?</p> + +<p>But was it a ghost who cut the thongs which bound +him? Was it a ghost who, finger on lip, led him +stealthily over the prostrate bodies of the guards, and +placed his feet on the downward path? He dared not +stop to reflect. His brain whirled. But no sooner were +they side by side and hand in hand on the dark plain +together than they sped fleetly as though they knew +no wound nor fatigue. One thought buoyed them up,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[64]</span> +one word passed between them, as they gazed half-frightened +at each other for one moment. It was the +word “<i>Puuhonua</i>”—the city of refuge—a word which +called up to view an open gate, and white-robed priests +with branches of <i>maile</i> who would bid them enter into +peace in the name of the gods.</p> + +<p>Oh! how long the way was! How dark the road! +Never had the sun been so slow rising from its watery +bed to look forth once more upon the world from behind +the barred cage made by the trunks of the cocoanut +palms along the shore!</p> + +<p>Light at last—and lo! in the distance before them +the long line of stockaded wall, with the guarded gates, +and the white flags floating at either end from the +lofty spear points. The grim idols along the wall +seemed to smile and mock alternately. To smile, as +the distance to the gate grew less, to mock, as behind +them rose the ferocious yell which proclaimed that +the <i>awa</i>-drinkers had not long overslept their watch. +The same sun which made shine so fair the walls of +the city of refuge glinted upon the spears and feather +helmets of the pursuers.</p> + +<p>Liliha and Kahulu ran like hunted hares, but Nature +has her limits. They had done miracles, but even +miracles have their laws, and stern Nature would yield +no more. They stood between the priests and the pursuers; +they saw life before them and death behind +them—alas! ineluctable. Then they looked into one +another’s faces and saw something stronger than death +and better than life itself. So they fell vanquished +upon the sand. But as Kahulu fell, he knew a dear, +pale face—no ghost—a face scarred with wounds,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[65]</span> +looking at him with radiant, starlike eyes and—was +content.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>A company stood before the victorious Kalanikapule. +The chief was reclining upon a heap of ferns, +with a crowd of runners, diviners, priests, <i>hula</i>-dancers, +and <i>kahili</i>-bearers around him. The eyes of all, +however, were fixed upon two bruised and bleeding +forms which made the center of the company before +the king. The chiefs, with their spears and gorgeous +feather capes, the priests with their red cloaks and +white wands were vigorously declaiming before the +king. They seemed unanimous as they clamored for +the death of Kahulu.</p> + +<p>“O Kalanikapule,” cried the chiefs, “we have +brought hither the rebel to die. His head is forfeit to +the king, and the gods desire to drink his blood. We +took him—the slayer of our brethren—the right hand +of Kaeo—we took him in the battle. We bound him +fast, foot to foot, hand to hand, his neck between his +knees, and we were bearing him to your feet. But +while we rested, for it was night, and we were in the +mountains, came this woman, who assuredly fought +by his side in the battle and died before our eyes—came +this woman, we say, even as from the dead, and +loosed his bands and helped him to escape from our +hands. Verily, had not thy servants been keen-sighted +as the hawk, and very wakeful, they—the guilty ones—had +reached the <i>puuhonua</i>, and had now been in +peace. But, O king, be this remembered to our good: +thy servants were swifter than the fleet dogs of the +<i>haole</i> and outstripped the rebels, that Kaili and all the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[66]</span> +gods may become pleasant towards thee, when they +see the flesh of men smoking on their altars in the +<i>heiau</i>.”</p> + +<p>And the priests added to the voice of the chiefs: “<i>Ai!</i> +we have sharpened the <i>pahoa</i> and heated the oven for +Kahulu. He did not reach the <i>puuhonua</i>, but fell before +the very threshold—such was the will of the gods! +Therefore he must die! Is it not death for the defeated +one who reaches not the city of refuge?”</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Then the king—with a light playing across his features +such as no man had seen before—answered and +said:</p> + +<p>“Set Kahulu free! Verily, he reached the <i>puuhonua</i>, +for there is no city of refuge like that of a woman’s +love.”</p> + +<p>And the priests and the chiefs stood silent, but the +people shouted greatly at the decree of Kalanikapule.</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[67]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">VIII<br> + +<small>SWEET LEILEHUA</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">What</span> the rose is to England and the lily to France +is the <i>Lehua</i> to Hawaii <i>nei</i>. When the maidens lying +on the beach of coral sand or beneath the <i>lauhala</i> +palms touch their guitars and sing the <i>meles</i> of times +gone by, it is of “Sweet Leilehua” that they sing. And +when they would inspire departing visitors with happy +memories of the mid-ocean Paradise they twine around +their necks the fragrant wreaths of <i>maile</i> and <i>lehua</i>.</p> + +<p>And the beautiful flower well deserves its place as +the emblem of Hawaii. Almost all over the country, +anywhere between fifteen hundred and six thousand +feet above sea-level, you may see its scarlet blossoms +flashing in the sun. Here it is slender and graceful, +like the island maidens, a shrub some fifteen feet high; +there a tree of a hundred feet, strong and tall, like the +island men. Men say that the higher up the trees +grow the finer are the blossoms, and certainly where +the white man’s foot has trodden least the <i>lehua</i> seems +most at home.</p> + +<p>“Sweet Leilehua” has a lover who is as the nightingale +to the rose—the <i>olokele</i>, a bright little scarlet +bird, whose life’s happiness it is to drink honey from +the scarlet flower. You can scarcely distinguish bird<span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[68]</span> +from blossom. The tree seems alive with flashing +wings.</p> + +<p>But, alas! civilization has doomed the <i>olokele</i>, and +perhaps the <i>lehua</i>. Is it true, also, that their human +counterparts in the youth and maidenhood of Hawaii +are going, too?</p> + +<p>The following tale of Leilehua and Hakuole is a +tale of over a hundred years ago. Still the maidens +sing it, still men remember it; but where now is there +an <i>olokele</i> so bold in his love for the <i>lehua</i> as was +Hakuole, the chief of Oahu?</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Hakuole stood on Leahi gazing earnestly seawards +or turning his eyes occasionally to the left, in the direction +of Koko Head and Makapuu. The sun never +shone upon a fairer scene than that upon which he +looked. Down below lay the glistening white beach +of Waikiki, fringed a few yards from the water with +dense thickets of <i>hau</i> trees, whose short, crooked +trunks, glossy leaves and showy yellow flowers were +a welcome relief to the eye from the coral sand. In +the blue-green waters which stretched out to the horizon +there was only the break of the white reef on +which the Pacific waves rolled with thunderous noise, +and here and there a fishing boat in which the fishers +sat silent with uplifted spear. Leahi, on which the +chieftain stood, rose like a crouching lion from the +seashore, its lava slopes almost bare of vegetation save +for a few straggling indigo bushes, while in the crater +behind Hakuole was a large swamp surrounded by +rushes and patched here and there with the white +wings of flocking sea-birds.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[69]</span>The chief was in the very prime of youth, and his +figure showed to advantage on the rocky promontory +against the sky. He had upon his head the usual helmet +of yellow feathers, on his shoulders a small feather +cloak, and the rest of his dress was of dark brown +<i>kapa</i>. He had a necklace of shells and shark’s teeth +round his neck and a heavy spear of <i>Kauila</i> wood in +his hand. It was easy to see by his erect and martial +bearing that he was an <i>alii</i>, whose pedigree was uncontaminated +by mixture with the common people, and +his training had been the training of a warrior.</p> + +<p>And warriors were needed now, for the great Kamehameha +was on his way from Apani to attempt the +conquest of Oahu, and so complete the subjugation of +the Eight Islands. Hawaii was his from Kalae to +Upolo. Maui had in vain gathered its warriors to +meet him. And now the news had come that Kamehameha +was on his way to Oahu. He had embarked +with the veterans of his army and the fleet of war +canoes was fast lessening the distance between him +and his last great rival, Kalanikapule.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Kalanikapule was not to be caught napping. +The flower of his army was assembled on the +south side of the island: watchmen were stationed on +Makapuu, Koko Head and Leahi, and for the last two +nights the waves had been illumined by a constant +burning of <i>papala</i> sticks. But so far no sign of the +war prows of the great <i>alii</i> had been discovered.</p> + +<p>Hakuole at his lonely post wished they would appear, +to terminate the awful suspense. With eyes still +turned seaward he flung himself down wearily on the +ground in the shade of a dark-foliaged <i>milo</i>, whose<span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[70]</span> +quivering aspen-like leaves seemed, like his own heart, +apprehensive of the trouble to come. He was in love; +he longed to declare his passion, to lead his bride to +the house he had prepared for her. But what could +he do? This horrible conflict was impending, and +who could say what would be the result? Kamehameha, +the unconquered Kamehameha, was at hand: a +bloody battle would be fought. Who would win? Who +was even sure of surviving?</p> + +<p>In this dismal strain ran his thoughts, when suddenly +the bushes behind him parted and a face peered +through, timidly advancing and then retreating amid +the leaves. It was a beautiful face—with great, soft +brown eyes gleaming like evening stars from the dusky +olive skin, a face surrounded by thick masses of wavy +hair of raven blackness, a face full of warm blood and +passionate life. It belonged to no other than Leilehua.</p> + +<p>Sweet Leilehua!—who among the maidens of Oahu +was more loved than she, the daughter of the great +<i>kahuna</i>, the priest of Lono?</p> + +<p>When the maidens sat by the streams and beat out +the <i>kapa</i> with their mallets on the broad, flat boulders, +whose song was merrier than hers? Or who was +obeyed so devotedly by all? If Hakuole’s love was +returned, happy was he among men; but if Leilehua +thought not of him, there was no other maiden in the +land who could solace him for her loss.</p> + +<p>Hakuole turned, and his face changed when he saw +her. As the sun, when it shines opposite the mists of +Pauoa, spans the valleys with double rainbows, so the +face of Leilehua brought brightness to the darkness +of Hakuole’s brow. He was again the chieftain in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[71]</span> +the pride of his manhood, the bravest, the strongest of +the young <i>aliis</i>. Raising himself and stretching out his +eager arms towards the maiden, he cried: “Leilehua, +my Leilehua, my beautiful scarlet flower!” But even +as he spoke the graceful form vanished, dropping at +his feet a wreath of brilliant <i>lehua</i>.</p> + +<p>Had he been too impetuous and frightened her away? +Had she dropped the <i>lei</i> in her haste? Or had she +designedly left it for him? He would follow her and +see; but his face was no longer troubled, for he had +felt the light of Leilehua’s eyes, and he knew she loved +him. He had her sweet floral namesake on his neck; +he was strong as Kamehameha himself; he would conquer +now and live for love.</p> + +<p>But for the present he would follow her, or would +she escape him?</p> + +<p>“<i>E ala, e ala, e ala-a-a-a——</i>”</p> + +<p>Loud and shrill came the voice of the lonely watcher +far to his left, and then shriller still, like the harsh +shriek of sea-birds, followed blasts from the conch-shell +trumpets which woke all the echoes of the dead +old crater, and sent the gulls clangorous and protesting +from their marshy resting-place to fill the air, +hitherto so still, with noise and motion. And as the +upper element was thus suddenly awakened into life, +so the waves below became, almost in another moment, +ridged with foam in a hundred places. Where the +sunbeams had slept placidly on an unbroken surface +of azure, they were now reflected hither and thither by +the black sides of canoes, the flashing of outriggers, +the sheen of polished metal, the scarlet and yellow of +innumerable feather cloaks, the glittering of oars amid<span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[72]</span> +the spray-rain, the gleaming of dusky bodies, and the +forward leap of the high prows, whose painted eyes +seemed to glow with the fire of life. And in advance +was the famous double war canoe Peleleu, the rowers +straining at the oars, and the <i>kahili</i>-bearers and warriors +standing around the mighty chief who was destined +to make Hawaii a nation.</p> + +<p>On they came, nearing the flat beach of Waikiki, +where unless Kalanikapule opposed, they could enter +the coral reef and land without impediment. But Kalanikapule +chose to meet his rival in the heart of the +country among the <i>palis</i>, rather than on the level +ground; so, though from Leahi you could have seen +the moving of dark masses of men among the forests +of the southern side of the island, there was no sign +on the beach of opposition to the landing of the Hawaiian +troops.</p> + +<p>Hakuole hastened to his post in the army, but he did +not forget Leilehua, for her gift was around his neck.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Of the strife that followed, with all its thrilling episodes, +we must forbear to speak. How Kalanikapule +collected his forces in the Nuuanu Pali; how Kamehameha +followed him with his veterans, driving him to +the ridge of the island; how the traitor Kaiana met +his doom; how Kamehameha’s white men brought into +battle the red-mouthed guns which made the thunder +roll among the mountains; how the fight raged on till +the awful precipice was reached, from which men +poured down in a living avalanche to the rocks below; +how at last Kamehameha drew back his victorious +troops into the lower country, where the loud “<i>Auwe</i>”<span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[73]</span> +of the women rent the air in wailing for their husbands +and fathers—all these are stories by themselves.</p> + +<p>Kamehameha knew himself at last lord of the Eight +Islands from Niihau to Hawaii.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>It was a day of great mourning in Oahu. In every +house there was wailing and rending of hair for the +warriors transfixed by the sharp spears or battered to +death on the rocks of the Nuuanu Pali. But they had +fought well, they were gone to Paliuli, the blue mountain, +to the land of the divine water of Kane, and as +the sun set men saw the great procession of the dead +in the western sky leaving the earth forever by the +road of the gods. But when the sun rose again in +the east they turned their thoughts to the living and +the day. What now would be their fate? Kamehameha +would hold his court; he would receive the +homage of the conquered people; he would expect his +<i>hookana</i> or tribute. “Let us hasten,” they said, “to +propitiate the new king.” So all prepared to go with +their gifts. Prominent among these was Kamakahou, +the father of Leilehua. He had known of Hakuole’s +love and had been himself disposed to accept him for +a son-in-law, but he was a sycophant and a schemer. +As a <i>kahuna</i> he had been among the advisers of the +fallen chiefs, and his reputation for learning was +great. He knew the five planets and suspected the +existence of a sixth; he knew all the <i>kapu</i> days, the +holy seasons and the prescribed ordinances; he could +prepare lustral waters to drive away diseases and demons. +He was proficient in all the ten branches of +priestly lore, and could even cause the spirits of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[74]</span> +dead to enter the body of a person and possess it. He +was skilled, moreover, in the preparation of medicines, +and could cure toothache and bruises and broken +bones.</p> + +<p>But with all his learning he was avaricious and preferred +the favor of the king to the approval of his +conscience. So he prepared his gift and went.</p> + +<p>The court of Kamehameha was held in the open +air, the royal pavilion consisting of a raised couch of +ferns over which a slight <i>lanai</i> had been built of <i>lauhala</i> +palms. The king reclined at his ease. Beside +him stood the royal <i>kahili</i>-bearers waving their huge +feather brushes. Close by stood the <i>pukanas</i>, or trumpeters, +with gorgeous headgear and capes. Near these +stood the <i>kukini</i>, or runners, the <i>kahunas</i>, with tabu-sticks, +while the <i>hula</i>-girls with instruments of music +squatted a little to the left. In the midst of the <i>kahunas</i>, +on a carpet of red cloth was the famous war god +of Kamehameha, Kaili, whose shriek could be heard +above the din of battle. It was of wickerwork decorated +with small feathers, its eyes made of large oyster +shells and mouth ornamented by a double row of dog’s +fangs.</p> + +<p>Before the king the gifts lay in piles—calabashes of +rare wood, logs of <i>iliahi</i>, or sandalwood, rolls of curiously +wrought <i>kapa</i>, pigs, dogs, cocoanuts, sweet potatoes, +seaweeds, shrimps, <i>papai</i>, <i>opelo</i>, <i>awa</i>, and many +another costly article of dress, or dainty morsel of +food.</p> + +<p>Finally, when Kamehameha seemed a little sated +with his <i>hookana</i>, came a gift which drew all eyes. +They saw Kamakahou leading his daughter Leilehua<span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[75]</span> +forward to the presence of the king. “O king,” he +cried, “behold the <i>kaikamahine</i>; take her, the light of +my eyes, and let there be peace between us.”</p> + +<p>The maiden, who had advanced reluctantly, stood +timidly before the couch, her face hid in her hands. +The black tresses fell down her back in great coils, +rippling over her dusky shoulders and falling to the +skirt of yellow <i>kapa</i> which was fastened around her +waist. On her head was a wreath of the scarlet flowers +from which she took her name; on her wrists and +ankles bracelets of sea-shells, and on her breast the +ivory emblem suspended by the mystic three hundred +braids of human hair.</p> + +<p>Only a moment she stood, and then, weeping, sank +on her knees, let her hands fall from her face, and +with pleading eyes gazed into the king’s face. Kamehameha, +startled at so beauteous a vision, raised himself +from the couch and, as he stood erect, clad in the +brilliant feather cloak which was the work of ten +generations of kings, he seemed a god come down in +human form. As he stepped forward to take the +hand of the tribute girl, a great shout began—</p> + +<p>“<i>Nani loa! Maikai loa! e——</i>”</p> + +<p><i>Began</i>, I say, but did not finish; for, lo! the circle +of spectators parted, and there strode to the side of +the weeping maid a young man who lacked but little of +the height of Kamehameha himself. He was covered +with blood and dust, having almost crawled from the +battlefield, but he stood erect now, and he had a torn +wreath of flowers around his neck. He did not flinch +before the gaze of the king, but caught the hand of +Leilehua, lifted her up, and bore her in among the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[76]</span> +people. It took only a few seconds, but the stillness +of death had fallen upon the people. Was Hakuole +mad? Had he seen a <i>lapu</i> and been bewitched? Rash +man! See the thunder-cloud in the face of the chief +who was never crossed with impunity! What fate did +the conqueror of Oahu meditate for the man who +braved him? Would he be offered as a sacrifice at +the <i>heiau</i>, or would he be clubbed to death, burned, or +buried alive?</p> + +<p>Hark! the king raises his voice, and his guards seize +the overbold youth and the maiden, hurry them before +the dais, and stand ready to carry out whatever sentence +of death is imposed.</p> + +<p>Leilehua and Hakuole stand before Kamehameha, +and they can hear their hearts beat, the people are so +quiet.</p> + +<p>Then Kamehameha speaks in strong, firm tones, +which show the man born for command, but with no +touch of immoderate anger. The cloud has gone from +his face, but he begins sharply enough:</p> + +<p>“<i>E Hakuole</i>, so you are tired of life, tired of fighting. +You dream already of maiden’s eyes and a life +among the <i>nala</i>. You would let the prows rot on the +beach, seeking no more for the glory a man ought to +love. Well, as you mean to stay among the <i>wahine</i>, +and love a maiden here more than you fear me, I suspend +you from a soldier’s duty till the moon Ikiiki +returns. Away! and for the girl, Leilehua, the faithful +in love, all the lands which were her father’s are +hers from henceforth. Take the <i>kaikamahine</i>—beautiful +is she as the morning breaking the shadows—and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[77]</span> +may the loves of Leilehua and Hakuole be as glorious +to Hawaii as the wars of Kamehameha.”</p> + +<p>Kamehameha had indeed won a greater victory than +that of Nuuanu Pali, for the hearts of the people, and +not their bodies only, were henceforth his forever.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Thus the first of the Seven Kings of Hawaii established +his sovereignty and founded a dynasty, and the +statue of this “Napoleon of the Pacific” in front of +Aliiolani Hale, in Honolulu, will ever attract the reverence +of men. Had all the island kings been like the +first Kamehameha, Hawaii had never more known +the strife of factions.</p> + +<p>Hakuole and Leilehua had a long honeymoon, in +which they learned depths of love as yet unfathomed. +Then they came back to be among the staunchest supporters +of the new king. Love grew with the years, +and the sweet singers of Hawaii to-day can choose no +better theme to bring back the romance of the old +barbaric times than the story of sweet Leilehua and +her bold lover Hakuole, who for her sake braved the +wrath of a king.</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[78]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">IX<br> + +<small>THE SPOUTING CAVE OF LANAI</small></h2> +</div> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="first">“Over the mountains and under the waves.</div> +<div class="verse">Over the fountains and under the graves.</div> +<div class="verse">Over floods that are deepest,</div> +<div class="indent">Which Neptune obey,</div> +<div class="verse">Over rocks that are steepest,</div> +<div class="indent">Love will find out the way.”</div> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<div class="verseright">—<i>Old Song.</i></div> +</div></div></div> + + +<p>Readers of Byron will remember, in his poem entitled, +“The Island,” the description of a wonderful +cavern at Toobanai, the only entrance to which was +under the sea. The way by which Neuha guided Torquil +to its safe retreat is described as follows:</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="first">“Young Neuha plunged into the deep, and he</div> +<div class="verse">Follow’d; her track beneath the native sea.</div> +<div class="verse">Was as a native’s of the element,</div> +<div class="verse">So smoothly, bravely, brilliantly she went,</div> +<div class="verse">Leaving a streak of light behind her heel,</div> +<div class="verse">Which struck and flash’d like an amphibious steel.</div> +<div class="verse">Closely, and scarcely less expert to trace</div> +<div class="verse">The depths where divers hold the pearl in chase,</div> +<div class="verse">Torquil, the nursling of the northern seas,</div> +<div class="verse">Pursued her liquid steps with art and ease.</div> +<div class="verse">Deep—deeper for an instant Neuha led</div> +<div class="verse">The way—then upward soar’d—and as she spread</div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[79]</span> +<div class="verse">Her arms and flung the foam from off her locks</div> +<div class="verse">Laugh’d and the sound was answered by the rocks.</div> +<div class="verse">They had gain’d a central realm of earth again,</div> +<div class="verse">But look’d for tree, and field, and sky in vain.</div> +<div class="verse">Around she pointed to a spacious cave,</div> +<div class="verse">Whose only portal was the keyless wave.”</div> +</div></div> + +<p>The poet admits having found the original of his +submarine cave in Mariner’s “Account of the Tonga +Islands,” taking advantage of the license allowed to +poets to transplant it to the scene of his poem.</p> + +<p>Probably he did not know that there existed in the +Hawaiian group a cavern similar to that which he +describes, to which attaches a story far more romantic +than that of the loves of Torquil and Neuha.</p> + +<p>The Puhio-kaala, or Spouting Cave of Kaala, is +on the rocky coast of the little island of Lanai, near +Kaumalapau Bay. Down below the rocky bluff is that +“refuge submarine” where “Nature played with the +stalactites, and built herself a chapel of the seas.”</p> + +<p>The entrance is marked by the vortex of a whirlpool, +from which a column of foam rises up when the tide +runs out. He who dared to venture the perils of the +entrance would, on gaining his footing below, find +himself beneath a “self-born Gothic canopy,”</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="first">“A hollow archway by the sun unseen,</div> +<div class="verse">Save through the billows’ glassy veil of green.”</div> +</div></div> + +<p>The pleasure of the diver, however, would be rudely +disturbed when he found the cave already occupied by +millions of cold-blooded, slimy, shelly, stinging, dank +and noisome creatures of the deep. Once, legend says,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[80]</span> +it was inhabited by the great lizard god, Moalii, but +Ukanipo, the shark god, threatened to block up the +entrance with rocks if he did not move. Thereupon +the cave was left to its present smaller, but no less +uncanny tenants.</p> + +<p>These were quite sufficient to prevent frequent visits +to the cave, though in truth there were few bold and +skillful enough to shoot through the whirlpool into +its sunless depths, even if inclined.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>At the present time Lanai has but a few hundred inhabitants +at most, although one of the loveliest islands +of the group. But when, over a hundred years ago, +Kamehameha, with his court, paid it a brief visit to +enjoy an interval of rest and refreshment, he found +no fewer than five or six thousand people on the beach +to welcome him. Rich and numerous were the presents +brought, and among those who offered their gifts +was Kaala, “the flower of Lanai,” who strewed flowers +no lovelier than herself in the conqueror’s path.</p> + +<p>She was a beautiful girl of fifteen, the daughter of +a chief named Opunui, and one who had no lack of +admirers. Even Kamehameha could not help following +her graceful movements with pleasure. But in +the heart of one who followed in the king’s train, the +warrior Kaaialii, the girl made such instant havoc +that it needed only a glance for her to detect the +passion she had kindled. And, strange to say, she +who had repulsed so many adorers in her native isle, +felt herself won in a moment by this tall, sinewy chief +from Oahu.</p> + +<p>Kaaialii, seeing and reading her smile, apprehended<span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[81]</span> +no difficulty in winning her for his wife, but he was +overestimating the smoothness of true love’s course.</p> + +<p>When he begged Kamehameha to grant him Kaala +for a wife, the king made no objection, but ventured +to suggest, in justice, a reference to the father, too.</p> + +<p>Even this, difficult as it may appear in prospect to +most lovers, did not seem a hopeless task to Kaaialii, +for he was well known as a warrior and better born +than Opunui.</p> + +<p>Opunui, however, thought otherwise. He had a +grudge against Kaaialii which went back as far as +the battle of Maunalei, when they had been opposed in +the conflict, and, moreover, there was another suitor, +who, although detested by the girl, was more than +eligible in the eyes of her father.</p> + +<p>This favored one was Mailou, “the bone breaker”—one +whose prowess as a wrestler had won the unstinted +admiration and regard of the father, but inspired +no tender feeling in the breast of the daughter.</p> + +<p>Now Opunui was too wise to meet Kamehameha’s +request for his daughter with a blunt refusal, and he +respected the “bone breaker’s” powers of body too +much to cast him aside for another without an effort, +so he assumed an air of great deference, told the king +how pleased he would be to comply, and how great +an honor he would esteem it to have Kaaialii for a +son-in-law, but that unfortunately he had pledged his +word to his estimable friend Mailou. The only way +out of the dilemma, the wily old man suggested, was +for Mailou and Kaaialii to wrestle the matter out between +them. He would be content to leave the girl +in the victor’s hands.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[82]</span>Of course he had such faith in the cruel embrace +of the “bone breaker” that he believed it vain for his +daughter to aspire to the embrace of Kaaialii.</p> + +<p>Everywhere the news of the contest spread, and was +received with pleasure, for the Hawaiian needed nothing +more than <i>panem et circenses</i> to make up the +joy of life. There was only one exception and this +was the maiden who was to be chief gainer or loser +by the struggle.</p> + +<p>She was driven almost to despair by the news, for +she knew the deadly strength of Mailou, and could not +forget the reports of the many wives he had slain and +cast into the sea. She clung to Kaaialii as to one +whom she was sending to his death, and yet one in +whom was her only hope of life.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the arena was prepared. The two combatants +stood face to face—Mailou with his long arms, +broad shoulders and mighty limbs, his fingers opening +and closing, as if impatient to tear his adversary +to pieces—Kaaialii in comparison almost frail and +slender, yet with no lack of cheerful confidence expressed +in his handsome features.</p> + +<p>Kaala knew no more of Shakespeare than Shakespeare +knew of her; but, as she gazed trembling at +her lover, she felt, with Rosalind:</p> + +<p class="center">“The little strength that I have, I would it were with you.”</p> + +<p>Then the battle began, a struggle to the death, in +which every injury it was possible to inflict was permissible. +To the taunts of Mailou, Kaaialii made no<span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[83]</span> +reply, but when the “bone breaker” sprang like a wild +beast at his throat, his shark-like teeth grinning with +anticipated triumph, he was on the alert and, dexterously +swinging aside his body, he allowed Mailou to +fall headlong to the earth. In another instant he had +seized his right arm, and with a skillful kick snapped +the bone below the elbow. With a howl of rage Mailou +rushed again to the attack, but was felled to the +ground and his left arm broken as the right had been. +With both arms broken, the furious giant rushed once +again at the warrior, charging with lowered head, like +a bull. But this was his last charge, for Kaaialii had +him by the hair as he fell, and, placing his knee against +his back, with a mighty effort broke his spine.</p> + +<p>There was general rejoicing at Kaaialii’s victory, +for the wrestler, though feared on account of his +strength, was too much of a bully to be popular, and +only in the heart of Opunui was there any regret at +the issue. Opunui, so far from being reconciled to +Kaala becoming the wife of Kaaialii, was more than +ever determined that the latter should never carry away +his prize.</p> + +<p>So, although he opposed no word when Kamehameha +placed the lovers hand in hand before him and +pronounced them married, he formed his plan. With +soft, plausible words he approached his daughter, expressing +his delight at her happiness, but requesting +that she would come with him for the last time to visit +her mother, Kalani, and speak the sad words of farewell. +The maiden tearfully acquiesced and, assuring +Kaaialii of her speedy return, followed her father<span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[84]</span> +down the valley of Palawai, towards the Bay of Kaumalapau.</p> + +<p>“Why go to the bay, my father, since you say that +my mother is ill at Malana?” inquired the girl.</p> + +<p>The old hypocrite answered that her mother was at +the seashore, where she had prepared a banquet in +celebration of her child’s marriage. There were crabs, +shrimps, limpets, and all kinds of dainties. Kalani +only awaited her husband and daughter.</p> + +<p>Arrived at the shore, however, Kaala saw that her +mother’s fire was not there, and knew that her father +was deceiving her. Glancing up she saw his face +lighted with a cruel smile, which no longer concealed +his real feelings.</p> + +<p>“Listen,” he said, “rather than be the bride of +Kaaialii you shall have a shark for your mate, and +in his palace beneath the sea I will keep you safe till +the king has left Lanai with his warriors.”</p> + +<p>The poor girl screamed, for she guessed his purpose, +but it was too late to resist. Just below the +bench of rock on which they stood, the Spouting Cave +roared and foamed. Opunui knew its entrance well, +and seizing his daughter in his arms waited for the +moment when the column of water settled down into +the vortex. Then he sprang and, sinking beneath the +surface, the two found themselves drawn swiftly by +the current down and down, and then suddenly swept +through the entrance into a dark and gloomy cavern.</p> + +<p>The greenish light showed even to the fainting girl +the horror of her surroundings, and it was as in a +dream that she heard her father declare that there she +should remain till the hated Kaaialii had given her up<span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[85]</span> +and gone. She had barely time to renew her vow of +fidelity to her lover before Opunui seized the proper +moment, plunged once more into the water and was +sucked up with the spouting column into the upper +air.</p> + +<p>The girl, brought back to consciousness by the very +terror of her situation, was left alone to waste her +strength in unavailing efforts to return through the +water. Alas! this was a feat requiring a strength and +a skill far beyond such as hers.</p> + +<p>We return to Kaaialii, who was anything but pleased +with the bride’s so sudden departure. He followed +her with his eyes as long as he could, then he transferred +his thoughts to the meeting again on the morrow. +But when the morrow came and no Kaala, and, +still more, when he learned that Kaala had never been +near the hut of Kalani, his heart misgave him.</p> + +<p>He started to seek his lost one, and wherever he +went signs of evil multiplied. The path of his beloved +led to the sea and stopped; Opunui kept out of +his way and took refuge in a <i>puuhonua</i>; the diviners, +whom he consulted, could only tell him:</p> + +<p>“The sweet-smelling flower of Lanai is neither in +the hills nor in the valleys. Search the sea. There +are cliffs that are hollow, and caves beneath the +waves.”</p> + +<p>With this vague oracle in his mind he wandered +along the rocky shore, crying out in his despair:</p> + +<p>“O Kaala, Kaala! if living, where sleepest thou? If +dead, where rest thy bones?”</p> + +<p>Suddenly from the waters below him there seemed +to come a voice mounting upward from a wraith of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[86]</span> +water. He looked below, and the vortex at his feet +seemed to call him by name and invite him. She was +dead, he thought, her spirit had called! What could +he do better than die too?</p> + +<p>So with the cry “Kaala” upon his lips, he leaped +and was engulfed in the waves which dragged him +below as with invisible hands.</p> + +<p>A friend following him and knowing that here was +the entrance to the Spouting Cave, fled along the rocks +and told what he had seen, and in an hour or two +Kamehameha himself, rowed by his sturdiest oarsmen, +was near the spot in his canoe.</p> + +<p>Kaaialii found himself drawn downwards till he no +longer believed himself alive. At last his feet gained +the sloping beach and he found his head once more +above water, but, in the dark, he believed he had arrived +in the hall of the dead. The thundering of the +breakers sounded above him, life seemed left far behind, +but both hope and memory came back with the +touch of cold and slimy things crawling over and +stinging his flesh. He knew he was alive, and just +at that moment a low moan reached his ears which +made his heart stand still.</p> + +<p>Looking around he saw a dark form upon the strand, +and from this direction came the moaning.</p> + +<p>He crawled towards it, and had barely reached it +ere he heard his name pronounced. It was the body +of Kaala he saw before him and the creeping things +of the sea were sucking her blood.</p> + +<p>Kaaialii flung himself upon her with a passionate +kiss.</p> + +<p>“O Kaala! Kaaialii is here!” He pushed back her wet<span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[87]</span> +hair, took her in his arms, and began to carry her towards +the opening of the cave. But with a voice which +grew gradually fainter, Kaala told him that she was +dying.</p> + +<p>“I am so happy that you are here! Lay me down +and let me die!”</p> + +<p>The smile that played upon her lips testified to her +joy, but it also made Kaaialii hope for her life. When, +however, he laid his hand upon her heart, it was cold +and still. Death had come and found her happy.</p> + +<p>But Kaaialii still clasped his precious burden as +though waiting for Kaala to awake. He sat in silence, +all unconscious of the flight of time, until he +was roused from his stupor by a splash.</p> + +<p>In another instant came another, and then there rose +up from the water two forms: first the figure of Ua, +a friend of Kaala, and immediately behind Kamehameha, +who had been shown the mouth of the cave and +had dauntlessly leaped to wrest from it its secret and +his friend.</p> + +<p>A swift glance revealed to the king all that had +happened. The warrior laid his dead bride beside him, +rose to his feet, and with bent head stood before his +chief.</p> + +<p>The stern monarch was touched with Kaaialii’s unspoken +grief. “I see,” he said; “she is dead. Let her +rest; she can have no better sepulchre. Come, Kaaialii, +let us go.”</p> + +<p>Then Kaaialii came to himself. He had never gone +further in his thoughts as yet than the discovery of +his loved one. Now he knew and faced the consequences.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[88]</span>“Go?” he cried. “Nay, I stay. Oh, my king, never +have I disobeyed you before, and never will I disobey +you again. But here I must stay. My life ends +here.”</p> + +<p>With a swift movement he seized a stone, dashed it +against his head, crushing into the very brain, then +sank lifeless beside the body of Kaala.</p> + +<p>Kamehameha left them together, and by-and-by had +them wrapped in folds of <i>kapa</i>. There their bones lie +to-day. Few, however, to-day know the secret of the +entrance to Puhio-Kaala.</p> + +<p>The minstrels made a dirge about it and in after +years, when Kamehameha rested at Kealia or Waipio, +there was no <i>mele</i> he loved so well to hear as that +which told of the faith of Kaala and Kaaialii:</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="first">“Oh! dead is Kaaialii, the young chief of Hawaii,</div> +<div class="verse">The chief of few years and many battles.</div> +<div class="verse">His limbs were strong and his heart was gentle.</div> +<div class="verse">His face was like the sun, and he was without fear.</div> +<div class="verse">For his love he plunged into the deep waters;</div> +<div class="verse">For his love he gave his life.”</div> +</div></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[89]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">X<br> + +<small>LONO’S LAST MARTYR</small></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> heroes of victory are rarely without their monuments: +the heroes of lost causes are too often forgotten. +The old order changes, giving place to new, and +in course of time we praise the bold innovators who +let in the light, but we forget that even the defeated +darkness may have its martyrdoms, its faith and its +courage worthy of the poet’s song.</p> + +<p>It is a story of such heroism as this which gathers +round a neglected tumulus, now well nigh hidden in +clustering ferns and creeping vines on the island of +Hawaii. Not far from Kilau, on the western coast of +the island, almost under the shadow of Mauna Hualalai, +which rises nearly 9,000 feet above the sea, there +is a plain of rough lava, whose barrenness is only in +places veiled by tufts of waving grass and by spreading +creepers and richly hued flowers. In many places +there rise the ruins of former temples and fortifications +belonging to the old warlike time. The massive, +squarely shapen stones contrast strangely with the +spherical volcanic boulders which attest that here Nature +has warred as well as man. After traveling over +two miles of such country as this you will begin to +stumble over frequent heaps of stones well nigh concealed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_90">[90]</span> +in the grass and ferns. Your imagination suggests +graves, rightly so, and you pick your way among +them till you come to Kuamoo, where there is an oblong +cairn, some ten feet long by six wide, built in the +form of a tomb, and almost hidden from sight in the +greenery of innumerable ferns and the blossoms of +morning glory and passion flower. Well does Nature +keep the spot beautiful and fragrant, for here lie side +by side the mortal remains of two heroes and two lovers, +whom, heathen though they were, the new time +will not willingly permit to be forgotten.</p> + +<p>It was in the autumn of 1819 that the great change +came which has been hailed by many as the day of +new birth for the Eight Islands—the abolition of the +tabu and the destruction of the idols. We shall not +attempt to defend the anterior condition of the island +kingdom, but it will be seen in the course of this story +that the transition was by no means without its element +of danger and mischief.</p> + +<p>No darkness could well have been deeper than that +of olden Hawaii, with its bloody worship, its human +sacrifices, its oppression of the <i>makaainana</i>, or common +people, and, above all, its tabu. How this pressed +with leaden weight upon the people would be almost +incredible if described in detail. Suffice it to say that +for every act and condition of life there was a tabu, +extending to food, dress, etiquette, time, place, labor, +and privilege. And for every breach of the tabu there +was but one penalty—death.</p> + +<p>It might, therefore, be thought that its abolition +would be received with universal applause, that only +from the hearts of the cruel bigots of heathenism, monsters<span class="pagenum" id="Page_91">[91]</span> +thirsting for human gore, tyrants ruling by oppression +and fraud, would there be a sigh of regret +when the death-knell of the old heathenism sounded +forth.</p> + +<p>This, however, was not the case. Viewing the matter +from close quarters we can easily see that the +priests and worshippers of Lono, who protested +against the act of Liholiho had some justice on their +side.</p> + +<p>The mighty Kamehameha had breathed his last, and +his dust had been hidden away somewhere, where, no +one but Hoapili knew, among the mountains of Hawaii. +Liholiho, his successor, was under the influence +of the queen mother, Kaahumanu, who had long been +chafing under the restraints of the tabu upon her sex. +He himself, a youth of twenty-two, no stranger, unfortunately, +to the fire-water of the whalers, deemed +the law of tabu overmuch of a clog on his own princely +liberty, and as entailing, moreover, a heavy expenditure +for the support of the state idolatry and the +maintenance of the priesthood.</p> + +<p>Arrived at Kawaihae, he heard of Kaahumanu’s intention +to attempt the sacrilege, and, not indisposed to +have his own share in the contemplated work, immediately +sailed to the south. Landing at Puako, there +followed a series of debauches to which the court of +Kamehameha had been a stranger. For twenty-four +hours the tumultuous merriment went on. The royal +party joined the <i>hula</i>-dancers in their obscene revelry. +They tossed bottles of liquor to the sea gods, inviting +them to drink themselves drunk with them, and at +last the moment arrived when a public violation of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_92">[92]</span> +the tabu was to take place, in order to show that the +old order had passed forever. This breach with the +past was made by the king’s deliberate act of sending +prohibited food from his own table to that of the +women, and by his taking his own place among them. +In a moment the royal example was followed, men +and women were eating and drinking promiscuously +together, and the feast was no longer “<i>ai kapu</i>,” or +sacred eating, but “<i>ai noa</i>,” or common eating. A few +chiefs turned pale in their drunkenness at the outrages +offered to their religion and their law, some strode +forth indignant and held counsel together, while Liholiho +and the high-priest, Hewahewa, with their drunken +crew, rode forth to destroy the images of the insulted +gods, and the shrines where no sacrifice should be offered +more.</p> + +<p>We shall not be ashamed to stay among the few +still faithful to the old order and its traditions. It is +true the tabu was tyrannous and cruel beyond belief, +but a cruel code is far better than anarchy, and Liholiho +had nothing to put in the place of the tabu but +the lawless wantonness of the whalers. Was the liquor +of the white men a better inspiration than the will of +the chiefs? Had not Kamehameha, to whom the land +owed prosperity and peace, deliberately given up drinking +the <i>haole</i> gin and expressly warned his people +against falling into its pernicious snare? And now +had they not lived to see his son, a shameful sight to +the people, reeling on horseback, arms and legs extended, +raging against the gods of their fathers? If +Vancouver had sent the white teacher he had promised +they might have heard tidings worth giving ear to, as,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[93]</span> +rumor had it, had been the case in Tahiti, but surely +it was better to keep the old law, by which the chiefs +and people alike guided their steps, until they had considered +the new!</p> + +<p>The chief speaker in the conference was the young +and handsome Kekuaokalani, upon whom had fallen +the defense of the traditions of church and state. No +nobler Hawaiian had ever been listened to by the <i>alii</i>. +Well nigh seven feet in height, with masses of raven +black hair hanging upon his shoulders, perfect in features +and form, wise, brave and magnetic, a chief of +even bluer blood than his uncle Kamehameha, by his +own choice also a priest, equal in learning to Hewahewa, +he was a man well fitted to be the leader of a +cause however desperate it might appear. Moreover, +his marriage with the beautiful Manono, who lived in +the light of his love, had touched the sympathy and +imaginations of the people, and when he strode forth +from the wild revelry of the crowd, bearing in his +arms the insulted image of Lono, he may well have +seemed a hero, or even a demi-god, to the amazed and +troubled people.</p> + +<p>Whether ambitious or not, Kekuaokalani conceived +that to him had come a charge from the gods to avenge +their cause upon a drunken and degenerate king and +to take the place before the shrines vacated by the +renegade Hewahewa. As for Kaahumanu, he knew +her to be a light woman, whose escapades had sorely +troubled the heart and patience of Kamehameha. Certainly +Lady Pele, goddess of the fire-world, slumbering +within the mountain, would protect her honor +against law-breakers such as she.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[94]</span>So Kekuaokalani withdrew to Kaaweloa, where the +conservative leaders and the priests offered him the +crown, with the oracular saying: “A religious chief +shall possess the kingdom, but irreligious chiefs shall +always be poor.” It was a dangerous honor thus thrust +upon him, but he accepted it gladly and prepared for +the trial of strength with Liholiho. Many of the people +who shared his spirit gathered around him and, +when the winter solstice brought with it the annual +feast of Lono, the festival was kept with a sincerity +and enthusiasm all the more impressive from the presentiment +entertained by not a few that it was the +last festival which Lono would ever have in Hawaii. +It is not a little pathetic to contemplate the people +“about to die” face to face with the gods “about to +die” for these five strange, sad, festive days.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the work of the royal “reformers” went +on throughout the land and a month passed by, during +which the news came daily of the pulling down of +<i>heiaus</i> and the burning of idols. The king was happy +in his iconoclasm, but no word came to him of the +preparations of Kekuaokalani. Then suddenly the +tidings reached Liholiho that Hamakua was being invaded +by the rebels, and that one of the chiefs, Kainapau +by name, was slain. Some of the king’s favorites +endeavored to belittle the affair and strove to allay the +royal alarm by offering, with forty warriors, to suppress +the insurrection. Hewahewa, the renegade +priest, knew Kekuaokalani better, and declared:</p> + +<p>“Not forty times forty will be enough! Kekuaokalani +is in the field to conquer or to die!”</p> + +<p>Then the alarm was genuine and general, and while<span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[95]</span> +the resourceful Kaahumanu bethought herself of the +purchase of muskets from the white traders, Liholiho +endeavored to quench the fire of rebellion by the sending +of an embassy.</p> + +<p>Some of the most notable men in the crowd were +selected, men close of kin to Kekuaokalani, as well as +high in the counsels of Liholiho. There was prominent +among them, Naihe, the uncle of the rebel chief, +and Kalaimoku, the commander of the king’s forces. +And with these was Keopuolani, the bluest blooded +queen of Kamehameha.</p> + +<p>“We come,” they said, “to make peace between you +and the king. Liholiho offers you freedom to follow +your own religion if you will consent to lay aside +your arms.”</p> + +<p>“Alas!” replied the chief, “to what avail is liberty +to worship when the gods and the temples are consumed +with fire? How can we serve the gods acceptably +when the tabu exists no more and men know +not what is sacred and what is common?”</p> + +<p>“You will have war, then?” asked the ambassadors.</p> + +<p>“Nay, I choose not,” cried Kekuaokalani. “Here +stand I where Liholiho and Hewahewa, king and high-priest, +should stand to defend the traditions to which +I am pledged by my oath as <i>alii</i>. Lono will not forget +the faithful, and if we die we die true to our ancestors +and to the gods who made them kings.”</p> + +<p>Kalaimoku withdrew with his company sadly and +respectfully, and Kekuakoalani went within his house +and, falling upon the breast of his wife, burst into +tears.</p> + +<p>O! beautiful was life surrounded with the love of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[96]</span> +Manono! Hard it were to die and go beneath the +ground with such sunshine flooding the earth. But +Kekuaokalani was right: “He could not choose.”</p> + +<p>“Is there a choice for strong souls to be weak?” +Though he die, he must be loyal to his faith in Lono. +The night before, the <i>alae</i> had uttered its shrill note +of presaging ill outside the house. Manono was all +disconsolate with so many auguries of ill about her, +but her husband bravely used every endeavor to turn +aside her fears, saying that forebodings of ill were only +for those who did ill. Yet he felt in his heart that +the gods perhaps intended to take their cause into +their own hands, and that he might be only a sacrifice +where he had hoped to be a deliverer.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, the next morning, when the army +made itself ready for the march, Kekuaokalani had a +countenance wherein was no trace of fear or foreboding. +With cheerful shouts of encouragement to +his eager followers, he trod the lava plains with as +much alacrity as if starting to a feast, and close behind +him, rather than with the other women in the +rear, marched Manono, happier to stand on the field +of blood beside her lover than to tarry behind in ignoble +safety. There were priests of Lono, too, carrying +the gods newly arrayed for the carnage. Perchance, +yet once again, might the war god Kaili be seen flying +above the contending hosts, a luminous streak of +vapor, uttering aloud the war cries which had cleared +the way to victory for Kamehameha. How the drunkard +Liholiho would feel his blood freezing in his veins +at such an apparition!</p> + +<p>As they marched along they came to the spot where,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[97]</span> +twelve generations before, the mighty giant Maukaleoleo +had appeared to the hero Umi and had given +him strength above the lot of man to overcome his +foes. Would that now that terrific figure might appear, +plucking the cocoanuts from the tallest trees as +he walked, or wading out to sea among the canoes!</p> + +<p>But, alas! no marvels came to aid their faith. They +must fight the battle of the gods alone to-day.</p> + +<p>So at last they came to Kuamoo on the morning of +December 19, 1819, a day forever memorable in the +history of Hawaii as the day in which the forces of +the old era were defeated by those of the new, both +struggling in the dark and ignorant of the light which +was so soon to come.</p> + +<p>Kalaimoku was even yet anxious to avoid a battle +with Kekuaokalani, who was his own sister’s son, and +he sent a messenger with an affectionate entreaty for +another interview. But, even though his own mother +pleaded, together with his uncle, the dauntless heathen +refused to listen to the messenger and compelled him +to leap into the sea and swim with all his might to +save his life.</p> + +<p>The forces then took up their respective positions, +Kalaimoku knowing that now only the grim arbitrament +of battle could decide. Liholiho’s forces were +strong in musketry and in the aid of foreigners, and +their retreat was protected by the formidable squadron +of double canoes which had been the pride of +Kamehameha’s declining years. Kekuaokalani placed +the priests of Lono with the images in the front of his +line for a while, and then loud were the imprecations +denounced upon the royal army. But, to be of more<span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">[98]</span> +avail to-day, behind these was a splendid force of +spearmen eager for the <i>lehua</i>, or first-slain victim. +Behind all were the women, who followed the soldiers +with calabashes of water and dried fish, to recruit the +strength of the combatants when these were weary or +athirst. But every woman was ready to fight and die +with Kekuaokalani.</p> + +<p>The attack was made by the rebel forces, who bore +down upon the army of Liholiho with an impetus such +as must have swept all before it, had it not been for +the foreigners with their guns vomiting streams of +fire upon their assailants. The company of musketeers +kept up such a murderous fire upon the rebel center +that, after a terrific and protracted struggle, this was +driven back to the rising ground. Kekuaokalani, whose +tall form was seen everywhere in the fray as he +shouted orders to his spearmen, was wounded early +in the battle, but fought on without knowing it, rallying +his forces behind a stone wall about breast high, +where there took place a struggle which for obstinacy +and valour had no parallel in the annals of Hawaiian +warfare. The double canoes commanded by the queen +mother, Kaahumanu, raked the insurgent position with +their guns, but two heroic figures seemed to stand out +among the falling after every discharge, as if bearing +charmed lives amid the rain of death. These were +Kekuaokalani and his wife, Manono, who fought side +by side, heedless of the heaped corpses around them. +Weak with loss of blood from his previous wounds, +Kekuaokalani more than once leaned fainting upon +the arm of his wife, but he revived again and again +to fight with a still more desperate valor. The temptation<span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[99]</span> +was sore when he beheld, through the battle +smoke, his uncle Kalaimoku and his mother signalling +him to ask for quarter; he set his teeth hard and fired +again. Had it been Manono herself, he had most like +done the same, though her breast had faced the bullets! +No longer able to stand, he sat upon a fragment +of lava and continued to load and fire his musket. No +Kaili flew above the host as of old, no Lono came to +lend supernatural aid to his faithful martyrs. Instead, +the forces of Kalaimoku were advancing, and Kekuaokalani +knew himself left to die, with life still sweet +on his lips. The fated ball came at last, pierced his +left breast, and, folding his face in his feather cloak, +Kekuaokalani fell forward at the feet of Manono, and +expired without a groan. Manono wept not, but +awaited hopefully the messenger of death which +should make them fellows again in the halls of Milu. +On came the conquerors; in vain Kalaimoku and his +sister cried to save her. Another bullet, unerring in +its aim, pierced her temple and she fell upon the +warm but lifeless body of her husband.</p> + +<p>The insurgents made but little more resistance now +that their leader had fallen. It was sunset and under +the cover of the darkness any that could, escaped. +Some surrendered or were captured by the royal +troops, a few crept into caves and holes of the mountains, +and, covering the entrance with pieces of lava, +lay concealed till Liholiho had returned to Kailua.</p> + +<p>Kalaimoku and his sister stood over the corpses of +Kekuaokalani and Manono, and, gazing long upon the +noble dead, exclaimed with tears:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[100]</span>“Truly, since the days of Keawe, no nobler Hawaiians +have lost the light of the sun!”</p> + +<p>Thus perished Lono’s last champions, faithful unto +death.</p> + +<p>Three months later the first Christian missionaries +reached the group with the tidings so long desired. +The first news which reached them from the shore was +in the almost incredible words: “The idols of Hawaii +are no more!”</p> + +<p>May we not, while rejoicing in the new day which +was thus brought to the land left by Liholiho bereft +of law and religion, retain a tender heart for the youthful +pair whose bodies sleep beneath the morning glory +and the heaped-up stones on the shore of Kuamoo?</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">[101]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">XI<br> + +<small>KEOUA</small></h2> + +<p class="center"><i>A Story of Kalawao</i></p> +</div> + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> laws of men are merciful in intent, but they +sometimes grind hard upon the innocent and the poor, +at times through the necessary imperfection of all human +efforts after the ideal, at times through the harsh +administration of enactments good enough in themselves.</p> + +<p>No laws have ever seemed so necessary in Hawaii +as the laws enforcing the segregation of lepers; no +laws just in themselves have ever been the cause of so +much grief and pain. There have been times, moreover, +when they were carried out neither wisely nor +mercifully.</p> + +<p>At such a time only could the following story have +been possible—the story of a love which laws could +not abrogate nor death itself annul.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Pauoa is a valley of almost perpetual rainbow, where +the mists dance in the sunshine on the mountainside +and the waters trickle down through thickets of ferns +and scarlet creepers to the long lines of cocoanut<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[102]</span> +palms which stand like sentinels along the beach from +Diamond Head to Honolulu.</p> + +<p>But its chief beauty to Keoua, returning with his +net from fishing outside the coral reef, lay in the fact +that he was homeward bent. There, a hundred yards +further, was the grass hut, secluded behind a screen +of banana trees, and rising apparently out of a glistening +swamp of taro-patch made on a terrace of the +mountainside. What joy to feel the embrace of his +good <i>wahine</i>, Luka, and to have the crowing brown +baby thrust into his arms to fondle! Was it not always +worth while to be the long day away to know +such a homecoming as this?</p> + +<p>But to-night there was no welcome, and Keoua’s +heart sank. In his haste he waded through the taro-patch, +instead of skirting the enclosure as usual. The +child was there, he heard its cry before he entered, +but of wife there was no sign. The baby lay on the +matted floor, feebly whining; the mother was gone, +apparently not without struggle, for the matting at +the door had been torn violently away, making the hut +look like a desolate cave.</p> + +<p>Keoua did not search the enclosure: he knew what +had happened. The officers of the Board of Health +had found his hut at last, and had taken away his wife, +for—<i>she was a leper</i>. They had taken her away in +the husband’s absence, for they knew that, had he been +there, he would have fought to the death. His loaded +gun still lay where he had left it in the corner of the +hut. They had taken her by violence as it seemed, and +callously left the helpless babe behind, for Hawaiian +officials, even those with bowels of compassion, were<span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[103]</span> +not much given to thinking about babies. Some Chinese +coolies working in the neighborhood corroborated +the suggestions of his fear. Luka had been carried +away to the <i>haole</i> (white) doctors, and she would be +taken to Molokai, and there be dead—dead to husband, +child and friends.</p> + +<p>Keoua was a crushed man when he took his helpless +babe in his arms. It did not occur to him to give it +away, as many of his friends would have done, or +even to find a nurse for it. Somehow it reminded him +that he once had a home. He did not go fishing now. +For three or four days he tried to make the babe eat +some <i>poi</i>, or even, so stupid or ignorant was the man, +some hard taro, or a piece of banana, but, although it +did not cry, it refused to eat, and one day towards +evening its cries ceased forever. Then Keoua, more +miserable and lonely than ever, wrapped the tiny +corpse in fold upon fold of <i>kapa</i> and took it to +the Kawaiahao cemetery. Here, among the graves of +so many of his fast-dying race, he found a little +wooden hut and knocked at the door. An old white-haired +Hawaiian, no other indeed than Keoua’s father, +opened. He was living here on the very soil which +was in time to be his grave, and to him Keoua handed +the bundle without a word of explanation, even as to +the absence of Luka. The two men uttered their +“<i>auwe</i>” together, the young man in his youth and the +old man in his age, over the body of the babe. Then, +as the moon rose, silvering the cocoanut groves of Waikiki, +Keoua stole back to his deserted hut, with the instinct +of a beast wishing to hide its head in the earth.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[104]</span>Two days later the “<i>Likelike</i>” is on her way from +Honolulu to Mani. What a dream that voyage is! +For a while the empty craters of Leahi and Koko +Head, fringed with breakers along the coral reef, stand +out in glorious sunlight. Then suddenly—</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="first">“The sun’s rim dips,</div> +<div class="verse">The stars rush out,</div> +<div class="verse">At one stride comes the dark.”</div> +</div></div> + +<p>Mattresses are spread on deck, the passengers +stretch themselves for sleep, the air is heavy with the +scent of the wreaths of flowers with which almost every +voyager is bedecked; overhead the stars swing like +lamps, or as though the whole vault of heaven, with +its million eyes, were one lamp swaying in infinite +space. Then, with a faint consciousness of something +breaking in upon your dream, you feel an anchor drop +and hear the splash of oars. You have not, however, +reached your destination yet. This is some boat coming +off from the shores of Molokai for stores for a +lonely ranch in the mountains. If you rise, you may +lean over the bulwarks and look through the mists +upon a black mass of mountain wall which conceals +the most loathsome scene the world affords—the great +lazar house of Hawaii in Nature’s fairest garden, the +saddest witness our earth possesses to the existence of +the serpent’s trail.</p> + +<p>Yes, it is not the chill night-mist which makes you +shiver; for, although you know the leper settlement +is not on this side of the island, at Kaunakakai, but +on the other side over the <i>pali</i> at Kalaupapa, you feel<span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">[105]</span> +that no wall of mountain can shut out the thought of +thirteen hundred fellow creatures suffering a living +death in the land which God made so fair.</p> + +<p>If you had been onboard the “<i>Likelike</i>” on the day +of which I speak, you would have heard, almost coincident +with the lifting of the anchor, a splash so indistinct +that when some one shouted “Man overboard!” +few believed the cry. Men lazily looked over +the bulwarks, but saw nothing, for the moon was behind +the mountain, and presently, with the comforting +assurance that, if anybody had gone overboard, he +was by this time food for sharks, lay back on their +mattresses to continue their dreams and their voyage.</p> + +<p>But a man <i>had</i> gone overboard, a man whose heart +was bent on crossing seas and mountains to his leper +bride. Keoua swam ashore silently, fearing every second +to see the white fin of a shark start up beside him +in the water. Once he felt the cold, slimy sucker of +a squid against his ankle, but he tore himself free, +and, shooting on a high roller through a narrow break +in the reef, lay at last, spent and breathless, but safe +upon the beach.</p> + +<p>Yet the worst was still before him. Kalaupapa could +only be approached by crossing the mountain range, +and the only path on the other side was down a <i>pali</i> +so steep that it made the head of the bravest climber +dizzy to look upon it. However, there was no help +for it, and in a few minutes, Keoua, recovering from +the exhaustion consequent upon his swim, set off on +the upward journey. This was comparatively easy, +though it was still easier in the darkness to miss the +path and get into those haunted gorges where of old<span class="pagenum" id="Page_106">[106]</span> +the poison goddess had her grove. Long ropes of +<i>ieie</i>, tough as wire cables, formed a ladder up the face +of the mountain. By these, scarcely touching the +ground, he toiled upwards through tangled growths +which would otherwise have been impassable. When +he reached the top, the sun was just rising from the +clouds, and revealing one after another the majestic +ridges of Haleakala and the rock-bound coasts of Maui +and Lanai. Then the wind came sweeping up and +threatened to dash the intruder backwards down the +rocks. The trees swayed and bent, the foliage of the +<i>kukui</i> shivered with its ghostly sheen, the clouds swept +away from the bay of Kalawao, and there, several +thousand feet below, lay the white roofs and <i>lanais</i> of +as peaceful a settlement, to all appearances, as any +upon which the sun has ever shone.</p> + +<p>But if ever a place could be called a whited sepulchre +it was this; not that Christian love and self-sacrifice +had not cast an aureole of beauty about it which +made it sacred, but because here was the realization +of Milton’s terrible vision:</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="first">“A lazar house it seemed, wherein were laid</div> +<div class="verse">Numbers of all diseased; all maladies</div> +<div class="verse">Of ghastly spasm, or racking torture, qualms</div> +<div class="verse">Of heart-sick agony, all feverous kinds,</div> +<div class="verse">Convulsions, epilepsies, fierce catarrhs,</div> +<div class="verse">Intestine stone and ulcer, cholic pangs,</div> +<div class="verse">Demoniac frenzy, moping melancholy,</div> +<div class="verse">And moonstruck madness, pining atrophy,</div> +<div class="verse">Marasmus and wide-wasting pestilence,</div> +<div class="verse">Dropsies and asthmas and joint-racking rheums.</div> +<div class="verse">Dire was the tossing, deep the groans: Despair</div> +<div class="verse">Tended the sick, busiest from couch to couch;</div><span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">[107]</span> +<div class="verse">And over them triumphant Death his dart</div> +<div class="verse">Shook, but delayed to strike, though oft invoked,</div> +<div class="verse">With vows, as their chief good and final hope.”</div> +</div></div> + +<p>How could Nature sing so sweetly and smile so fair +when the eyes rested upon a cancer so foul!</p> + +<p>Keoua looked down as though he expected to see +there the grass hut of Pauoa Valley with Luka and +her baby at the door to greet him, but the place seemed +deserted till, when half-way down, the sweet tinkle of +a chapel bell roused him from a dream, and he supported +himself by a clump of guava bushes to watch +the dark-cassocked priests and white-hooded sisters +passing from the House of Misery to the solace of the +House of God. Such was the mood of Keoua that he +could not feel any thrill in the thought of these brave +men and sweet women thus living in grim company +with death. He thought only of the curse the white +man had brought to his race from the days of Cook, +the discoverer, to the day when the fruits of ancient +vice had burst forth in the heart of his own home. So +it was with hard and bitter thoughts he hastened on +his way, scarce knowing what he intended to do, perhaps +carry Luka bodily away from the pest-house to +the fastnesses of the mountains, where they might live +like the free wild beasts and die in peace.</p> + +<p>As he came near the hospital, however, there met +him, sauntering forth, a man dressed in a cool suit of +white linen, whose keen eye and earnest serious face +proclaimed him the doctor.</p> + +<p>He glanced at the wayfarer with something of surprise, +seeing that he was endeavoring to avoid an encounter.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_108">[108]</span>“<i>Aloha!</i>” he exclaimed, using the familiar Hawaiian +greeting. The man made no response, but looked savagely +on the ground.</p> + +<p>“Hello, my man; what’s the matter?” For Keoua +looked ghastly through his olive skin, and his steps +tottered. But strength came to answer, fiercely:</p> + +<p>“<i>Hele aku</i>—go away—curse you. Before time, +<i>kanaka</i> live here, no <i>pake mai</i>—(leprosy)—all <i>maikai +loa</i>—very good. Then <i>haole</i> man come, bring <i>pake +mai</i>. Poor <i>kanaka</i> die; make die all time. <i>Haole</i> man +thief steal kanaka’s <i>wahine</i>; <i>haole</i> man kill <i>kanaka’s +keiki</i> (child). <i>Hele!</i>”</p> + +<p>The doctor thought of all he might say, for it was +eminently reasonable, all this segregation, and the +kanaka had much cause to be grateful for what the +government was doing for the lepers. But he knew +logic was not what the poor wretch wanted, and while +he hesitated the need of answering vanished, for there +rose up from the hospital a strange sound, strange at +least from such a place. It was the strain of a band +of music, plaintive yet joyful—no dirge, but the voice +of rejoicing. For in this lazar-house joy is not unknown, +albeit it comes at an hour when others weep. +A soul freed from pain, from pollution, and from the +body of death, born into the light of Paradise—in such +a case was it not fitting that cymbals should clash and +trumpets sound?</p> + +<p>“<i>Heaha kela?</i>” exclaimed Keoua; “what is that?”</p> + +<p>“The good God has taken to rest the soul of a poor +woman who was glad to go.”</p> + +<p>“What was her name?” cried the Hawaiian, excitedly.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">[109]</span>“Luka,” replied the doctor.</p> + +<p>An ashy pallor spread over the man’s already bloodless +face. It was plain to the doctor that Death had +come even quicker than Love. Then there came a +bitter cry, mingled with bitter laughter.</p> + +<p>“<i>Akua maikai!</i> Good God!... Ha, ha, ha, ha.... +He bad God! He all same <i>haole</i>! Steal poor +kanaka’s <i>wahine</i>.... <i>Auwe</i> ... <i>auwe</i>.... +Me curse Him!”</p> + +<p>But the curse came not. A change as though an +angel had whispered to him came swift as thought. He +pressed his hands on his heart and murmured:</p> + +<p>“Me no curse Him! Good God! He good God! +Sweet wife, sweet <i>keiki</i> ... I come. <i>E Christo +e aloha mai.</i>” Then he fell heavily to the ground.</p> + +<p>An angel had indeed spoken to him—the kindest +angel whom God had sent to Kalaupapa—the angel +of Death.</p> + +<p>The music played on, and celestial harmonies seemed +to mingle with its strains. It was as though glad spirits +met and welcomed one another in a land fairer +even than Hawaii, a land, moreover, where the serpent’s +blight may never come.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>A double funeral took place in the leper cemetery +that very afternoon, and those who were there said the +priest must have been absent-minded, for at the close +of the service he spread his hands over the grave and +said:</p> + +<p>“Those whom God hath joined together, let no man +put asunder.”</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="transnote"> +<p class="ph1">TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:</p> + +<p>Perceived typographical errors have been corrected.</p> + +<p>Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.</p> + +<p>Archaic or variant spelling has been retained.</p> +</div></div> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76499 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/76499-h/images/cover.jpg b/76499-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5e79c66 --- /dev/null +++ b/76499-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/76499-h/images/coversmall.jpg b/76499-h/images/coversmall.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0fd2b0b --- /dev/null +++ b/76499-h/images/coversmall.jpg diff --git a/76499-h/images/frontispiece.jpg b/76499-h/images/frontispiece.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a134525 --- /dev/null +++ b/76499-h/images/frontispiece.jpg diff --git a/76499-h/images/titlepage.jpg b/76499-h/images/titlepage.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1c59a2f --- /dev/null +++ b/76499-h/images/titlepage.jpg diff --git a/76499-h/images/titlepagedeco.jpg b/76499-h/images/titlepagedeco.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a255154 --- /dev/null +++ b/76499-h/images/titlepagedeco.jpg |
