messengers to Oahu. One was Kikane, above referred to, the other was Haalou, the mother of Namahana, and grandmother of Kamehameha's wife, Kaahumanu. The mission of Kikane was to Kahekili; that of Haalou was originally intended for Kauai, to seek some renowned soothsayer, for which that island was famous, and obtain his opinion as to the best way in which to obtain the supremacy of Hawaii for Kamehameha.

Kikane presented himself before Kahekili at Waikiki, and in the name of Kamehameha offered him two Maikastones, "Ulu-maika," one black and the other white. Kahekili looked at them and said, "This one (the white) represents agriculture, fishing, husbandry, and the prosperity of the government; that one (the black), is a symbol of war. Does Kamehameha want to go to war with Oahu?" On Kikane replying that such was Kamehameha's intention, and that he had been sent as a herald to arrange with Kahekili in a courteous and chiefly manner about the place of landing and the field of battle, Kahekili, after some consideration of the various plans proposed by Kikane, replied, "Go, tell Kamehameha to return to Hawaii, and when he learns that the black kapa covers the body of Kahekili and the sacrificial rites have been performed at his funeral,1 then Hawaii shall be the Maika-stone that will sweep the course from here to Tahiti; let him then come and possess the country." Kikane then presented one more request from Kamehameha, which was for the gods Olopue and Kalaipahoa.2

Kahekili gave him a chip of the Kalaipahoa, but the Olopue was in charge of the high-priest Kaopuhuluhulu, and Kikane did not obtain it for his master.

Arrived at

Haalou's mission was more successful. Oahu, she was spared the further journey to Kauai by finding the object of her search at Kamoku in Waikiki. His name was Kapoukahi. He was a Kauai man, and related to Haalou's grandmother Kaneikaheilani. Hence he received her overtures kindly, and in reply to her inquiries, instructed her to tell Kamehameha to build a large Heiau for his god at Puukohola, adjoining the old Heiau of Mailekini near Kawaihae, Hawaii; that done, he would be supreme over Hawaii without more loss of life.

Having accomplished their errands, Kikane and Haalou returned to Kamehameha on Molokai.

While these events transpired on Maui and Molokai, Kamehameha's power on Hawaii was seriously threatened. When Keouakuahuula heard of the assistance in men and canoes which Keawemauhili of Hilo had furnished to Kamehameha on his expedition to Maui, he was greatly irritated, and considered it as a breach of the agreement between them to jointly oppose Kamehameha's pretensions to sovereignty. To punish, therefore, his former ally, Keoua invaded Hilo. A battle was fought at Alae in Hilo-paliku, in which Keawemauhili was killed, and Keoua added the district of Hilo to his own possessions of Puna and Kau. Elated with his victory, he entered Kamehameha's estates, overran Hamakua, destroying valuable fish ponds and taro patches at Waipio, and plundering the inhabitants. From Waipio he crossed over to Waimea in Kohala, committing similar ravages and barbarities.

ous wood, said to have been found only on Mounaloa, Molokai, though I have heard it said that it was also found on Lanai. That species of the Nioi is now extinct. The least particle of the wood inserted in the food

or drink was sure to kill the consumer. It is said to have been discovered by Kaiakea of Molokai, at least its uses, or rather abuses, were greatly in vogue in the latter part of his generation.

When the news of these transactions by Keoua reached Kamehameha at Kaunakakai, he was deeply moved at the death of his uncle Keawemauhili, and at the ravages and cruelties committed on his people and possessions by Keoua. All thoughts of invading Oahu, even of securing Maui, were given up, for a season at least, for the one imperious necessity of hastening back to Hawaii to protect his own estates and to punish the audacious Keona. Gathering his army and his fleet together, Kamehameha evacuated Maui and Molokai, and returned to Hawaii.

This brings us to the latter months of the year 1790, for it is known that the eruption of Kilauea, which destroyed a portion of Keoua's army on its return to Kau, took place in November 1790.

The abrupt departure of Kamehameha and his fleet from Molokai and his return to Hawaii took a great weight off the mind of Kahekili, and plans of vengeance, if not of aggrandisement, occupied his thoughts and brightened his vision in the immediate future. He was doubtless encouraged by Kacokulani, who by this time had obtained. the supremacy of Kauai, and who urged upon his aged brother the golden opportunity of Kamehameha's difficulties with Keoua-kuahuula to avenge the defeat of Kalanikupule on Maui, and to deal a crushing blow to the growing power of Kamehameha. Negotiations and preparations having been perfected between the Kauai and Oahu sovereigns during the winter months of 1790-91, Kaeokulani left Kauai with a well-equipped fleet of war canoes, accompanied by his nephew Peapea,1 his military commanders Kiikiki and Kaiawa, his foreign gunner Mare Amara, and a number of ferocious trained dogs, and arrived at Oahu in the spring of 1791.

2

1 Peapea was a son of Kamehamehanui, already referred to.

second name, "Amara," is but the Hawaiian corruption of the English "Armourer." The man was probably the gunner or blacksmith of some of the foreign vessels trading at the

2 Who this man was and in what ship he arrived at the islands, I am unable to say. His first name was "Mare," Hawaiianised, but the islands. VOL. II.

Kahekili appointed his son Kalanikupule as regent of Oahu during his absence, and the combined fleets of Kahekili and Kaeokulani started for the Windward Islands. Making a short stay at Kaunakakai, Molokai, the fleet passed to the windward side of Maui, and landed for a while at Waihee and Waiehu. It would appear from subsequent facts as if some convention or stipulation had been agreed upon between Kahekili and Kaeokulani, in virtue whereof Kahekili had transferred, either provisionally or permanently, the sovereign authority over Maui to Kaeo. Certain it is that the latter on his arrival, commenced to divide up the island, apportioning the various districts among the Kauai chiefs and warriors. This proceeding gave great umbrage to the sons of Kahekili and to the ancient Maui chiefs, and came near breaking up the entire expedition of the two kings. A quarrel and an émeute arose on this subject at Paukukalo, near Waiehu, between the Kauai and Maui chiefs, in which Koalaukani, one of the sons of Kahekili, greatly distinguished himself for his bravery against a vastly superior number of Kauai warriors.

In some way not now particularly remembered, this misadventure was smoothed over without more serious results, and the two fleets left Waiehu, Kaeokulani going round by the Koolau side to Hana to recruit, and Kahekili going farther on to Mokulau in Kaupo, for the same purpose. It is reported that while at Hana, Kaeokulani ascended the famous hill of Kauwiki, and, in a spirit of bravado, threw his spear up into the air, exclaiming, “It is said of old that the sky comes down close to Hana, but I find it quite high, for I have thrown my spear, ‘Kamoolehua,' and it did not pierce the sky, and I doubt if it will hit Kamehameha; but hearken, O Kauai! you chiefs, warriors, and relations, be strong and be valiant, and we shall drink the water of Waipio and eat the taro of Kunaka."

Leaving Hana, the fleet of Kaeokulani sailed direct for

Waipio, Hawaii, where he landed his troops and ravaged the valley thoroughly. The acts of spoliation and barbarity committed on this occasion were the common occurrence of war in those days, and would not of themselves have stained the memory of Kaeokulani in the native estimation; but his disregard and desecration of the ancient tabu places, the tearing up and overturning the sacred pavement of Liloa, the burning of the sacred pepper-tree supports of the ancient palace of the Hawaiian kings, said to have been built by Kahoukapu, and his general demolition and destruction of all the sacred and valued mementoes of ancient times, in which that valley was so rich,—these and similar acts were regarded as unpardonable acts of vandalism, for which the insulted gods and "Aumakuas would in due time exact a condign and fearful punishment.

While these outrages of the Hawaiian public sentiment were perpetrated by Kaeokulani in Waipio, the Kahekili division of the fleet, leaving Mokulau, had landed at Halawa in the Kohala district of Hawaii, and after various desultory and unimportant skirmishes with the troops of Kamehameha, proceeded to join Kaeokulani at Waipio.

Kamehameha was in the Kona district when he received the tidings of the invasion of Kahekili and Kaeokulani. His preparations to repel the invasion were not long in being perfected. Collecting a large fleet of double canoes, many of which were filled with small cannon obtained from traders, and with the sloop which Kameeiamoku had captured from the ship "Eleanor" the preceding year,1 he

1 So the native account collected by S. M. Kamakau says; but Vancouver, in vol. ii. p. 165, says that in March 1793 the sloop was lying in a creek about four miles from Kealakeakua, where she had been hauled up, and was fast decaying for want of necessary repairs. The impression is obtained from Vancouver's recital of what Young and Davis told him that the vessel had not been used since

she was captured. But Vancouver does nowhere state that Young and Davis had told him of their accompanying Kamehameha in his campaigns, while at the same time he expressly states that for a long time after their capture they invariably accompanied Kamehameha wherever he went. The silence of Vancouver is, therefore, no denial of the correctness of the native account.