Chapter I: Preface

From mist to sunshine—from fabled gods to a constitution and legislature as a Territory of the United States—this is the outline of the stories told in the present volume. This outline is thoroughly Hawaiian in the method of presentation. The old people rehearsed stories depending upon stories told before. They cared very little for dates. This is a book of stories related to each other.

Veiled by the fogs of imagination are many interesting facts concerning kings and chiefs which have been passed over untouched—such as the voyages of the vikings of the Pacific, who left names and legends around the islands. For instance, Hilo, in the island of Hawaii, is named after Whiro, a noted viking who sailed through many island groups with his brother, Punga, after whom the district of Puna is named. Ka-kuhi-hewa, ruler of Oahu, was the King Arthur of the Hawaiians, with a band of noted chiefs around his poi-bowl. Umi was a remarkable king of the island Hawaii. Many individual incidents of these persons are yet to be related.

The Hawaiian language papers since 1835, Fornander’s Polynesian Researches, and many of the old Hawaiians have been of great assistance in searching for these “fragments of Hawaiian history,” now set forth in this book.

W. D. W.

PRONUNCIATION

In reading Hawaiian words do not end a syllable with a consonant, and pronounce all vowels as if they were Italian or French.

a = a in father.
e = e in they.
i = i in pin.
o = o in hold.
u = oo in spoon.

This is a fairly good rule for the pronunciation of all Polynesian words.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. Maui the Polynesian 13
II. Maui Seeking Immortality 19
III. The Water of Life 24
IV. A Viking of the Pacific 35
V. Home of the Polynesians 41
VI. Sons of Kii 47
VII. Paao from Samoa 65
VIII. Moikeha the Restless 79
IX. Laa from Tahiti 86
X. First Foreigners 93
XI. Captain Cook 100
XII. The Ivory of Oahu 114
XIII. The Alapa Regiment 125
XIV. The Last Prophet of Oahu 143
XV. The Eight of Oahu 149
XVI. The Red Mouth Gun 155
XVII. The Law of the Splintered Paddle 162
XVIII. Last of the Tabu 176
XIX. First Hawaiian Printing 183
XX. The First Constitution 189
XXI. The Hawaiian Flag 200
Index 217

ILLUSTRATIONS

FACING PAGE

Idols by Which Captain Cook Was Worshipped Title page
Spear Throwing Contest 62
Chiefs in Feather Cloaks and Helmets 88
Landing of Warriors 134
Hawaiian Grass Houses 172
First Leaflet Printed, 1822 184
Title Page of First Hymn Book, 1823 186
First Bible Printing, 1827 188