Keoiia^s Death. 



39 



was not until they had come up to them and handled them, that thej- could detect their mistake. 

 The whole party, including women and children, not one of them survived to relate the catastrophe 

 that had befallen their comrades. The only living being they found was a solitary hog, in company 

 with one of the families that had been so suddenly bereft of life. In those perilous circumstances, 

 the survixang party did not even stay to bewail their fate, but leaving their deceased companions as 

 they found them, hurried on and overtook the company in advance at the place of their encampment. 



In a few day.s from this time the army of Keoua met their enemies and joined 

 in several battles. At length Kanieeiamoku went to Keona in the disguise of a friend, 

 and with mtich smooth speech and fair promises, prevailed on him to go to Kawaihae 



Fig. 34. CRACKS AT PONAHOHOA. FROM PI,.\TE IN EI.LIS' TOUR OF HAWAII. 



and have an interview with Kamehameha. Keona and his followers, of whom the 



narrators of this scene were a part, retreated in the dire(5lion they had come. On their 



return they found their deceased friends as they had left them, entire, and exhibiting 



no other marks of decaj-, than a sunken hollowness in their ej'es ; the rest of their 



bodies were in a state of entire preservation. The}' were never buried, and their bones 



lay bleaching in the stm and rain for many years. 



Keoua went on to Kawaihae trusting in the false chiefs, and on landing was 



treacherously murdered with his companions and their bodies offered as a pleasing 



sacrifice on the altar of the new temple. It is claimed that this was not done by the 



orders of Kamehameha. No doubt the popular belief was that Pele was fighting for 



Kamehameha, and this helped out the promise of the priests. 



[417] 



