NIMROD OF THE SEA; OR, 



accord, as our tall, dark-featured Hawaiian went on with his 

 story : 



" Kamehameha, the solitary chief, the strong man, the 

 dweller on the side of Mauna Kea : he was loved by Pele", 

 the goddess of the flaming mountain, the dweller in the heart 

 of Mauna Loa : twin mountains of fire, Mauna Kea at the 

 rising of the sun, Mauna Loa at the going down of the 

 day. On Kea lived the lone man ; on Loa, the lone woman. 

 He was a stranger to his own great heart until he read of 

 it in the eyes of Pele, who loved him for his power. And 

 Pele whispered to Kamehameha, 'It is I who bring the 

 mountain islands from the heart of the world; my hand 

 brings the sacred fire through the waters, and the fiery lava 

 through the deep seas, and makes homes for my people. At 

 our feet is rebellious Maui, and Lanai, and Molokai, with 

 Oahu, the land of sweet taro ; and beyond all is fiery-hearted 

 Kauai. I will make of these a throne for my loved one. 

 Will he seat himself in it, and rule my children with a 

 strong hand? Will he guide them wisely, that war may 

 not stain my lava red with the blood of my children, red 

 as it ran from my fiery home.' And Kamehameha said, * I 

 am one man ; with the love of Pele I may melt the mount- 

 ains, and turn the hearts of the people from blood. If she 

 will guide me, I will wash the stain from the throne which 

 she brought in flame through the deep waters.' " 



Such was the cause that led Kamehameha from his mount- 

 ain fastnesses, first to conquer the great island of Hawaii, 

 and afterward, through a fierce war, to bring all the remain- 

 ing islands under his rule. And the bard sang of how the 

 terrible warrior of Hawaii met single-handed the great war 

 chief of Haleakala, armored in his cocoa shield, and with the 

 knotted war-club in his hand ; how Kamehameha, standing 

 naked, with folded arms, in the prow of his war canoe, or- 

 dered his rowers to advance on his armed opponent, stand- 



