THE AMERICAN WHALEMAN. 303 



ing in the shoal waters of the shore ; and how, with the love 

 of Pele in his heart, Kamehameha slew the war chief of 

 Haleakala, and conquered the island of Maui. He sang also 

 of a time when the war went against Kamehameha, and the 

 sons of Haleakala burned his war canoes, and he was cut off 

 from the help of the people of Hawaii, and driven to the 

 mountain which overhangs the narrow sea. He could look 

 down into his home, but his people could not hear his voice, 

 and they kne^ not the peril of their chief. Then two chiefs 

 came to Kamehameha, and said, " The darkness of the night 

 is on the deep water, and the storm-winds have driven the 

 canoes of Maui from the straits. We will swim to that near 

 land, and bring thee help." And through the darkness of 

 the storm, lighted by the broad torch of the volcano which 

 flamed fourteen thousand feet above them, they were guided 

 the twenty miles which separates the islands; and their 

 chief was saved by this act of devotion. 



Such were the noble themes we listened to beneath the 

 lofty mountain peaks of the Pacific, and under the broad 

 glow of Pele's torch. 



It was not until the afternoon of the 23d that we dropped 

 anchor in Kealakeakua Bay, the scene of Cook's death. 

 After furling sail, and getting the decks cleared of rigging, 

 the trading Kanakas were allowed to come on board, with 

 fruits, shells, tapa cloth, etc., which were offered in ex- 

 change for articles of iron. These people are sharp enough 

 at a bargain, and the equals of our sailors in taking care of 

 their end of a trade. The chief advantage we had was that 

 our iron would keep while their stuff was perishable. A 

 curious mistake was made soon after we came to anchor, 

 which caused considerable merriment among the men. In 

 a canoe floating a short distance from the ship sat three 

 Kanakas, of great beauty, carefully covered with folds of 

 ornamented tapa, and their long hair decorated with feath- 



