THROUGH HAWAII 
109 
yet the combat, which commenced in the forenoon f 
continued till near sunset, when the king’s troops, 
finding their enemies had all either fled or surrendered, 
returned to Kairua. * 
Karaimoku grieved much at the death of Kēkuaoka- 
lani, who was his own sister’s son. He delayed the 
engagement as long as possible; and, the same morning 
that the battle took place, sent a messenger, addressing 
the young chief as his son, and requesting him to re¬ 
frain from hostilities till they could have an interview, 
and, if possible, effect an accommodation. But the 
message was rejected, and the messenger obliged to 
jump into the sea, and swim to save his life. In the 
moment of victory, also, he acted with humanity ; and, 
contrary to the usual custom, the vanquished were not 
pursued and murdered in their retreats. A little way 
south of the spot where the chief fell, was a small 
cave, into which, in the confusion that followed the 
death of Kekuaokalani, a woman attached to his party 
crept, and, drawing a piece of lava over its mouth, re¬ 
mained until night, beneath whose friendly cover she 
fled to the mountains, not knowing that the victors 
had returned without pursuing their foes. The wives 
of warriors often accompanied their husbands to battle, 
and were frequently slain. Their practice, in this re¬ 
spect, resembled that of the Society islanders on similar 
occasions. They generally followed in the rear, carry¬ 
ing calabashes of water, or of poe, a little dried fish, 
or other portable provision, with which to recruit their 
husband’s strength when weary, or afford a draught of 
water when thirsty or faint; but they followed, more 
particularly, to be at hand if their husbands should be 
wounded. 
