146 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
Leaving Keei, we passed on to Mokuohai, a spot 
celebrated as the place where, in the year 1780 or 
1781, the great battle was fought between Kaui¬ 
keouli* eldest son and successor of Taraiopu, and 
his cousin, Tamehameha , by which the latter, 
though before only possessed of two districts, 
became sovereign of the whole island. During 
seven successive days, a severe conflict was main¬ 
tained, with doubtful success. On the morning 
of the eighth day, it was renewed on both sides, 
and continued until noon, when the death of 
Kauikeouli terminated the struggle in favour of his 
rival. The circumstances attending his death 
were singular. 
Keeaumoku, (the father of Kaahumanu, Piia, 
and Kuakini, present governor of Hawaii,) Tame- 
hameha’s principal general, with a few of his com¬ 
panions, had advanced a considerable distance 
beyond the main body of his warriors, and was 
completely surrounded by Kauikeouli’s men. 
After defending themselves for some time against 
superior numbers, all the associates of Keeaumoku 
were slain, he himself was dangerously wounded 
by a number of stabs with the pahoa,f and fell in 
the midst of his foes. His enemies thought him 
mortally wounded, and were proceeding to despoil 
him of his ornaments, &c. Kauikeouli ap¬ 
proached, and called out to them to take care of 
the paraoa, a finely polished ornament, made of a 
whale’s tooth, highly valued by the natives, and 
worn on the breast, suspended by a necklace of 
curiously braided human hair, stooping down him¬ 
self at the same time to untie it. Keeaumoku, 
* Called also Kivaraao. 
t The pcthoa is a dagger, from eighteen Inches to two 
feet long, made of wood or iron. 
