PRIESTESS OF PELE. 309 
was not so good as that generally given by the 
congregations we had addressed. Many, however, 
quietly listened till the service was over. As we 
arose to depart, an old woman, who during the 
discourse sat near the speaker, and had listened 
very attentively, all at once exclaimed, “ Powerful 
are the gods of Hawaii, and great is Peie, the 
goddess of Hawaii, she shall save Maaro,” (the 
sick chief who was present.) Another began to 
chant a song in praise of Pele, to which the people 
generally listened, though some began to laugh. 
We supposed they were intoxicated, and there¬ 
fore took no notice of them; but, on our leaving 
the house, some of our people told us they were 
not ona i ka ruma , (intoxicated or poisoned with 
rum,) but inspired by the alma (goddess) of the 
volcano ; or, that one of them was Pele herself, in 
the form of one of her priestesses. On hearing 
this, I turned back into the house, and, when the 
song was ended, immediately entered into conver¬ 
sation with the principal one, by asking her if she 
had attended to the discourse that had been de¬ 
livered there ? She answered, that she had lis¬ 
tened, and understood it. I then asked, if she 
thought Jehovah was good, and those happy who 
made him their God ? She answered, “ He is 
your good God, (or best God,) and it is right that 
you should worship him ; but Pele is my deity, 
and the great goddess of Hawaii. Kirauea is the 
place of her abode. Ohiaotelani (the northern 
peak of the volcano) is one corner of her house. 
From the land beyond the sky, in former times, 
she came.” She then went on with the song 
which she had thus begun, giving a long account 
of the deeds and honours of Pele. This she 
pronounced in such a rapid and vociferous manner. 
