TAMEHAMEHA. 
383 
the shortest notice, and shewing, at the same time, 
an evident satisfaction at the degree of care with 
which his own were preserved. 
Halaua is a large district on the north-east coast 
of the island, and, if not the birth-place of Tame- 
hameha, was the land which he inherited from his 
parents, and, with the exception of a small district 
in the division of Kona, the only land he possessed 
in Hawaii prior to the death of Taraiopu, and the 
celebrated battle of Keei, which took place shortly 
afterwards. Tamehameha seems to have been early 
distinguished by enterprise, energy, decision of 
character, and unwearied perseverance in the ac¬ 
complishment of his objects. Added to these, he 
possessed a vigorous constitution, and an unri¬ 
valled acquaintance with all the warlike games 
and athletic exercises of his country. To these 
qualities of mind and body he is probably indebted 
for the extensive power and protracted dominion 
which he exercised over the Sandwich Islands. In 
early life he associated with himself a number of 
youthful chiefs of his own age and disposition, into 
whom he had the happy art of instilling, on all 
occasions, his own spirit, and inspiring them with 
his own resolution : by these means he most effec¬ 
tually secured their attachment and co-operation. 
Great undertakings appear to have been his de¬ 
light, and achievements deemed by others imprac¬ 
ticable were those which he regarded as most suit¬ 
able exercises of his prowess. Miomioi led the 
way to a spot, where, in a small bay, the original 
coast had been a perpendicular pile of rocks, at 
least one hundred feet high. Here Tamehameha 
and his companions, by digging through the rocks, 
had made a good road, with a regular and gradual 
descent from the high ground to the sea, up and 
