The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-02-19

-
supposed to have occurred solely through the in
competency or negligence Of the master, a for
eigner. After the natives had brought on shore
from the wreck, the spars, rigging and other arti-
cles, they attempted to haul up the brig itself.
This furnished one of the best specimens OF
physical force ever witnessed among them.
ssThey collected from the woods and margins of
the river, a large quantity of the bark of the
hibiscus. and with their hands without any ma
chinery, made several thousand yards of strong
rope such as was then in common use at the islands.
Twelve folds Of this they made into a cable.
Three cables of this kind they prepared for the
purpose of dragging up the wreck Of the Cleo
pgkfa'S Barge on shore. These three cables were
then attached to the mainmast Of the brig, a few
feet above the deck, leading some distance on the
shore towards the mountains, nearly parallel to
each other. At the sides Of these the multitude
were arranged as closely as they could con-
veniently sit or stand together.
The briglay in about ten feet water, and partly
on her side which was furthest from the shore,
and very near to a reef of rocks rising nearly half
way to the surface. Over this reef they proposed
first to roll the vessel. Everything being ar
ranged for their great muscular effort, an old
but spirited chieftain, formerly from Oahu, called
the Wind-watcher, passing up and down through
the different ranks, and from place to place, re-
peatedly sung out with prolonged notes and
trumpet tongue, % be quiet-shut up the voice"
To which the people responded, "say nothing
as a continuance of the prohibition to which they
were ready to assent when they should come to
the tug. Between the trumpet notes, the old
chieftain, with the natural tones and infections,
instructed them to grasp the ropes firmly, rise to-
gether at the signal, and leaning inland, to look
and draw straight forward, withoutlooking back
wards towards the vessel. They being thus mar
shalled and instructed, remained quiet for some
minutes, upon their hips.
"a man called a kaukau, or councillor with the
chiefs, whose Office it was to rehearse for the
encouragement of the drawers, an ancient and
popular song, used when a tree for a canoe was
to be drawn from the mountains to the shore,
rose, and with great rapidity commencing with
an address to Lono, the ancient god, rehearsed
the NEUROLOGICAL song, now in the possession of
Judge Andrews, of which the following is verse:
Give to me the trunk Of the tree, o Lono-
Give me the ear of the tree, o LonO.
Hearken by night, and hear by day,
o Poihiihi-O Poalaaha-
Come for the tree, and take to the seaside
"The multitude quietly listening some six or
eight minutes, at a particular turn or passage in
the song Indicating the order to march, rose to-
gether, and as the song continued with increasing
volubility and force, slowly moved forward in
silence and all leaning from the shore, strained
their huge ropes, Juggling together to heave up
the vessel. The brig felt their power-rolled up
slowly towards the shore, upon her keel, till her
side came firmly against the rock, and there in
stantly stopped but the immense team moved
on unchecked and the mainmast broke and fell
with its shrouds, being taken off by the cables
drawn by unaided muscular strength. The hull
instantly rolled back to her former place, and
was considered recoverable. The interest of the
scene was much heightened by the fact that a
large man by the name of kiu, who had assembled
the standing shrouds, being near the main-top
when the hull began to move, was descending
when the mast broke, and was seen to come down
suddenly and simultaneously with it in its fall.
Strong apprehensions were felt on shore that lie
was killed amidst the ruins. Numbers FASTENED
from the shore to the wreck, to see the effects of
heir pull and to look after Kin. He was found
amusing himself swimming about on the seward
side of the wreck, where he had OPPORTUNITY
plunged unhurt, when he was in imminent dan
ger"