The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1881-09-24
KAMEHAMEHA THE CONQUEROR
SKETCHES
WALTER NJ. GIBSON.
CHAPTER III.
Kamehameha with Cook at Kealakeakua.

Native chronicles say that there was
some intimacy of intercourse between the
great hero, and the great navigator.
Cooks second i'm command, Lieut. King,
notices this remarkable warrior, and had
Cook lived to record the particulars of
his visit to Hawaii, We would have had no
doubt, precise mention from him of Kane
hameha- The bold young chief had often
gone on board the English ships, where he
was received with some marks OF attention
by the officers. They remembered his visit
and his proud, easy, and well-assured bear
ing when of the coast Of Maui. The inter
course between the young chief and the
Commander must have been pleasant and
inspired good will in the former; for it is
positively asserted by Piianaia and Others,
that when distrust and iIl-wiIl arose when
violence took place, and when Cook was
slain, that Kamehameha sought to
moderate the fury Of his cOuntrymen, and
90 prevent violence. He was not only the
relative Of, but an active and foremost
warrior Of King Kalaniopuu. He was at
the time in the early prime Of manhood,
some where between - and 80 years of age;
anu had the attack upon the foreigners
been by order Of the ruling chief, this
vigorous young kinsman and warrior, must
have taken n prominent part. But the
assault was the result of an unpremedi-
tated Outburst Of anger Of men whose rela-
tiyes and friends had suffered I'm a chance
encounter with the foreigners; and as
Kamehameha and other confidential chiefs
OF KalaniOpuu do not appear rs assailants.
there Is reason to believe, as asserted by
native authority, and Judging from his sub
sequent conduct, that the Hawaiian hero,
-
violence.
There is a story connected with this
event, said to be on native authority, about
the discovery by Hawaiians of Cooks
alleged fraudfuI stimulation of deity:-that
chief having seized the British captain in
his grasp, and discovering as he groaned in
his fierce embrace, that he was but mortal,
and not a god had in consequence of
this discovery Of his mortal character
slain him. This is an improbable story
and the invention Of a subsequent pious
superstition. What We're a Hawaiian's
idea OF n god at that time d? Was it some
spiritual, and almighty power? Nothing
Of the kind. Who was the god LOnO,
whom Cook was supposed to represent? A
half crazy chief, who beat his friends, and
vino sailed away i'm his canoe, to abandon
wife and home. And priestly suPersti-
tion started the idea among the Hawaiians
that their runaway LOnO had come back in
the big ships. IL was common thing in
those times, and the superstition has not
vet passed away, to designate man As an
Ik1ta or so called god. The great Roman
orator Cicero, erected a temple for the deifi-
cation Of his beloved daughter Tullia. And
many mortals in ancient times, were pro-
claimed gods, or demI-gOds by the extra
VACANT love or admiration of fellow NOR
tails; but the flesh and blood conditions of
these exalted ones, could never have been
doubted And such was the case in Ha-
wall. Kamehameha in the days of his
supremacy and sovereign power, had an
attaehs to his state, an especial tabooed
priest, who was called the akua 10 ke'Iii,
the chiefs god, to whom sacrifices were
offered but sometimes, as Marin or
Manini states i'm his journal, the king (Ka-
mechanically was angry with his god, and
punished him, even a. il is said, that super
stitious sailors have fiogged the image Of a
saint, because il did not bring them ex-
pected fair weather.
II has been common for Hawaiians TO re-
cognise a crazy individual as an akua.
This superstition Is not yet extinct. About
twelve years ago, there was n kauaka on
Lanai named KeOni Pupule, or crazy John.
He was looked upon as an akua; food was
ehewed for him by an attendant, and he
was fed from mouth to mouth like help
less infant tobacco was puffed into his
nOstrils; and other disgusting personal
attentions were observed towards him; not
because he was helpless; as he could eat
and smoke very well himself; but because
such attention was appropriate 10 the
character Of an akua- And when he got
sick, and ached and grOaned with pain, the
superstitiOus impressions with regard TO
his akua character were not in the least
diminished.
And this view of an akua, must apply to
the character as attributed by Hawaiians
To Capt. Cook. He had been seen to eat
and drink on many occasions by Hawai-
ians- 1t is confidently asserted by writers
who tell the story of the groaning' and the
alleged discovery Of the fTaudful akua, or
god that he associated intimately with
the daughter of n chiefess of Kauai, and
thus manifested his mortality, and man
hood in a multitude of ways, known and
observed by Hawaiians; and the story
therefore that because he uttered cry of
pain his mortality was disclosed, is simply
absurd; because he had no doubt IN speech,
laugh, cry, caress, blow, and movements
and manifestations of all kinds have proven
his common humanity; and Furthermore
the proofs of this common humanity would
not have deferred Hawaiians from their
akua worship, or superstitious regard fof
certain persons and things, and the occur
renee OF groan would not have affected
the superstition. The occurrence of death
did not; because the cutting and dismem-
bering of the great navigator after he was
slain was a continuation of superstitiOus
observance towards his body, as that Of a
deified high chief, or akua.
IL Is stated by native chrOniclers, that
when Capt King, successor Of Cook, in
command, parleyed with the natives at
Kealakeakua for the return OF the remains
of Cook. that at the time, the head of the
dead commander was in the possession OF
Kamehameha- Why did the young chief,
touch, or take any charge of the head OF the
dead navigator? The ancient HaWaiians
were not Dyaks or Indians, and sought not
the heads or scaIps of foes. They were not
cannibaIs or partakers OF human flesh for
food although they sometimes tasted oi
human flesh, as an act of hostility; or OF cere-
moniaI attention. However-neither hos