Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-04-23

How a Brave Woman Dsfed the
Heather God Pele.

~@C@~~~~N~~
The distant kingdom of Hawaii.
which extends It's sway over the sand
witch Islands, can boast the largest ac-
tive volcano in the world. This vol
cano, called Kilanea, on she shores Of
the Pacific, is two and half miles high;
its crater, measuring SIX miles round,
contains lake OF moulten lava in which
great rocks are tossed about as II in a
boiling caldron; from time TO time the
lava boils over, as it were, and rushes in
streams of liquid fire down the mountain
sides. Over the summit there hangs a
cloud which by day Is Of a silvery hue,
but which reddens to fiery glare by
night. 1t is not much wonder that to
such terrific work OF nature the people
of Hawaii should have attached many
superstitions. They believed it to be
the home of the god ess Pele, who had
power, if offended. TO overwhelm the in
habitants of the islands with destruc-
tlon; certain berries which grew upon
its slopes were sacred to her; no woman
was allowed to tread upon. the verge Of
the mountain and the priests of Pele
lived in its sides.
About the year 1924 the young King
of Hawaii. Liholiho, and his people,
were converted to Christianity, and re-
nounced the worship of false gods; but
so strong hold had the fabulous Pele
over the imaginations OF the Hawaiians,
that, while they renouuced all other
forms of idolatry, they still firmly be-
lieved in the goddess Of the volcano
aud retained their supcrstitfous fe.r~~-a
observed their superstitious rites.
This was great grief to Kapiolani,
wife of Naihc, public orator Of Hawaii.
She, too, with the rest of the people,
had been converted to Christianity, but,
unlike them she resented the insult
offered to the one true God in the wor-
ship still offered TO Pele. At last, when
all remonstrances had proved vain, she
determined to try what effect clear
proof Of her own disbelief In the ex-
istsnce of the goddess of the volcano
would have upon the people. Accord
ingly on a certain day in the year 1925,
in the presence OF number of her fell
low countrymen, she set out tor Kila-
nea and boldly began to ascend its
sleeps. Carrying in her hand the for
hidden berries, she climbed the noun
tain side in spite of the priests OF Pele,
who came out of their haunts and strove
to turn her back with threats and warn
ings. And, indeed. there was real dan
ger in ascending Kilanea, for not only
was the way rough, steep and difficult
and the cold of the heights terrible to
a delicate Hawaiian, but poisonous gases
often issued from the mountain, and sev-
eral men had, quite lately, been killed
by inhaling them. But none of these
dangers could daunt the brave Kapio-
lanj, who toiled on until she reached the
very top of the volcano; then she de-
scended the precipice which surrounds
the crater, and casting the sacred Der.
ries into the boiling lava, she cried,
If perish by the anger of Pele, then
dread her power; but, behold, l defy
her wrath. have broken her laws; L
live and am safe, for Jehovah the Al
mighty Is my God. His was the breath
that kindled these flames; His is the
hand which restraints their fury. Oh, alb
We people, behold how vain are the gods
of Hawaii, and turn and serve the
Lord ~
Kapiolani's brave deed was not with
out its reward, for the Hawaiians, from
that time, abandoned the worship of
Pele, and the belief in her has long
since died out. New York World.