The Hawaiian gazette., 1895-09-17

island, where the lighthouse (ka lac
ka lani) keeper lives as lonely life as
q prisoner condemned to solitary con-
hnement. 1t is an important light
mouse station, but there are very few
that would accept an appointment to
such position with its light labor but
lonesome location. Descending the
hill on the southern slope of Ka Hale
LAM We came to grassy hill in the
ravine OF Makana. Here we dis
mounted, and while the horses nib
| bled the grass we refreshed ourselves
with the ample supply Mine Host
Meyer had put up for US, Within the
compass of twenty feet each side were
twenty different varieties OF Hawaiian
trees-milimili, ulei, kalui, hau, lima,
naia and so on. There was also fine
specimen of kaupos, the Hawaiian air
plant, species OF cdscutd.
Returning by the southern side Of
Mauna Loa we came to the site of the
home OF Kalaipahoa, the poison god,
or goddess authorities Vary. Some
little distance from it Is the temple or
heidu. In former times, so runs the
tradition, there grew IN that locality u
lethal tree or grove. To pass to the
windward of 1t so as to inhale the odor
waited from IL was sure death. Birds
fell dead on flying over 1t. The poison
Gus properties Of the locality were
attributed to q particular tree. The
minutest scraping of its wood or bark
mixed with any ones food or drink
was sure poison. Native kahunas or
medicine men came from all over the
islands In recent years hunting around
in this locality to find some pieces Of
root or wood. But the searching has
been in vain, as we'll as that of recent
kings aud others to find the treasure
cave of the Molokai chief. Achiefess.
or kdhu, who knew the secret OF the
cave, died some years ago, and the
knowledge of its exact locality died
with her.
Between the grove and the heiau of
kalaipahoa is bowling green, Ka
hua ulu maika, where in olden times
the Hawaiians congregated from far
and near, for trials of skill st their
favorite sport. The alley, for such it
was, is an artificial depression in the
grassy turf, about two feet wide and
300 long, with slight descent from
west to east. 1t is q most slightly
place overlooking the channel be-
tween Molokai and Lanai. The latter
island looms up like some monster
moo from the blue waters of the Pa
cific. There is an old story of famous
maika-player OF the oiden time, Umi-
kupa of Molokai. A native of Kohala
who was great gamester had
lost all his wealth. Determined to
get the better of those who had choused
him out of his property, he came to
Molokai and sought the aid of UNI
kupa, who agreed to befriend him.
The two returned to Kohala and soon
the fame of the stranger from Molokai
was spread abroad through the dis
trict. Finally, there came a challenge
from the Kohala player to a game,
and the stakes were high. The Molo-
kai players turn came last of all.
There were various forms Of the game,
and various shapes of the ulrtmdika.
The stones most commonly used were
cylindrical; but Umikupa rolled q
round stone, weighty, and of so true
a shape, and of such equal quality in
every part that, hurled by his strong
arm, nothing could stand before it.
His competitors lost everything they
had haZarded, and, after paying over
to the Kohala gambler sufficient to
make up for his losses, Umikupa re-
turned to Molokai with large addi-
lions to his own possessions.
Two other localities in Kaluakoi,
that visited have interesting legends
connected with them. One Is ka umu
o ka peelua. The story goes that q
young Hawaiian maiden, whose par
ents had been teuderly careful of her,
began to drop and fade without any
perceptible cause. Such simple rene
dies az they used proved inefficacious.
Then the parents had recourse to gu
old kahuDa. He told them that their
daughter had lover. who visited her
at night; that though he appeared
like handsome young man, he was
really supernatural being; in fact
he was the sovereign deity OF the cat
erpillar tribe. The kahuna advised
the parents not to treat the girl harsh
ly, but to tell her they had found out
her secret, and persuade her to have
him drink loving cup, which the
kahuDa had prepared. Ii was Sleep
ing potion. The girl induced her lover
To drink out of her cup. In conse-
quence, he oversight himself, but
woke before daylight. AS soon as the
sun is up, the spirits OF the night lose
their magical power, resume their
ordinary form, and may be overcome
by mortals. At the suggestion of the
rope OF sweet potato vine
had been tied around one OF the ankles
Of the nocturnal visitor. AS he hur-
ried away to his own abode, he left a
trail behind him. The parents and
friends followed this till at last they
came upon him, huge caterpillar
coiled up and asleep in deep round
hole. They began gathering twigs,
grass, firewood of all kinds, threw it
into the hole and set fire TO it. As
the fires reached the vital part, there
was tremendous explosion, and soon
multitudes Of the common Hawaiian
peclud, were seen crawl
ing in every direction, but no young
man came prowliDg about the young
naiden's home, and she recovered the
vigor and vivacity, which she had lost
while her supernatural visitor was
aappinor bar life