The Hawaiian gazette., 1897-07-27

Warned by the floating Tonga
Warned By the Wild Ducks fight,
Warned by the sight Of s hundred
Whales
As they spout in the narrow hight,
Warned by the length Of the Western
gales,
Warned by The Bre2dfruit's blight,
IL such times. when the animal
world was III at ease, the people Of the
colony lost their calm and dignifed
bearing. and in its place there were
The feveTish flush, the hurried action
and the anxious glance. For nights TO-
gsther sleep was neither found nor
cour1ed-
Events had followed the usual course
during my sojourn among this people,
when ! found them one morning all
standing on the beach watching the
unbroken line Of migrating birds over
head. 4 CRY was raised. and, looking
I'd the strait I observed coming swiftly
down The stream 8 huge quantity OF
vegetable debris. composed OF large
trees. branches, foliage and seeds. and
-4LS - ~ -
the fiating masses 3 crocodile was
clingiag. and g loud shout Of -Buwaya,
Buwayai" from the people announced
70 them that they had seen monster
known 70 them only by tradition In
the meantime the keen eyes Of the
older men were busily scanning the
floating seeds and fruits brought by
the current close 10 the beach At
length one Of them plunging into the
water. brought 10 land the fruit OF the
mangrove. the little fOreTunner OF the
great migration Its appearance was
welcomed by loud cries of HTongo,
Toago,~ and all now knew that the
van o. the migrating host was nigh
The people al once regained their US
ual stzid 6emeano-. and il seemed as il
the great event had happened when
they were only al its eve The excite
ment Of the few days passed away, and
each man returned 10 his occupation.
When night fell upon the colony
/ there were but few signs Of the near
/ approach OF what was 10 the people
| the greatest crisis IN their lives. Even
/ Nature seemed 10 have composed her
self for the occasion. and there was nc
longer 10 be heard the rushing sound
( OF the migratory birds that for several
nights had kept the air alive The
current rolled placidly down the strait
no more disturbed by the plunge OF
some sea monster or by the hurrying
1 shoals Of fish; and only the ripple OF
4 the waves caught the ear Suddenly
when everyone was IN sound slumber
/ the CRY OF 2 solitary sea gull overhead
1 aroused The colony from its sleep, and
IS the bird repeated It's cries and few
/ 70 and fro over the strait all the PEG
I pie gathered on The beach Then there
arose from the lips OF the assembled
multitude e long, wailing chant, ex-
{ pressive rather OF the sadness Of the
4 people. as the extinction OF the race
had been already foretold. Some three
| centuries had elapsed. II Is true. since
tie last migration; but in the mind o.
/ the colony this interval was merely q
day in The life Of the race.
We count but a day from the Passing
But : single round Of the sun,
We greet as old friends, and then then
sail on,
Till the work Of the race IS done.
The Karika Of the hymn was the
name Of z chief alluded 70 in the Oldest
traditions OF West Polynesia The
chiefs Of the several migrarions all
bore this name. To the people Of the
colony there was only one Karika, with
whose existence was bound up the fate
OF the race. From this point Of view,
therefore, the intervals between the
migrations were merely short periods:
and the continuity OF the races men
tai being was preserved in the mem
ory Of the successive generations OF
individuals
Comes Karika in the hour Of the dawn
Bringing gifts from the Western
isle2
Il seems but yesterday ne came here
IN the morn,
And We greeted with the eheeriest Of
smiles.
Can II be that We shall never meet
again,
That the end Of the race is nigh2
Nay rather. let Us see thee now and
then;
With thee. Karika. all our people
die
Yet welcome 10 thee, though this be
the last,
The Kaviks trees viii guide thee on
thy way.
And farewell 70 thee. with the South
ern blast
Another race may see the coming
day.
As if an echo had carried hack the
song, there came on the light breeze
down the strait the chant Of the ap-
preaching multitude. as the sun rose
above the high cliffs opposite 10 them,
the people Of the colony beheld the yes
sels Of The great migration rounding
the corner Of the bay. They we're large
double canoes, supporting between
them z broad platform or raised deck.
In short time about 30 Of these craft.
each carrying z hundred persons.
Presently an elderly chief, carving q
large yellow fruit OF the Shaddock,
stepped on shore, and. approaching the