The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-11

canoe. They told. of the voyage of Pill.
1T may be well to state In this connec-
ton" said Mr.. Churchill ''the loca ton of
Samoa. 1t is in "A degrees south lati-
tude. The trade winds are southeast
They carry southeast somewhere near the
equator. There are 5 to 10 degrees of the
winds known as the 'doldrums. North Of
that begins the northeast trade, which eX-
tends in most seasons as high as the
Islands Of Hawaii, situated In p degrees
north latitude.
THE story of the crew which returned
was that, after Phil set out from the
Island of Tau, in Manua, they sailed to
the northward many days until that wind
finally died. After this they padded many
days i'm the same direction over boiling
sea, where there was no wind. At last
another wind arose, blowing from quar-
ter Of the heavens from which it had been
unknown formerly to blow by the MEM
bers of the crew. They sailed by this
wind until they reached large island,
and a high one 1t was an Island some
of whose mountains were capped with liv-
ing flames. Others were gray head and
cold as expressed by the Samoans. They
landed on the shore and climbed these
mountains
Hawaii is identified by everlasting snow
on Maunua Kea, which means snow-cap-
ped mountain. There are also two craters
of Mamma Loa, the latter meaning long
mountain. These craters are named Mo-
quaweoweo and Kilaulea.
Landing on the island, Phil and his
companions penetrated to the interior.
Phil met on the crater slopes of Kilaulea
the Goddess Pele, who was there with her
sisters. After some little courtship Pill
married Pele and went to live with her
in the hottest part of the crater Kilaulea.
This was in the certra fire lake in the
crater Halema' uma'u, also known as Lua
Pele. Satisfied that Pill had settled down
~ IT. L -s.41
his companions thought there was moth
ing for them 10 do but to return to Sa-
moa, which they did, and told the story
of their adventures"
In Samoa, Mr.. Churchill declared, the
chiefs or priests were taught proper pray
ers with which to approach the homes of
Pill and Pele. These prayers have been
forgotten for the most part, and 1t is only
from few of the most ancient wise men
who are now living that the details of the
finding of his love by Pill and his mating
with her are learned.
From one Of these chiefs, Mr.. Churchill
said, so old that he was almost ready to
lay down the cares of his Samoan exist
ence Commodore Wilkes learned the
proper procedure by which to approach
the habitation of Pill and Pele. Directions
were received as to the proper manner of
approaching the Samoan god and the Ha-
waiian goddess.
mountains of fire." the old priest said, "the
home of Pill and Pee will be found far
inland, In the bush. AS you climb the
mountain on which they 1--we you will find
growing there fruit more delicious than
any known in Samoa. If you are like most
men you will sit down, gather the fruit
and eat 1t until night overtakes you. Then
you will build yourself shelter of branch
es. Next day the fruit viii tempt you so
that you will eat it again, and this viii
happen the next day ana the next, and the
next. Many days you will do this, until
you forget the errandl on which you came,
and the probability is that you will never
return to Samoa
but if you are a man of strong will
power and purpose you will not taste the
fruit at all. Instead, you viii pluck a few
sprigs of it and tie them together with a
few bark wrappngs of the 'fau' tree of
Samoa. When you reach the brink of Lua
Pele you VIII recite the prayers to the god
and goddess which the old Samoans have
never forgotten. When finished you will
cast the bunch Of fruit into the lake. Pele
viii pick the fruit up, uptying the fau
bark, throwing it to one side as of no val
ue She will eat the fruit of which she is
passionately fond. Pill picking up the fau
bark, will recognize 1t as something from
Samoa, for a Hawaiian would tie the bun
die together with olona,' of a different
fibre entirely. Recognizing, therefore, that
some of his own people are at the brink of
the crater, PHI with start to climb u9 to
see and talk with them He always finds
this too difficult of completion Returning
he will sit down beside Pee to weep. When
she asks him why he is weeping; he throws
her the fau and begs her to cast blessing
on his Samoan friends, to grant all they
ask for and all they have forgotten to ask
for. He will also ask to give his country
men a safe return to Samoa"
The old chief told Commodore Wilkes
that not in recent years had any one made
the voyage, but in olden times nights Of
darkness as he expressed it. a voyage had
been made successfully several times
in connection with the story of the Sam
oans it is interesting to note the fact Mr.
Churchill states, that the ancient Hawai-
ian had legend that a god came from
Hamoa, which is their name for Samoa
long ago, and married Pele Until long
years after the Introduction of Christian
ity the Hawaiians made sacrifices to Pele
the goddess of Kilaulea. These sacrifices
were of a triple nature. consisting of a
bunch of ohelo berries. growing on the
crater slope like huckleberry bush grows
on the noun tains here. A black pig and
white fowl were also cast into the crater
as part of the sacrifice.
Il never visited Kilaulea without throw
ing in my sacrifice in the shape of a bunch
of the berries" Mr.. Churchill said, though
never accompanied them with a pig and
a fowl. You know it is always better to
observe prophecies in such cases. There is
no telling but the god and goddess are still
doing business at the old stand. They may
be on the retired list. but think it is bet
ter to propiuate them.''
1t is said that ex-Queen Lilioukalani OBJ
served these sacrifices more than once
when she was on the throne, although pro-
Tossing to sneer at such traditions of her
race.