The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-31

People sometimes threw the bodies OF rela-
tiyes into the crater of Kilauea that they
and afterward befriend the family. ,Pele
was Identical with the Samoan fire goddess
Fee. The god Maui was celebrated in all
the islands OF Polynesia for his exploits or
islands from the bottom of the sea with his
magic hook maniaklsna, and OF lassoing
the sun and compelling him to move slowly.
kamapuaa was kupua or demi,god. who,
the legends say, had contest with the god
dess Pele. whose fires he nearly extin-
ter. During an eruption the sea is often
very much troubled. The Australia, lately
arrived at San Francisco reports. a great
commotion of the sea near Hawaii, and
heavy cloud over Mauna LOAF The natives,
with their intelligent. If untutored. minds;
study the actions Of volcano and sea, and
thus the legends grow.
In the olden time whenever an eruption
took place it was the custom to pick the
ohelo berries. which grow in great quanti-
the crater as an offering to Pele. Hogs and
other property were often thrown into the
monarchs tried this latter method of APP
peasing the wrath Of Pele; and, strange CO.
incidence, the day after one such ceremony
the lava flow ceased to advance. A native
girl, with wide-distended eyes and in a
hushed voice, told me of Pee's recent ap-
bearings; how the old people tell of seeing
her flying about the country at night, some
times having the form Of a very ancient
woman, sometimes young and beautiful I
could not decide Wn6tner the girl, VINO lived
in a primitive part of Hawaii; believed the
stories or not; the Hawaiian of to-day,
while ashamed to acknowledge faith in the
old superstitions, Of course. has not wholly
departed from the beliefs of his fathers.
OVERCOME THE GODDESS.
Alexander, in his brief History Of the
Hawaiian People, tells how one supersti-
ton was broken down by Kapoani-not
the dowager Queen. who died recently. but
high chieftess that lived seventy-fve
years ago. In her youth she was intern
perate and dissolute, but later in life be-
came an example Of virtue to her country
women. Up to her time it had been tabcoed
for any woman to ascend the mountain TO
the volcano, or TO pick the ohelo berries,
sacred to Pele. dread goddess of the place.
After her conversion to Christian beliefs
Kapiolani determined to break the spell Of
belief in Pele. and teach the superstitious
a journey of 80 miles, mostly on foot. On
approaching the volcano she met the priest
ess of Pele, who warned her not to go near
violated the tsboos Of the GODDESS "Wbo
are your demanded Kapioiani. "Cne in
whom the goddess dwells," was the reply
Kapioiani quoted passaees from e the serips
lures. setting forth the character and power
of the true God, until the priestess was
deity. had left her. KapioIani and her r COM ane
pany Of eighty persons descended over five
hundred feet TO the black ledge. There, in
full view of the grand and terrific action
Of the inner crater, she ate the berries con-
secrated to Pele. and threw stones into the
burning lake, saying. Jehovah is my God:
He kindled these fires. / fear not Pele. II
/ perish by her anger. then you may fear
Pele; but If / trust in Jehovah and he pre-
serve me when breaking her taboos. then
you must fear and serve IAN slone." THIS
has been called one Of the greatest acts of
moral courage ever performed. Charlotte
Yonge well described the scene in a chap
ter called "An Hawaiian Chieftess." After
Tennyson's death among his papers was
found poem in honor of this same heroine
II was published in the Illustrated London
News and afterward in late edition of
Tennyson's poems. He wrote:
Noble the Saxon who hurled at his idol
A valorous weapon In olden England
Great, and greater, and eltest Of women
Island heroine, Kapolani.
Clomh the mountain, and flung the berries
And dared the goddess, and freed the people
of Hawaii