The Hawaiian gazette., 1899-07-05
PASSING OF THE
QUEEN O0WACeR
CONTINUED from Page 81

ic hands. The floral pieces were many
and beautiful. At different points
could be seen stars and harps, crosses
and crowns. Tyres, broken pillars,
wreaths. Maiden hair and swinging
baskets Of ferns hung from all avail
able places. Four stately arches lifted
themselves up in royal manner, placed
two each on the right and left Of the
square. These were draped with royal
purple and gold. Credit for the dec
orations rests with Mrs. s. c. Allen,
Mrs. Ward. Mrs. Robertson. Mrs. Ber-
ger. Mrs. Pierre Jones and an able
corps of young lady assistants.
Between the hours of s and 10 the
tones of the native singers rose and
fell as they sang the strange. sad songs
of mourning. Mingling with the har-
mony of the music swelled out the
wailing of the old natives as they ex-
tolled the virtues Of the dead alii and
bewailed her loss.
The scenes were repeated Saturday
night. The body was in state all of
Saturday and there were thousands of
visitors.
THE NAME.
The late Queen Dowager was named
for the alii who is known as the
breaker of tabus against women, and
whose invasion of the domain of Pele
is thus described in Alexander's his
story.
"Kapiolani, daughter Of the great
chief, keawe-mauhili, OF Hilo. was
one of the noblest characters of her
time. Her husband. Naihe, called the
national xp,nc 1,n.
a-heulu. OF Kaawaloa, where they gen.
orally resided.
Though at one time Incorporate
and dissolute. kapiolani became an
example to her countrywomen of vir-
tue and refinement, and excelled them
all in the readiness with which she
adopted civilized habits and senti-
ments.
In December, 1924. she determined
TO break the spell OF the belief in pele
the dread goddess of the volcano, Tn
spite OF the strenuous opposition of
ner friends, and even of her husband
sue made Journey of about $50 miles
nosuy on foot, from Kealakekua IA
MO visiting the great crater of KiIa.
uea On her way, in order to DEFY the
wrath OF Pele and to prove that M
s"'H Delng existed.
On approaching the volcano cha
met the priestess OF Pele, who warnad
hef not to go near the crater. and nre.
ulctea her death II she violated the
tapus OF the goddess. Who are vou ,
demanded kapiolani. One in whom
the goddess dwells,' she replied T,
answer to a pretended letter of pela
hapiolani quoted passages from IN.
scriptures, setting forth the characte,
anu power of the true God, untij m,
stess was silenced and confessa,
that Ne Akua. the deity, mad left her
hapiolani then went forward IN IN,
crater, where she was much surnr,se,
10 ma Mr.. Goodrich, who had com,
from Hilo to meet her. Mr.. RppgIo,
having been for six months wiibou
Shoes. was unable to come On m,
eastern brink Of the crater a but wa,
bniit for her, in which she snent IN,
night spent lh'
me next morning she and he
company OF about eighty persons de
scehded over 500 feet to the .RIacl
Ledge. There, in full view OF m,
grand and terrific action OF the inne
crater. she ate the berries consecrate,
10 fele, and threw stones into IN,
burning lake. saying: Jehovah ia m,
God. He kindled these fires. I fea
nor Pele. II ! perish by her anee
then you may. fear Pele; but If I trns
IN Jehovah and He preserves me whe,
breaking her tabus. then you mus
rear ana serve Him alone. - The
then united In singing hymn a
praise TO the true God, and knelt 1,
auOratlOn to The Creator and Tho ~,
ernor Of the universe"