The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-12-05

KAUPEEPEE: AN IDYLL OF HA-
WAII. RENDERED INTO VERSE BY
LEOPOLD BLACKMAN. Published by
William c. Lyon, Honolulu. Price one
Dollar.
1t was with perhaps a not unnatural
reluctance that we first turned to the
perusual of this little poem. The writ
er was unknown to us. He mad not
hitherto presented himself to the puD-
lie. And he had evidently turned to
the oft tried field of Hawaiian Legend
for the exercise of his powers. l. was
therefore with more than ordinary
pleasure that we found as we read
kaupeepee that we had in our possess
sion a work. though small, Of eXcep-
tional merit. Mr. Blackman writes
with a thorough grasp of his suOjeC,, u
quick and vivid imagination, u COM
mand of terse and vigorous language
which render the reading of his poem
thoroughly delightful. There may be,
and doubtless will be May new cocks
to be found in the book stores at this
Christmas season, but we can conf
IDENTIFY say that there will be nothing
that will surpass in interest this ldyll
of Hawaii. To those 10 whom 1t would
be a pleasure to revel for a while in
the legends and traditions Of the past
or to inform themselves of the deeply
interes Ling historical associations that
cluster round the channels ahd rocks
of these Hawaiian Islands, nothing
could be more acceptable than this
little volume. People may pass through
the streets and see here and there IN
curiO stores relics that speak to them
of a by-gone age; by the water front
1,a
in it's moOrings an Hawaiian canoe;
visit to the Bishop Museum may reveal
to the modern the life that once peo-
pied these Islands; but something more
is wanted if the breath of life is to be
breathed into these dead bones and
they are to be caused to live once
again. We want to see the great flo
tillas of canoes as they pass from ISL
and to island in pursuit of conquest o.
revenge; we want to see the chiefs clad
in feather cloaks and helmets as they
bid defiance to their foes; we want to
hear the shouts and breathe the breath
of battle; we want to see the priestess
as she tries to unravel the future, NUT
ters her inCantatiOns, goads on her
people to battle or claims for the Hell
au the CHASTITY price of victory or de-
feat. To bring all these wonders of a
I
again amidst the heroic period of the
past requires the touch of historic inn
agination coupled with some consider
able degree of literary ability. With
these qualities Mr.. Blackman has hap
PLY proved himself to be endowed in
the little volume lying before us. He
has done his work well, and we are the
gamers.
Kaupeepee it appears, was a de-
scendent of Nanaula, the parent of the
first great immigration to these islands.
This first immigration was in the
course of years succeeded by a second
which through superior craft, cunning
and prowess dispossessed their prede-
cessors of all the Islands with the eX-
ception of Molokai. Here Kaupeepee
established himself upon the almost
I impregnable rock of Haupu and thence
devastated the coasts far and near.
Meanwhile Hakalanileo, a chief of Ha-
wall, had wooed and won for his bride
the gentle Hina, the daughter of Uni,
the sorceress. Her fame for grace and
beauty spread rapidly throughout the
group, until Kaupeepee, as a supreme
| act of revenge conceived the idea of
selling her and carrying her off to his
stronghold. The story of this event
! full capture, Mr. Blackman describes
with rapidity and power. The plot sue
ceeded and Hina became a captive in
the fortress of Haupu. So suddenly
and secretly had Kaupeepee executed
| his deed that none-not even the pro-
phetess Vii could tell the hand that
had snatched the prey. Years were
spent by Hakalanileo in fruitless
search until his children, the sons of
Hina, now grown to manhood came to
| Un