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


ITO hear pronounced the spell
That venomed their black hate. And
as she called
On every God, behold, a rigor seized
Her frame, and thus she stood with
outstretched arm
And shaded eyes, that looked far down
the long
Drawn misty way, and cried: The veil
has passed.
Behold on fell Haupu's rock her whom
Ye seek!' SO spake and foaming fell"
In moment the islands bristled with
war. Every chief that had suffered at
the hands of the Haupu chieftain gath
cred for the fight. A vast flotilla as
semble1 on the southern coast of Molo-
kai, and while the warriors landed and
advanced across the island, the canoes
dividing into two bands rounded the
eastern and western points and attack
ed by sea. And so the fight closed in.
Chief met chief. Deeds of heroic valor
were wrought. II was a conflict of
Greeks. Till at last the weight of num-
bers worked the inevitable doom. Kau-
peepee sinks beneath the shadow of his
heiau forbearing-and here we cannot
help stopping to congratulate Mr..
Blackman upon the pathetic force and
dramatic touch of this point-forbear-
ing even in the moment of death to
Stay his foe, in whose lineaments he
detects the son of his beloved Hina.
Thus fell the doom:
And round Haupu's blackened walls of
cliff
There walls the moaning wind and
troubled sea
And evermore has closed the desola-
lation
OF the place of DEATH
Such is the story, and even thus
roughly told will enable the reader to
understand the introduction in which
Mr.. Blackman sums up the outline of
his book.
The deeds, the valor of Kaupeepee-
The bravest noblest of a noble race,
The story of his love, and how he won
The gentle Hina, won and held her, till
He, fighting manly, manly took the
death:
Fair Hina, she the splendor of the race
That drew it's life spring from the gods
of yore,
Who spread athwart the gloom of
dreary flood,
The fragrant islands of the Southern
Sea-"
There Is much more that he should
like to quote for we are certain of this,
that the poem has only to be known to
be appreciated. 1t need not fear, it
should court publicity. 1t is able to
bear it, But we are limited by space.
OF this we are sure that no one who
takes the trouble to read it will be dis
appointed. 1t may occur to some to
select it-for it is very tastefully pre-
sented-as present for their friends
abroad. We will not deter them.
But it would in our mind be even
III
and group who from thei" Knowledge of
the Hawaiian people and their intima-
cy with the land would be in better
position to appreciate the story as it is
here told, and who ought not to live in
ignorance of the Legendary Lore of the
Past. Why Should not this poem COM
mend itself to our school authorities as
study for the higher classes. The
English is worthy and it would be diff
cult to find better way of interest
ing students in the wide field of Ha-
waiian lore. And this reminds us OF
the opportunities that lie before Mr.
Blackman. He has sunk his shaft. He
has discovered his mine. Kaupeepee
shows that he knows how to work it.
We hope he will not fail to do so. The
Hawaiian people have well nigh pass
ed away. The civilization of the West
and the East are leaving them like a
submerged stratum. They will not be
forgotten by antiquarians and stu
dents, but some such work as that of
Mr.. Blackman is necessary If the gen.
eral public are to derive the pleasure
and enjoyment that results from a
knowledge of the History and Legends
of the Islands on which we are making
our homes.
A BOOK LOVER.