The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-04-17
KAMEHAMEHA AND THE
BATTLE OF THE PAIL

By Anna M. Paris.

4 v
Unlike most of PeIe's rare handi-
work. Nuuanu pail is too well known
to require description. It's praises are
continually sung by the tourist, while
the kamaaina, familiar from childhood
with the surrounding hills whose wan
| like ridges rise abruptly from for
ests of green, and break into fantastic
shapes as they near the clouds. dotes
on this spot with the loving sense of
ownership. Rugged indeed was this
pail in the early days A narrow de-
| file, with rocks towering above, and
yawning precipice of 500 feet beneath,
was all that could then be called a
road.
The engineer has now tanned its wild
ness, and the broad carriage drive of
today bears no resemblance to the
primitive track of former times. But
the magnificent view opening up
through this mountain gorge, remains
the same. The same blue sea fringes
the irregular coast line stretching away
in infinite calm beyond the picturesque
plains, and in the peacefulness of the
scene there is no suggestion of the ter
rible tragedy that once overshadowed
this fair spot. Apart from its beauty,
this place seems to US almost sacred
as historic ground. for here was fought
the great battle of the islands-the
last decisive battle of the Conqueror.
1t is to commemorate the victory won
by Kamehameha on this OCCASION in
April, 1795-with it's results reaching
on through the ages, that we, as
Daughters of Hawaii have met to-
night.
Turning back to the year preceding
this event Q79D we find Kamehameha
the undisputed sovereign of Hawaii,
but with no permanent hold on any
other island. He had, it is true. in
several fierce battles, defeated the
King of Maui, and his fame as a mill
tary leader had long been well estab-
lished. He was remarkable for cool
ness and sagacity as we'll as for cour-
age and daring and the people believed
him to be favored of the gods. BY one
of the old prophetic seers (Keaulu-
mokuD the final triumph of Kameha-
meha had been predicted.
He was to be, according to this
prophecy, the greatest of Hawaiian
conquerors-the Tone one who should
unite all in one. The words of the seer
We're thought to be inspired, and who
can judge of the effect they may have
had upon the future destiny of the
great chief? One thing is certain, the
idea once entering his mind he never
lost sight of the end in view. In the
conquest of Oahu, he well knew, lay
the key to the situation, and it was
from the enemy himself that the de-
sired opportunity came.
This enemy, in the person of Ka1ani-
kupuIe. son of the king of Maui, had,
after his last encounter with Kameha-
meha on that island, fed, defeated, to
Oahu, and there on the death of his
father in 1894 had succeeded to the
sovereignty not only of Oahu, but of
Maui, Molokai and Lanai as we'll. AS a
leader he lacked the magnetic qualities
of his rival. and is said to have been
prematurely decrepit from the use of
ava. What wisdom he possessed for
sock him on this occasion. Having
treacherously killed the captains of two
vessels lying in Honolulu harbor-men
who We're his friends and allies. and
having made prisoners of their crews,
he resolved with the arms on board
in his possession, to sail at once for
Hawaii and descend upon his great foe
Kamehameha. Accordingly he en-
barked with his warriors on one of
the vessels, but had not gone far when
the crews of the two ships, by a pre-
concerted signal managed not only to
free themselves, but to rid the decks