The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1906-11-22

hunting grounds were "tabu" TO all
but the priests, and on women these
laws fell most severely. IL is hard TO
imagine In the cultured. fashionable
nation Of today the savage Of seventy
years ago.
In the history ~ 'ho fifty years OF
mission work on 49, 'eiands. there are
many stories OF bravery and daring
but there Is one which seems to sur
pass the others IN its interest,". Oh
the slope OF Mauna LOa. 400 feet a.
bove the sea level Hoe the crater OF
Kilanea, the largest active volcano in
the world. At the summit Of the
mountain. 10000 feet above, is another
volcano which Is not continuously ac-
tive. The crater ~ Kilanea is 500
feet deep and eight miles in circum-
ference. Within Il lies lake OF mol
ten lava, Halemanmau THE House OF
Everlasting Burning"
Except In times ~ great eruDtions
II Is perfectly saf" - descend the
zig gag path 10 the bottom Of the era
ter and. standing almost at the edge
OF the lake watch a. NAV OF its
eternal fires. It has been said that thi
Is the only place ~ he world where
Dame Nature permits mortals TO be
eyewitnesses OF her labors I'm her vast
foundries and smelling works. Mrs.
Isabella Bird Bishop says, Here Is
the real bottomless pit; the fire which
is not Quenched: the place OF hell:
the lake which burneth with fire and
birthstone; the everlasting burnings;
the fiery sea whose waves are never
weary: feel as IL the terrors Of Kila-
nea would haunt me all my life"
What wonder then that these ignOr-
ant savages should people the earth
with cruel demons. Their chief deity
was Pele. Goddess of Fire, and the
legend tells how she came to take up
her abode In the crater. The water
God, Kamapau, a huge monster. desired
TO wed her. but she fled from him and
wandering from island 20 island for
safety, at last took up her abode in
the fiery lake, where Kamapau could
not reach her. From her stronghold
she hurled fire and lava on all who
incurred her displeasure
The Hawaiians stood greatly I'm awe
OF the cruel Goddess and much of their
religion was devoted to her. Near the
crater stood the temple OF her priest
esses, and many things were observed
as tabu" in her honor.
But the power of Pele was forever
broken by the act of of a brave ma
tive woman, Kapiolau, descended
from along line OF kings and ruler
IN her own right of a large district of
hawaii, was, nevertheless, an ignorant
superstitious savage, addicted TO the
use OF liquor and tobacco. When She
was reached by the story of the Cos
pels, she at once began to reform her
lie. She dismissed all her husbands
put one and gave up her intemperate
habits. '''0
She became ladyllke and lovable in
disposition, and planned with the mis-
slonaries the uplifting of her people
but little progress could be made while
the power of the Fire Goddess held
sway and Kapiolaui determined n
break that sway. Her brave deed won
a glowing tribute from Carlyle and II
placed her name on the list of the
heroines Of the world.
she planned to visit a mission sta
ton one hundred miles distant. taking
a route directly across the crater XIII
anea. The journey had to be accom-
plished on foot, over rough lava beds.
Her people pleaded with her to give up
the plan, but when, strong In her new
faith, she would not. eighty of them
decided to go with her. Journeying.
she was stopped again and agnin. as
her people implored her not TO risk
Pele's anger. but she said, simply: "If
| am destroyed, you may all believe
In Pele; but II am not, then you all
must turn to the true God"
CONTINUED ON Eighth Page.l