CHAPTER III

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HOW UMI MADE WAR ON PIILANI THE KING OF MAUI.

As soon as the preparations were perfected, the canoes left Waipio and set sail for Maui, landing at Kapueokahi. On this expedition, while the first of the canoes were entering the harbor of Kapueokahi [222] the last of the fleet was still in the harbor at Waipio, Hawaii.

When the people of Maui saw the great fleet of canoes coming into the harbor at Kapueokahi they were sore afraid. Shortly after this word was received and passed from place to place that it was Umi and his wife Piikea come to make war on Piilani. Piilani, [223] however, was dead at this time, but he had a son by the name of Kalaninuikupuapaikalaninui, who was the king of Maui at this time.

When the people of Hana heard that the canoes were on a war expedition they all ran to the top of the Kauiki hill [224] and stayed there.

Umi said to Piikea, his wife: “Let us not make war on Maui as Piilani is already dead.” The reason why Umi did not wish to make war was because he took pity on the son born of Piilani, for Umi thought that it would be proper for the young man to have charge of the kingdom, and that Piikea and Kihapiilani be the parents, [225] but Piikea stubbornly refused to have anything of the kind; she wanted to make war until the son of Piilani was killed, because she reasoned that if this young man was allowed to live there would be more fighting in the future. When Umi saw that it was useless to try to change his wife’s mind, he ordered his three chief officers, Omaokamau, Piimaiwaa and Koi to go and make war on the stronghold of Kauiki.

THE KAUIKI HILL.

This hill is famous, for it is a natural fort and people on it are generally safe from assault, being protected on all sides by steep and inaccessible cliffs. To the top of this hill a ladder was built on one side, a sort of small bridge made so as to entrap those trying to take the hill, that if those from below were to climb up in attack stones would be rolled down on them, thereby injuring them. Furthermore, a large wooden image was hewed out and made to stand at night, and served the purpose of a guard. The image was called Kawalakii, and this great statue kept the warriors below from climbing the hill at night.

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