CHAPTER II.

Relating to Lonoaohi the Priest.

Lonoaohi was bound and fastened to a post in the center of a certain house. Before this Olopana had expressed his intention to sacrifice him with Kamapuaa on the altar of the temple.

Being gifted with all the power to tell the future and so on, the high priest Lonoaohi was able to know the intention of the men who had Kamapuaa in charge, which was this: When the men and Kamapuaa arrived at Pahoa [and Olopana had departed for home], the men sought instruments with which to cut the pig [Kamapuaa] open, and let the insides be taken out so as to make the carrying much easier. Lonoaohi knew that if Kamapuaa was killed he would be killed also. He therefore directed his sons, Kapuaaolomea and Kapuaahiwa, [398] to go to the assistance of Kamapuaa, saying: “You two go to the men and tell them that the king has sent word by you not to cut the hog open. Let it be as it is till reaching the altar, or the king’s victim will be spoiled. There will be all the rest of this day and night until tomorrow; by that time the sacrifice of the king will surely get spoiled. Furthermore, the king has said, that the hog must not be dragged, for his skin will get cut and injured. It must be carried on the sticks and when the men get tired put the hog on the ground that the men may rest. Tell them that this is the wish of the king. This will be the only way of saving your master. If he lives we will all live; but if he dies we will all die.”

When the two came up to the men at Pahoa, [399] they found them sharpening their wooden daggers and getting ready to cut Kamapuaa open. The sons of Lonoaohi then spoke to the men using the words told them by their father. When the men heard this they gave up their daggers. It was because of this fact that this place was called Pahoa and it is so known to this day. The men therefore carefully carried Kamapuaa and placed him in the temple.

That night Lonoaohi slept at the post to which he was tied, his sons with him, while the guards kept watch around the house; and Kamapuaa slept in the temple, with his guards. Late that night when the Milky Way could be plainly seen, Lonoaohi was awakened by his god. Lonoaohi then on bended knees invoked his divine help and at the close of his prayer the ropes which held him fell from his body and he rose and walked out of the house, where he found the guards all asleep. When he arrived at the place where Kamapuaa was held bound, he found that his guards had also fallen asleep and no one was watching. Lonoaohi then placed his hand along the nostrils of Kamapuaa and found that he was still breathing; he was not dead. Lonoaohi then said: “Saved. I thought that you were dead, but I see that you are not. These bones will now be cared for.” After a while he again said to Kamapuaa: “Say, I want the wai lands of Oahu.” Kamapuaa answered: “Hu.” The meaning of the request was this: that Lonoaohi was to get the lands containing the word or letters w-a-i, such as, Waianae, Waialua and so on. Lonoaohi was aware, through his great powers, that Olopana was to be killed in the contest that was yet to come, and that Kamapuaa would come in possession of Oahu. This was the reason he made this request. After this meeting between Lonoaohi and Kamapuaa, the priest returned to his place and sat down and for the rest of the night confined himself to praying to his god, for at daylight the next morning he was to be placed on the altar with Kamapuaa.

When the crowing of the cocks became general, that early morning, Olopana and the priest Malae came to begin the ceremonies generally performed before human sacrifices were to be offered; this was, to prepare for the offering of the two prisoners. While the two were approaching the steps leading to the altar, Kamapuaa was unwound and placed on the anuu. [400] Behold he was above Olopana and the priest. At this particular time, as the two were facing each other, both naked, reciting the prayer, and while in the midst of it, Kamapuaa opened his eyes wide, when he was seen by Malae and Olopana, standing above them. At sight of him they became possessed of a great fear, so much so that they could not run. Kamapuaa then, while on the platform, prayed, invoking his several supernatural bodies and all his gods to come to his aid. At the close of the prayer the outside of the temple was filled with the gods and hogs. Kamapuaa then called out to the priest, Lonoaohi, saying:

Say, Lonoaohi, Place the rocks on the side of the umu, Place them here and there.

At this call Lonoaohi came out of the house where he was held, and stood up a flag; a sign that those who came under its protection would be saved from death. Shortly after this the slaughter began and everybody was killed by Kamapuaa, excepting Makalii, who ran and got in between the legs of Kamaunuaniho. This was how Olopana was killed by Kamapuaa, and how Oahu came into his possession.