CHAPTER III.

COMMENCEMENT OF THE BATTLE BETWEEN KAWELO AND THE PEOPLE OF KAUAI.

As soon as Kamalama heard the orders of Kawelo, he immediately set his forces in order of battle in three divisions. Kaeleha and some of Kauluiki’s companions were placed on one side of the war canoe, Kalaumeki with the remainder of Kauluiki’s companions were placed on the other side while Kamalama himself took up the central position. In the battle that followed these preparations, none of Kawelo’s men were killed; but Kauluiki and his companions were so afraid of the warriors of Kauai that they gave up fighting and returned to their canoe. When Kawelo saw them coming, he asked them: “How is the battle?” Kauluiki and his companions answered: “We are beaten. When we left, your younger brother and adopted sons were on the point of being routed by the opposing forces. We have therefore returned to inform you of this and to get our canoe out to sea where we can wait for their return; but if they get killed, we will be ready to return to Oahu.” When Kawelo heard this from Kauluiki and his companions, he stretched out his feet against the mat and pulled the plaiting of the mat down, thus making a slit in the mat and looked through it. When he looked through, he saw the bravery of his brother Kamalama and adopted sons; they were on the point of routing the Kauai forces, and he admired the courage of his [handful of] men. After this he saw Kamalama and his men killing the men on the other side, while the few of the enemy left were running up Nounou hill. On the top of this hill, Aikanaka the king and Kauahoa the great warrior of Kauai had their camp. Kawelo was therefore very anxious lest Kamalama’s forces suffer at the hand of Kauahoa; so he called to him in a chant as follows:

A few are consumed, many are consumed, All are consumed in a short space of time. Your lehua blossoms are consumed by the birds, They are being eaten by the birds, The lehua blossoms that are partly eaten by the birds, [40] The children are sporting with your men. The people are gathering on the sand, They take up their boards to ride the surf. Kamalama is like a full-grown cock. Thou art the piercing rod; I will keep the record. After they are slain, the record will surely be great. Yes, gather up the spoils. Kamalama’s knees are bent down, The food will soon be prepared, The nose is bitten by the barking dog, The pig will attack its master. The shark will attack the kala fish, The eel will attack the bait, The plover will shake its tail, Bend the knees, make him sit, Kuahilau our opponent. Straighten out the hair, and thus double your points. There is a day when one is brave and a day when one is routed. This is a cool day, Kamalama, For the spear is darting backwards and forwards from the hand. The spear is stringing the cliffs of lehua. The down of a young chicken stands up, The feathers of the cock are ruffled. Kamalama is like a hidden reef which breaks the canoes of Wailua Loaded down with warriors. The highways are filled with the fleeing soldiers Scattered and peeping like young chicks in the brush. Forbear of the great slaughter, Beware of thine inwards, [41] Kamalama. Eat up the points of the spears Made from the rafters of Mamalahoa, The kauwila wood of Puukapele, The hapupue of Haalelea, The kee of Kalalau. They are as playthings for Kamalama. Kamalama, my younger brother, come back.

In this chant of Kawelo’s, his three soldiers, Kamalama, Kaeleha and Kalaumeki, heard it, and they returned. Upon their arrival at the place where Kawelo and the others were standing, Kawelo asked them: “How fares the war?” Kamalama replied: “Kuahulu [42] and his companion and a good many of their men are dead; what few are left are those that are climbing the hill, Nounou; and Kauahoa, our relative, is the greatest warrior that is left on the hill.” When Kawelo heard his brother’s report, he realized at once that the report given him by Kauluiki and the others was all a lie, and he was therefore satisfied that they were cowards. Therefore he chanted the following lines:

You certainly do not deserve even a small portion of pity Because of the rock that has just rolled. The loading down of my canoe was a waste, The consuming of my food and meat were without any benefit. My kapas and loin cloths were worn without any returns. I had thought that you were soldiers worthy of a great day, But I see that you are only soldiers for small affairs. You detested the great stick, Your cultivated fields will therefore be small In your occupation of Kauai, In the kalukalu of Puna. Puna shall be possessed by Kaeleha, Kona shall be possessed by Kamalama, Koolau shall be possessed by Kalaumeki; [43] All the lands are possessed by the brave ones. Kauluiki and the others shall repent of their want. How I pity your return with nothing, younger brothers, For my younger brothers are indeed without possessions.

When Kauluiki and the others heard this, they said: “How much better our conditions would have been had we stayed with Kakuhihewa; we would surely have eaten of the cooked taro, while in following Kawelo we get nothing, for the lands will be given to the brave soldiers only, and what will we get?” They then thought of returning to Oahu.