I.

One of the most interesting characters distinctly observed among

the misty forms and dimly outlined events of the remaining Hawaiian

traditions of the sixteenth century is Iwikauikaua. In him the

knight-errantry of the period found a distinguished exponent and

representative, and his deeds add a bold tint to the glow of romance

and chivalry lighting up the life and reign of the great Lono, and lend

a lustre to the names and events with which they are associated. Of

royal lineage, but without estates or following beyond his personal

attendants, he sought his fortune with spear and battle-axe, and in

the end became the husband of a queen and one of the ancestors of a

long line of kings.

As he was the nephew of Queen Kaikilani--whose reign in Hawaii,

including that of her husband, Lono, embraced, it may be presumed,

the period between the years A.D. 1565 and 1595--and was a stout

friend and supporter of the ruling family, a proper understanding

of the rank, position and aspirations of Iwikauikaua necessitates a

brief reference to the strange political events which surrounded his

youth and conspired to shape his romantic career.

When Kealiiokoloa, the son of Umi, suddenly died, in about A.D. 1535,

after a reign of perhaps not more than ten years, he left as his heir a

young son named Kukailani. His right to the throne was unquestioned,

but, as he had not been formally designated by his father as his

successor, Keawenui, the younger brother of the dead king, assumed

the sceptre, and maintained his claim to it by meeting in battle and

slaying the six principal chiefs of the island who rebelled against

the usurpation.

Kukailani seems to have possessed but little force or spirit, and was

content during his life with such maintenance as his uncle was willing

to provide. In due time he married, and became the father of Kaikilani

and Makakaualii. The former became the wife of Kanaloa-kuaana, the

eldest son of Keawenui, and subsequently the wife of his brother Lono,

as related in the legend of "Lono and Kaikilani." As if desirous

of atoning for the injustice done to his nephew, Kukailani, on his

death-bed Keawenui named as his successor Kaikilani, daughter of the

deposed prince, and wife of Kanaloa-kuaana, his own son. Why Keawenui

restored the sceptre to his brother's family through Kaikilani instead

of her brother, Makakaualii, finds ready explanation in the fact that

Kaikilani was the wife of his eldest son, through which union both

families would thereafter share in the sovereignty.

Makakaualii, whose claims to the moiship were thus overlooked or

disregarded by Keawenui, was the father of our hero, Iwikauikaua. But,

if wrong was done in the matter, it was never openly resented by

either father or son, and Iwikauikaua always remained the steadfast

friend of his royal aunt, Kaikilani.

The position of Kukailani, on the death of his father, was such

as could have been patiently borne only by one entirely destitute

of ambition. Custom would have accorded him ample estates and a

following consistent with his rank; but his crafty uncle did not

deem it prudent to tempt him to rebellion by according him even the

powers of a district chief. It was safer for him to remain at court,

living upon the bounty and under the watchful eye of Keawenui. He was

doubtless a high officer of the royal household, retaining the tabus

and meles of his family, and receiving the respect due to his rank;

but no lands were set apart for him, and he had no retainers beyond

his personal attendants.

But Kukailani seemed to be content with his situation, and so utterly

indifferent to the rights of his family that it does not appear

that he ever demanded a more befitting recognition of the claims of

the children born to him. Hence, like their father, Makakaualii and

Kaikilani were compelled to live upon the bounty of the king until

the latter was chosen to the succession.

And this was also the inheritance of Iwikauikaua, the son of

Makakaualii. He was a landless chief of royal blood, and circumstances

indicate that he was quite a youth when Keawenui died and Kaikilani

assumed the sceptre. He grew to manhood around the court of his royal

aunt, and was among the many who rejoiced when Lono became her husband

and, with her, the joint ruler of Hawaii.

In person he was handsome and imposing, and his accomplishments

befitted his rank. Through Kaikilani the moiship had been restored

to the Kealiiokoloa branch of the royal family, but the previous

usurpation had left him without estates, and less near than was his due

to the throne, and he chafed under his hard fortune and resolved to

retrieve it--not by rebellion or trespass upon the rights of others,

but through the channels of bold and legitimate endeavor. When a boy

a kaula told him that he would die either a king or the husband of a

queen, and he never forgot the prophecy. In fact, it seems to have

taken possession of him and to have become the guiding star of his

early life.

Iwikauikaua makes his first appearance as a striking and consequential

figure of Hawaiian tradition in the midst of the revolt of

Kanaloa-kuaana and other chiefs of Hawaii against Lono. The revolt

was organized during the absence of Lono and Kaikilani on a friendly

visit to the other islands of the group, and embraced nearly every

prominent chief in the kingdom. They had resolved to kill Lono should

he return to the island, and the conspiracy seemed to be as formidable

as time and determination could make it. With a single exception,

all the brothers of Lono were arrayed against him, and his cause was

considered almost hopeless.

The rebellion had its origin, avowedly, in a report that Lono had

in a fit of jealousy killed Kaikilani on the island of Molokai;

but other motives must have existed, for the return of Kaikilani

with her husband to Hawaii did not put an end to the uprising, but

rather stimulated the conspirators in their resolution to wrest the

sovereignty of the island from Lono at all hazards.

The only brother of Lono who refused to join in the conspiracy was

Pupuakea. He was the sturdy and warlike son of Keawenui by a mother

whose name is not mentioned by tradition, and was endowed with lands

in the district of Kau. Removing in early manhood to his estates

in that district, he seldom visited the court and took no part in

its bickerings. As his mother was doubtless of an humble family, he

was not considered the equal in rank of the other sons of Keawenui,

and therefore preferred to reside where he would not be continually

reminded of his inferiority. When the revolt against Lono was

organized he was invited by Kanaloa-kuaana to give it his support;

but no promises of lands were made to him, as to other distinguished

chiefs, nor was he deemed to be of sufficient consequence to entitle

him to a voice in the councils of the rebels. This slight of Pupuakea

led to the defeat and ruin of the conspirators. The chief of whom

they thought so little had developed into a leader of influence and

ability in his distant home, and it was around him that was gathered

the nucleus of the force which in the end gave victory to Lono.

When Kaikilani returned alone from Molokai, and found the kingdom

on the verge of revolution, she secretly consulted with Pupuakea,

as almost the only chief of consequence to be relied upon; and when

she next returned with Lono, Pupuakea was at the head of a force large

enough to overawe the rebels of Kau, but too small to venture beyond

that district without support.

The main rebel army was concentrated in the district of Kohala, which

Lono avoided on his return from Oahu, landing at Kealakeakua, on the

coast of Kona. It was early in the morning when the canoes of Lono,

bearing a small party of attendants, were drawn up on the beach. No

one was there to oppose him: but the rebels were in possession of all

the machinery of the government, as well as five of the six divisions

of the island, and the outlook would have been gloomy to any one less

resolute and daring than Lono. He had less than a hundred followers,

and, taking from his canoe the hokeo, or calabash, containing the

bones of the six rebellious district chiefs slain by his father,

placed it within a sanctuary of mats on the beach, and beside it raised

the royal standard and kahilis. This done, he summoned the people to

arms, started a courier to Pupuakea, and despatched lunapais to the

neighboring chiefs, commanding them to march to his assistance at once.

But the people were timid. The revolt was not popular, but the cause of

Lono seemed to be hopeless, and the masses hesitated. The hesitation

was brief, however. Late in the afternoon a force of five or six

hundred warriors was observed approaching from the northward. Lono

hastily prepared for the best defence possible, and for retreat to

his canoes should he be unable to hold his ground. Nearer and nearer

came the threatening column. It was finally halted within two hundred

paces of Lono's position, when from the front rank emerged a tall

young chief in feather cape and helmet. At the end of his spear was

displayed a large ti leaf as a token of peace. Accompanied by two aids

bearing weapons similarly bedecked, he boldly strode past the lines

of Lono and asked for the king. He was conducted to his presence,

and, observing Kaikilani beside her husband, was about to kneel when

Lono stepped forward and grasped him by the hand, exclaiming:

"Welcome, Iwikauikaua, for I know you come as a friend!"

"Yes, I come as a friend," replied the chief, "and have with me a

few brave warriors, whose services I now tender."

"But are you not afraid to be the friend of Lono at such a time as

this?" inquired the king, glancing admiringly at the bold front of

the young chief. "The whole island seems to be in arms against me."

Lono knew he was exaggerating the danger, but desired to learn

the worst.

"No, not the whole island," promptly replied the chief. "Pupuakea

will soon join us with three thousand spears or more, and it will

not be long that Lono will lack warriors."

"You are right," returned the king, hopefully; "we will find spears

and axes enough in the end to clear a way to Kohala."

Kaikilani joined Lono in thanking her nephew for his timely assistance,

and Iwikauikaua retired to find quarters for his followers and arouse

others to the defence of the king.

The appearance of the young chief with his few hundreds of warriors

was indeed most opportune. It inspired the people with confidence

in the success of Lono, and they began to rally to his support in

large numbers; and, observing that the tide was turning in his favor,

the neighboring chiefs came to his assistance with their followers,

thus swelling his force within three days to as many thousands of

warriors of all arms.

Hastily organizing his little army, Lono boldly pushed on toward

Kohala, steadily recruiting his ranks as he moved, and at Puuanahulu

was joined by Pupuakea with nearly three thousand additional spears

from Kau. Thus enabled to operate on the offensive, he attacked and

defeated the rebel army at Wailea, and again at Puako, or at some

point not far north of that place.

After the second engagement the rebels retreated northward, and,

receiving reinforcements from Kohala, made another stand at Puupa,

where they were again defeated, but through some mishap Iwikauikaua was

taken prisoner. They then fell back to Puukohola, near which place a

large heiau was maintained at that time. There Kanaloa-kakulehu, one of

the brothers of Lono, resolved to sacrifice the distinguished prisoner.

Iwikauikaua received the announcement stoically. He was conducted

to the altar within the heiau. The assistants were in readiness to

take him beyond the walls for execution, and the priests were in

attendance to offer the sacrifice in due form to Kanaloa-kakulehu's

god of war. Ascending the steps of the altar, the young chief turned

to the high-priest and said:

"I am ready, but it is not the will of the gods that I should be

offered."

"What know you of the will of the gods?" answered the priest, sternly.

"And what know you," returned the chief, "since you have not inquired?"

Such questioning was not common at the altar, and for a moment the

priest was disconcerted. Finally he said:

"You say it is not the will of the gods. Make it so appear, and your

life shall be spared; but if you fail your right eye shall see the

left in my hand, and you will be slain with torture."

"So let it be!" exclaimed the chief; and, lifting his face upward, he

addressed an audible prayer to Ku, Uli and Kama. As he proceeded with

the solemn invocation not an unfavorable omen appeared. The winds died

away and the birds in the neighboring trees remained silent. Concluding

the prayer, he folded his arms and stepped down from the altar. By

an unseen hand the cords that bound his limbs had been cut, and he

approached the high-priest and bowed before him. This manifestation

of the will of the gods could not be mistaken, and Iwikauikaua was

conducted to a hut within the heiau, where he was advised to remain

until he could leave the place in safety. No hostile hand could be

laid upon him within the walls of the temple. There he was under the

protection of the high-priest, and beyond the reach of the highest

temporal authority.

But Iwikauikaua did not long require the protection of the heiau. At

daylight the next morning Lono attacked the rebels at Puukohola,

and after an obstinate battle defeated them, taking prisoner his

brother Kanaloa-kakulehu, whom he promptly ordered to be sacrificed

at the heiau. As he was brought to the altar for that purpose,

his last moments were embittered by the farewell which Iwikauikaua

waved to him with simulated grief as he left the enclosure to join

the victorious army. Although Lono had directed the sacrifice of

his brother in retaliation for the supposed death of Iwikauikaua,

he did not countermand the order, as he might have done in time,

when he found the latter had miraculously escaped.

Several other battles were fought, in all of which Iwikauikaua took

a distinguished part, and the island returned to its allegiance to

Lono and Kaikilani. The services of Papuakea were rewarded with such

additional lands of deceased rebel chiefs as he chose to accept, and

Iwikauikaua was offered possessions either in Kona or Hamakua, or a

military charge in the royal household. But in the end he decided

to accept neither. They presented to him no opportunity for such

advancement as the gods had promised, and which now, since their

manifestation in his favor at Puukohola, seemed to be almost assured

to him.

He had fixed his eye upon his pretty cousin Kealiiokalani, the daughter

of Kaikilani. She stood close to the throne, and evinced a decided

partiality for the dashing young chief. The gossip of the court was

that the princess loved Iwikauikaua and would be more than content to

become his wife. But royal marriages in all ages and in every clime

have been less a suggestion of hearts than of state considerations;

and so it was in this instance. Unknown to all but himself, it was

the fair face of the princess that had prompted him to espouse the

cause of Lono when it seemed to be almost hopeless, and his services

certainly entitled him to almost any reward; but Keakealanikane,

the son of Kaikilani by her first husband, Kanaloa-kuaana, had been

named as successor to the moiship, and Kealiiokalani was selected to

become his wife. Such marriages of close kinship were not uncommon

among the chiefly families of ancient Hawaii, and the children born

to them were accorded the very highest rank.

This arrangement for the succession left Iwikauikaua little to

hope for on Hawaii, and he determined to seek his fortune among

the other islands of the group. Tempting inducements were held out

to him to remain, but he declined them all. To the princess alone

he whispered that her betrothal to Keakealanikane had rendered his

departure advisable, and she grieved that circumstances had decreed

their separation. Ambition doubtless first attracted him to his fair

cousin; but her nature was gentle and loving, and he finally regarded

her with a sincere and romantic attachment, which she seems to have

fully reciprocated.