With this somewhat extended reference to Kamehameha and the prominent
chiefs of his time, which brings the tracings of public events down
to the eve of the concluding struggle of the conquest, we will now
return to Kaiana, through whose relations with Kamehameha some curious
glimpses of the domestic life of the latter are brought to view. We
have thus far seen him as a warrior. We will now observe him as a
husband, whose peace was disturbed by jealousies, and whose heart,
stern in all things else, was not proof against the tender influences
of love.
At the close of his unsuccessful campaign against the chiefs of
Hilo and Kau, in 1785, Kamehameha took up his residence at Kauhola,
where he devoted himself for a time to more peaceful pursuits. To
stimulate his people to industry he gave his personal attention to
agriculture, and the piece of ground cultivated with his own hands is
still pointed out. Continuous wars had impoverished his possessions,
and he was anxious to restore to productiveness his neglected lands.
Up to this time Kamehameha had two recognized wives, Kalola and
Peleuli. This Kalola was not the widow of Kalaniopuu, although
bearing a similar name. She was a granddaughter of Keawe, king of
Hawaii. Peleuli was the daughter of Kamanawa, brother of Keeaumoku,
and one of his stanchest supporters.
For some months Kamehameha lived quietly at Kauhola. The inspired
song of Keaulumoku, who had died the year before, predicting that
he would become the sovereign of the group, still rang in his ears,
and in the midst of their labors his people were encouraged in the
practice of the manly games and pastimes which added to their strength,
skill and endurance in war. Sham fights on land and sea, and swimming,
diving, wrestling, running and leaping contests, were frequent; and
during the annual feast of Lono, beginning with the winter solstice
and continuing for five days, a tournament was given which brought
to Kauhola the leading chiefs of Hamakua, Kohala and Kona. Among them
was the famous Keeaumoku, who had charge of the district of Kona. He
was accompanied by his family, of which his daughter, Kaahumanu,
was the most attractive feature.
Twenty years before Keeaumoku, who was of the royal line, rebelled
against Kalaniopuu, and was defeated and forced to find refuge on Maui,
whose moi, Kamehamehanui, had died but a few days before, leaving the
government to his brother Kahekili. Keeaumoku, whose fortunes were
desperate, succeeded in captivating and marrying Namahana, the widow
of the deceased king, very much to the chagrin and disappointment
of Kahekili, whose claim to the dowager was sustained by the royal
custom of the time. A difficulty followed, and Keeaumoku and his wife
took up their residence on the northern side of the island. But they
were not permitted to remain there in peace. Through the hostility
of Kahekili they were driven to Molokai, and thence to the district
of Hana, in eastern Maui, which was then held by the king of Hawaii,
and there, through the mercy of Kalaniopuu, they were allowed for some
years to reside; and there, in 1768, Kaahumanu was born. On the death
of Kalaniopuu, in 1782, Keeaumoku returned to Hawaii, and in the war
for the succession espoused the cause of Kamehameha and became one
of his chief counselors and captains.
Kaahumanu was one of the most attractive women of her time, and
inherited something of the restless and independent spirit of her
warlike father. She was in her eighteenth year when she made her
appearance at the court of Kamehameha, during the festival of Lono,
in 1785. The wives of Kamehameha were well along in years, Peleuli
being the mother of a full-grown son, and Kaahumanu charmed the great
chief with her freshness and independence. His warlike soul yielded to
the fascination, and to win her smile he took part in the contests of
the festival and overcame all competitors. He then proposed to make
her his wife. Keeaumoku readily consented, but Kaahumanu could only
be won by the promise that her children should become the political
heirs of Kamehameha. This promise was given, and Kaahumanu became
the wife of Kamehameha. It is probable that he intended to observe
the compact at that time, but as Kaahumanu died childless he was
in the end left to dispose of the succession through other and more
distinguished channels.
Kaahumanu became the wife of Kamehameha's heart. He loved her as well
as he was capable of loving any woman, and she was the only one whose
indiscretions were regarded by him with feelings of jealousy. His other
wives were not restricted by him to his sole attentions, and even the
blue-blooded Keopuolani, whom he subsequently married, and who became
the mother of his heirs to the throne, had a joint husband in Hoapili.
But in the affections of Kaahumanu Kamehameha would brook no joint
occupant or rival. She doubtless sought to avail herself of the
privileges of the times, but Kamehameha objected with a frown which
would have meant death to another, and for years their relations were
the reverse of harmonious.
Kaiana's father was Ahaula, who was the son of Keawe, king of Hawaii,
by a mother whose name is now unknown. The mother of Kaiana was
Kaupekamoku, a granddaughter of Ahia, of the family of Hilo, from
whom the present sovereign of the islands draws his strain. The
birthplace of Kaiana is not recorded, but he was probably reared in
the neighborhood of Hilo, and thoroughly instructed in all the chiefly
accomplishments of the period. He grew to a splendid manhood. He
was nearly six and a half feet in height, was well proportioned,
and possessed a strikingly handsome face. This is the testimony of
Captain Meares, with whom he made a voyage to China in 1787.
Kaiana was of high rank and boundless ambition, and in early manhood
cast his fortunes with Kahekili, the warlike moi of Maui, to whom he
was related. He was among the prominent chiefs who assisted Kahekili
in his conquest of Oahu in 1783, and took a distinguished part in the
decisive battle of Kaheiki. Kahahana, the unfortunate king of Oahu,
escaped to the hills, where he remained secreted for nearly two years,
when he was betrayed by the brother of his wife and slain by order
of Kahekili.
This cruel treatment of Kahahana, together with the rapacity of the
invaders, created a revulsion of feeling among the Oahu chiefs, and
a wide-spread conspiracy was organized by the father of Kahahana and
others against Kahekili and the Maui chiefs to whom had been assigned
lands in the several districts of the island. The plan was to rise
in concert and kill them all in one night, including Kahekili. But
the murderous project miscarried. By some means it became known to
Kahekili, and he despatched messengers to the threatened chiefs,
warning them of their danger. All but one of them were notified. The
messenger failed to reach Hueu, who was at Waialua, and he was
killed. But fearfully was his death avenged. Kahekili collected his
forces for a war for blood. Men, women and children were butchered
without mercy, and the native Oahu chiefs were almost extirpated. So
great was the slaughter that one of the Maui chiefs built a house at
Lapakea, the walls of which were laid up with the bones of the slain.
In this rebellion a number of Kahekili's own chiefs turned against
him, among whom were Kaiana and Kaneoneo, the latter being the first
husband of Kamakahelei, queen of Kauai. What incited the defection
of Kaiana is not known, but he was probably dissatisfied with the
lands apportioned to him by Kahekili, and hoped to profit by the
restoration of the island to native rule.
Kaneoneo was killed, but Kaiana managed to escape to Kauai. Kaneoneo
was of the royal line of Kauai, and, as already stated, the first
husband of the queen of that island. How he came to be a supporter
of Kahekili in his conquest of Oahu, or what prompted his subsequent
espousal of the cause of the Oahu chiefs, are matters which tradition
has left to conjecture.
Kamakahelei's second husband, whom she had selected some years
before while her first was living, as was then the custom, was the
gallant Kaeo, or Kaeokulani, the younger brother of Kahekili. He was
commended to her not more through his princely blood than his many
accomplishments and graces of person, and she appears to have been
greatly attached to him.
She had two daughters with Kaneoneo, both of whom were of marriageable
age when she became the wife of Kaeo. She was the granddaughter,
it may be mentioned, of Lonoikahaupu, a prince of Kauai, who in his
younger years visited Hawaii, was accepted as the temporary husband of
Kalani, the sister of Keawe, and through her became the grandfather
of Keeaumoku and his two distinguished brothers. The daughters of
the queen were Lelemahoalani and Kapuaamohu, the latter of whom,
in marriage with Kaumualii, the last independent king of Kauai,
became the grandmother of the present queen, Kapiolani.
Kaeo took no part in the conquest of Oahu by his brother, but remained
at Kauai, assisting the queen in her government, while Kaneoneo found
occupation first in aiding and then in opposing Kahekili. Escaping from
Oahu after the defeat of the rebellious chiefs and death of Kaneoneo,
Kaiana presented himself before the queen of Kauai, who was a distant
relative, and Kaeo, who was of closer kinship, and related to them the
story of Kahekili's merciless operations on Oahu. He sought to create
an active sympathy in favor of the unfortunate Oahuans, but Kaeo was
too sagacious to place himself in hostility to his warlike brother, who
had extended his sway over all the islands between Kauai and Hawaii.
However, Kaiana was kindly received at the court of Kauai, and given
lands for his proper maintenance. But he could not remain quiet. While
the clash of arms was heard on the other islands, he chafed under
the restraints of his exile, and attempted to organize a force of
warriors for a descent upon Oahu. Kaeo prevented the departure of the
expedition, however, and a mutual feeling of suspicion and antagonism
was soon developed between him and his reckless and restless cousin.
As the avenues to advancement through the chances of war seemed to
be temporarily closed to him, Kaiana donned his best attire, gave
entertainments and began vigorously to play the courtier. He first
sought to supplant Kaeo in the affections of the queen. Failing
in that, he next paid court to her daughter Kapuaamohu. The latter
was disposed to regard his suit with favor, but Kaeo, through the
pretended advice of a kaula, objected to the alliance, and in a spirit
of recklessness Kaiana embarked in the ship Nootka for China late in
1787. That vessel, in the course of trade, touched at Kauai just as
the fortunes of Kaiana seemed to be the most desperate, and Captain
Meares was easily prevailed upon to permit the handsome Hawaiian to
accompany him to the Asiatic coast.
Arriving in Canton, Kaiana spent some months in studying the arts of
war and mingling with the people of strange races, and in the latter
part of 1788 returned in the Iphigenia to Kauai, bringing with him a
very considerable supply of muskets, powder, lead and other munitions
of war. As the manner in which he secured these supplies is not
stated, we are constrained to believe that he must have taken with
him to China a quantity of sandal-wood, which was readily marketable
in that country.
But Kaeo would not permit him to land on Kauai. The clouds had
indicated approaching danger the day before, and Kaiana was told that
he would be slain and sacrificed if his foot touched the shore. The
vessel, therefore, sailed for Hawaii, where Kaiana landed and
offered his services to Kamehameha. They were promptly accepted. His
supply of arms and knowledge of other lands rendered him a valuable
ally at the time, and Kamehameha gave him an important command and
took him into his fullest confidence. This was early in 1789, and,
in the succeeding wars with Keoua, Kaiana became an active leader,
as already mentioned. The knives, hatchets, axes and swords brought
by him from China were found to be useful, but the fire-arms were
generally of old patterns, and the most of them were soon rendered
entirely unserviceable through the inability of the natives to keep
them in repair.