“And priests rushed through their ranks, some counterfeiting
The rage they did inspire, some mad indeed
With their own lies. They said their god was waiting
To see his enemies writh and burn and bleed,
And that —— Hell had need of human souls.”
THE REVOLT OF ISLAM.
We left Beatriz sleeping, watched over by Liliha, who with true kindness
had forborne to ask any questions, but had confined her hospitality to
administering to the bodily needs of her guest. As she believed Olmedo
to be equally attended to, and both now in comparative safety, it is not
surprising that her slumbers, after the excessive fatigue and excitement
of the few past days, should have been long and deep. Liliha herself
came often to her, to see that she was comfortable, and to be the first
to greet her when she woke. After it was light and her household had
begun their daily employments, she sat constantly by her side, watching
her with mingled curiosity and love, for she was attracted to her by a
feeling she had never before experienced. Beatriz now stirred frequently,
and her lips moved, but she did not open her eyes. She seemed agitated by
distressing emotions, and often spoke as if to some one she loved, but in
a language strange to her watcher. At times, however, there came words
of earnest pleading, succeeded by a resolute and defiant tone, as if she
struggled with an enemy.
To calm her inquietude, Liliha gently took her hand, pressing it for a
while with soothing caresses, and then softly whispered in her ear, “Have
no fear, dear stranger, much love Liliha bears to you.”
Beatriz slowly opened her eyes, looking at first with surprise upon the
young girl, but as her memory brought back the scene of the preceding
night and her young host, she smiled and said to her, “I cannot thank you
enough, kind maiden. You have aroused me from a painful dream. Forgive me
if my recollection was somewhat confused.”
Liliha returned her smile, with a look full of gladness, saying, “You
will now be better. Your sleep was long and deep until the day dawned.
Liliha is your near companion; will you not be hers?”
“Most gladly,” replied Beatriz. “You can indeed be to me a friend. I have
sad need of one.” She then briefly related her history to Liliha, who
listened in amazement at the narrative, which carried her ideas so far
beyond the horizon of her own little world.
“You then are the pearl of Hawaii, of whom I have heard my father speak;
the beautiful, pale-faced woman whom Kiana was to wed; Lono’s sister.
Glad is my heart to welcome you,” and she jumped up and beat her little
hands with joy at the thought that she had at last met with such a
companion and friend. “But,” added she, “tell me what fate brought you
here with that dark stranger. He comes often to see my father. Much I
fear him, and hate him too. His presence portends trouble, I am sure, for
since he has known him my father leaves me more than ever. He goes to
that ugly fortress, but never takes me with him. But he will be glad to
know that I have found a sister. May I call you so?” and the bright-eyed,
affectionate girl seized both Beatriz’s hands in hers and looked up so
winningly and hopefully, that Beatriz felt she must take her at once to
her heart; a singing bird ever there to nestle and cheer her with sweet
song.
Beatriz continued her narrative, at least all but what her heart held
as too sacred for human confidence, and which indeed would have been
unintelligible to the untutored forest-girl, whose bosom as yet had known
only her own simple impulses, which to her nature were like the sweeping
of the summer breeze over a lake, gently stirring its surface, but
leaving its crystalline depths unmoved.
She comprehended that Beatriz felt like herself towards Tolta, and loved
Olmedo, who was a priest, as she did her father. Her active sympathies
were therefore at once enlisted in her new friendship by a common bond
of feeling. As Beatriz concluded, she said, referring to Tolta, “He
is a bird of evil, but no harm shall reach you with me. My father is
high-priest, and will protect you from him. Let us send for Olmedo, and
talk together.”
Beatriz had been longing to see Olmedo, but delicacy had prevented her
from expressing her desire. She therefore joyfully acquiesced in the
proposition of Liliha. Calling one of her attendants, the chief bade her
request the presence of the white priest. She soon returned with the
information that he had disappeared.
“And Tolta,” demanded Liliha, “where is he?”
“Gone also,” replied the messenger.
“Then he is upon some evil errand. Hasten and inquire of my people what
this means. Who knows about it! Send out runners in all directions to
seek the strange priest. Off, off,” said Liliha, enforcing her order with
an imperious gesture to all her train.
Beatriz’s heart sank within her. But controlling her emotions, she calmly
awaited farther intelligence. Meanwhile Liliha comforted her with the
assurance of her friendship and her father’s assistance.
They had not long to wait before several of her people returned with the
tidings, that a sacred festival had been proclaimed for the morrow at the
temple at Kilauea, and all the people invited to witness a new and solemn
sacrifice to Pele. Every chief also had been summoned to attend with his
warriors in readiness for war. Some important event was in preparation,
which the heralds would announce before the sacrifice. But the news that
most touched them was, that a boy in returning home at an early hour of
the morning, had passed on the road to Pohaku’s fortress, a band of armed
men carrying a prisoner, clad in a strange costume.
“It is Olmedo,” said Beatriz, as the truth flashed across her mind,
“they are bearing him away to be sacrificed. My friend, my sister, cannot
we save him? I will go to him and share his fate. Aid me as you would act
for your own father.”
Dismissing her attendants, Liliha replied, “My father charged me not to
follow him to the fortress without his express orders, and never has he
permitted me to witness the offices of religion. But we will go there and
appeal to him. I am sure he will grant my wish. Kind he is ever to me.
But you must not be known by my people. In disguise we will go together.”
So saying, she summoned four of her “bosom companions,” as were called
the most attached and trusty of a chief’s retinue, and confided her
intention to them. With their assistance the needful disguises were soon
arranged, and the little party, taking a by-path to avoid observation,
began their journey to the fortress.
With an object so dear in view, Beatriz felt equal to any emergency.
Eager to serve her new sister, Liliha entered fully into her zeal. As
they drew near the fortress, they met parties of women and children and
bands of warriors, hurrying forward in the same direction. All were
so bent on arriving early at their destination, that our travellers
attracted but the customary salutations, with now and then the inquiry,
“Have you seen the strange priest Hewahewa is to offer to Pele to-morrow?
It will be a novel sight.” At these ominous inquiries, Beatriz shuddered
and drew closer to Liliha, who at times barely refrained from indignantly
bidding them cease their exultation, for her father would be guilty of
no such breach of hospitality. “Has not Olmedo eaten beneath his roof;”
she would say to Beatriz, “how then can he slay him? The laws of Hawaii
forbid. Believe them not. Take courage.” As they passed one group of
decrepit women to whose bony hands young children clung, scarcely old
enough to totter along, but yet able to keep pace with the faltering
steps of the hags who led them, Liliha could restrain herself no longer,
and in her usual tone of authority, bade them “begone to their homes, and
not leave them to glut their dim sight with the agonies of a horrible
death. Their own would soon enough be upon them.” Not recognizing the
young chiefess, they shook their lank arms menacingly at her, and croaked
out, “So, so, my gay bird, you would look on it alone! Old eyes love new
sights as well as young eyes. You go fast enough now, but your bones will
crack and your flesh will wither like ours before many suns. You’ll know
then what a treat ’tis to see Pele fed. Come, come, don’t keep us back,”
and they twitched the little ones at their sides in impotent effort to
make them go faster.
Luckily Liliha was out of hearing before they had finished their
sentence, and thus was spared the temptation to reply. In company with
a motley crowd, her party arrived at dusk at the western gate of the
fortress, and entered unnoticed amid the throng. Numerous companies
of warriors, with their arms and provisions, and headed by their
hereditary chiefs, had assembled and were encamped apart from each other,
both within and without the stronghold. Knots of these fierce men,
intermingled with women and children, were gathered around orators, who
were exciting their passions to war and plunder, and to whose eloquence
they replied by shouts and yells and thrilling chants, brandishing their
weapons and deriding their foes. There were many fighting women among
them, the most ferocious of Amazons, whose cries and gestures were the
wildest of all, as they indulged in imaginary triumphs, and danced and
raved by torch light in maniac groups, or flying hither and thither
with dishevelled hair and distorted countenances, sought to inspire the
spectators with their own savage emotions. Priests were discussing their
singular good fortune in the propitiatory offering they had secured for
Pele in the white man, and promising the people her aid and that of her
terrible sisters in the nefarious designs of Pohaku, whose heralds just
before night-fall, had proclaimed war, and invited all the population
to join in the feast, or more properly speaking the saturnalia, in
anticipation of the solemn sacrifice of the morrow, and the subsequent
march towards the territories of Kiana, whom they hoped to surprise. The
non-combatants were to remain within the fortress. This was more than
seven hundred feet wide. Its walls were fifteen feet thick and twelve
high, making it for Hawaii impregnable, if resolutely defended. Along
its whole extent at short intervals, were hideous images of stone or
wood, which stood as sentinels over their worshippers. Now in the dusky
light they looked like real demons, silently watching the noise and
revelry below. The maddest of the priests were rushing about with smaller
idols, lifting them above their heads with fearful screams and grimaces,
pretending that they came from the images, which were to be borne in
the ranks as consecrated banners. Feasting had already commenced, and
various parties were to be seen seated on mats on the ground, both inside
and outside of the houses, banqueting on wild boar, dog, live fishes,
and other luxuries of the region, which they washed down with copious
draughts of the intoxicating arva, amid rude jeers, jests, shouts and
uproarious laughter. Slaves of both sexes, naked to their waist-cloths
despite the chill air, gaunt and feeble, from famine and ill-usage, stood
in the rear of their masters, eager to clutch the thrown aside morsel,
while tremblingly obeying their capricious orders. Canine and swinish
pets, barked and grunted, fought and rooted in unrebuked proximity to
their owners, adding their stirring noises to the general chorus of
discordant sounds.
Such was the spectacle into which Beatriz was introduced, as following
Liliha they quietly made their way in search of Hewahewa. Fortunately,
the deepening shadows of night favored their disguise, and Beatriz was
too intent on finding Olmedo, to notice what otherwise would have alarmed
her, for there were scenes of debauchery going on which it is not for the
pen to describe.
As they passed the open door of a house larger than the rest, Liliha saw
the gloomy features of Pohaku, intently gazing into a smothered fire, in
which something was slowly consuming. Around him were a party of the high
chiefs, who stood deferentially, while he reclined on a divan. On either
hand were two priests, who were uttering a dismal chant with their hands
extended towards heaven, but frequently stopping to throw a substance,
the nature of which they could not discern, upon the fire. If it flashed
into a quick bright flame, all hailed it with cries of satisfaction; but
as it oftener seemed to half extinguish the fire, or to puff out thick
wreaths of smoke, Pohaku’s face became fearfully moody, and he growled
curses upon the priests, who evidently were more in awe of him than their
deities. Tolta stood in the back-ground, regarding the scene with a look
of mingled contempt and impatience.
Making a sign to her companions to remain where they were, Liliha
thinking her father might be within, cautiously approached where she
could see the interior. Hewahewa was not there. But before she could
retire, Tolta passed out so close to her that she could have touched
him, saying to himself, “Fools, do they think by drunkenness and frantic
shouts to beat Kiana’s men, or by incantations to waste the flesh from
his bones? Rightly that brute is named stone,”—referring to the meaning
of the word Pohaku,—“his head and heart are made of nothing else. His
stupid sorcery will lose me my game. He says he will not budge until he
omens are auspicious. Would he were to be cast to Pele with Olmedo. But
I must see that priest and get his final answer.” Seeing the group of
women, he roughly said to them as he passed, “Away with you, hags, to
your feasting; leave such foolery to your betters; you’ll have enough
to wail for to-morrow,” little perceiving to whom his bitter words were
spoken.
Liliha motioned to them to follow her as she stole after him. He walked
fast, but they dogged him as noiselessly as shadows. Olmedo had been
removed into the heiau, or temple, outside of the fortress, upon a cliff
overhanging the lake of fire. Inside were a few houses devoted to the
priests and the idols. As they passed under the eastern gate of the
fortress, Liliha saw the three heads of the Spaniards set upon poles. In
the dim light their features could not be distinguished. Supposing them
to be some of the common victims of the priests, she put her finger upon
her lips for Beatriz to keep silent, fearing the effect upon her of so
sudden and ghastly a sight. Beatriz knew too well to whom they belonged,
but she restrained her emotions, and passed them quickly, though not
without an inward prayer for the repose of their souls.
They arrived at the entrance of the heiau as Tolta disappeared within.
It had been made tabu to females, and was now deserted by all but the
guards appointed by Hewahewa to watch over Olmedo. Death, under the most
appalling forms, would be the penalty if they were detected within the
sacred precincts. As little as Liliha knew of the rites of the popular
religion, she was quite aware of the terrible punishment awarded to
any breach of priestly tabus, though without any superstitious dread
of infringing them. It was natural, therefore, for her to pause before
she crossed the fatal barrier. Beatriz, either not perceiving or not
understanding her hesitation, entered at once. Liliha stopped no longer,
but impulsively followed, as did her faithful women, who, if it had been
her will, would have leaped after her into the crater, so attached were
they to their young mistress.
The heiau was reeking with foul odors, that arose from the putrefying
masses of animal offerings upon the numerous altars. Some human
sacrifices had been recently made. These corpses, in which decay had
already begun, were stretched out before images so foul in features
and postures, as to be unlike anything earthly. To a savage they might
well appear to be fiends, but to an educated mind they were absurd and
disgusting, exciting horror only from the blind devotion paid them. They
saw also the secret access to the principal idols, by means of which
the priests, like those of Isis at Pompeii, were able to utter oracles
through their mouths, as if the god spoke, and to perform the usual
ritual jugglery which, among all ignorant races, designing priestcraft
passes off as miracles.
Although faint and soul-sick at these evidences of a faith so false, so
pitiless to the doomed, and so suggestive of what might be her own fate,
and unless they succeeded in rescuing Olmedo, would be his, Beatriz did
not for a second falter. For a little while they were bewildered in the
intricacies in the interior of the heiau, as they had lost sight of
Tolta, and knew not in what direction to seek for the prison of Olmedo.
As they cautiously groped their way from one house to another, listening
to catch signs of life, they heard voices from one near by. Being of
thatch, there was no difficulty in observing the interior through a hole
made in the straw. They saw Olmedo lying on mats, with several guards
about him, whom Liliha recognized to be her own men. Indeed they were
husbands of the women with her. Tolta had just gone in, and was speaking
to Olmedo in Spanish.
[Illustration]
“I have come, monk,” said he, “according to promise, to hear your final
answer. For the last time I ask, will you assist me to wed Beatriz, and
live? Methinks the sights and odors about you must have quickened your
reflections. Remember, yes is still in time, but shortly no power can
save you from your doom.”
“Leave me, Mexican,” replied Olmedo, “my few remaining hours in peace. My
answer has been already given. I will not join in your treachery to save
myself. Beatriz may die, but she never will be dishonored.”
“Even now her life and honor depend upon your answer. Make her my wife,
and she shall be queen of Hawaii. Hear me! No other faith but yours shall
exist in Hawaii. This I swear, and you shall be its chief minister. My
plans are ripe. I have but to lift my finger and they turn either way, as
you decide,” urged Tolta, in his eagerness, forgetting the doubts that
but shortly before clouded his mind and angered him.
“Your offers and your threats are alike useless, Tolta. I have not the
power, if I had the will, to make Beatriz love you. I may perish, and she
too, but we both will die with souls unsullied by falsehood,” answered
Olmedo. “Even now He to whom I pray, upholds me and gives me peace. Go,
and tempt me no further.” And he turned his face from him in sadness,
firmly refusing to listen to him any more.
“Then perish, you and yours; all in whom flows Spanish blood. I doom
you all.” Saying this, Tolta left the house, and returned towards
the fortress, at each step venting his anger in execrations upon the
obstinacy, as he called it, of the monk.