Nuhou, Volume I, Number 12, 4 April 1873 — PUHIOKAALA; OR THE SPOUTING CAVE OF KAALA. [ARTICLE]

PUHIOKAALA; OR THE SPOUTING CAVE OF KAALA.

[CONTINUED.] "Then let the puhi be thy mate," cried Opunui, as he roughly unclasped the tender arms twined around his knees; "until the chief of Olowalu comes to seize thee, and carry thee to his house in the hills of Maui. Seek not to leave the cave. Thou knowest that with thy weak arms, thou wilt tear thyself against the jagged rocks in trying to swim through the swift flowing channel. Stay till I send for thee, and live." Then he dashing out into the foaming gulf with mighty buffeting arms soon reached the upper air. And Kaaialii stood upon the bluff, looking up to the hill side path by which his love had gone, long after her form was lost to view in the interior vales. And after slight sleep upon his mat, then walking by the shore that night, he came at dawn and climbed the bluff again to watch his love come down the hill. And as he gazed he saw a leafy skirt flutter in the wind, and his heart fluttered to clasp his girl; but as a curly brow drew near, his soul sank to see it was not his love, but her friend Ua with some sad news upon her face. With hot haste and eager asking eyes does the love lorn chief meet the maiden messenger, and cries: "why does Kaala delay in the valley? Has she twined wreaths for another's neck for me to break? Has a wild hog torn her? or has the anaana prayer of death struck her heart, and she lies cold on the sod of Mahana? Speak quickly, for thy face kills me, oh, Ua!" "Not thus, my Lord,'' said the weeping girl, as thc soft shower fell from Rain's sweet eyes. "Thy love is not in the valley; and she has not reached the hut of her mother Kalani. But kanakas saw from the hill of Kalulu her father lead her through the forest of Kumoku [Kamoku] since then our Kaala has not been seen. and 1 fear has met some fate that is to thwart thy love." "Kaala lost! The blood of my heart is gone! He hears no more!" The fierce chief hot with baffled passion, strikes madly at the air, and dashes away, onward up the stony hill,--and upward with his stout young savage thews, he bounds along without halt or slack of speed till he reaches the valley's rim, then rushes down its flowering, fragrant slopes. He curses over its bright green plains. He sees in the dust of a path some little prints that must be those of the dear feet he follows now. His heart feels a fresh bound; he feels neither strain of limb, nor scant of breath, and searching as he runs he descries before him in the plain the fraudful sire alone. "Opunui," he cries, "give me Kaala or thy life!" The stout grey kanaka looks to see the face of flame, and the outstretched strangling --' Rain

arms; and stops not to try the strength of his own limbs; or to stay for any parley; but flies across the valley, along the very path by which the fierce lover came; and with fear to spur him on he keeps well before his well blown foe. But Kaaialii is now a god; he runs with new strung limbs, and presses hard this fresh footed runner of many a race. They are within two spear's length of each other's grip upon the rim of the vale; and hot with haste the one and fear the other they dash along the rugged path of Kealia [Kealiakapu], and rush downward to the sea. They bound o'er the fearful path of clinkers. Their torn feet heed not the pointed stones. The elder seeks the shelter of the tabu; and now both roused by the outcries of a crowd that swarm on the bluffs around, they put forth their last remaining strength and strive who shall gain first the entrance to the sacred wall of refuge. For this the hunted sire strains his last failing nerve; and the youth with a shout quickens his still tense limbs. He is within a spear's length, he stretches out his arms. Ha, old man! he has thy throat within his grip. But no, the greased neck slips the grasp; the wretch leaps for his dear life, he gains the sacred wall, he bounds inside, and the furious foe is stopped by the staves of priests.