Nuhou, Volume I, Number 15, 15 April 1873 — PUHIOKAALA; OR THE SPOUTING CAVE OF KAALA. [ARTICLE]

PUHIOKAALA; OR THE SPOUTING CAVE OF KAALA.

[CONTINUED.] As the sad hero thought of this dread devourer of many a tender child of the isles, he hid his face with his hands,--looking with self torture upon the image of his soft young love, crunched, bloody the image of his soft young love, crunched, bloody and shrieking in the jaws of the horrid god of the Hawaiian seas; and as he thought and waked up in his heart the memories of his love, he felt that he must seek her even in her gory grave in the sea. Then he looks forth again, and as he gazes down by the shore his eyes rest upon the spray of the blowing cave near Kaumalapau. It leaps high with the swell which the south wind sends. The white mist gleams in the sun. Shifting forms and shades are seen in the varied play of the up leaping cloud. And as with fevered soul he glances, he sees a form spring up in the ever bounding spray. He sees with his burning eyes the lines of the sweet form that ever twines with tender touch around his soul. He sees the waving hair, that ever mingles on his neck with his own swarth curls. He sees,--he thinks he sees, in the leap and play of sun tinted spray, his love, his lost Kaala; and with hot foot he rushes downward to the shore. He stands upon the point of rock whence Opunui sprang. He feels the throb beneath his feet of the beating, bounding tide. He sees the fret and foam of the surging gulf below. He sees the leaping spray, and is wetted by the shore driven mist. He sees all of this wild working water, but he does not see Kaala. And yet peers into this mad deep for her he seeks. The form that he has seen still leads him on. He will brave the sea god's wrath; and he fain would cool his brow of flame in the briny bath. He thinks he hears a voice sounding down within his soul; and cries, "Where art thou, oh, Kaala? I come, I come!" and as he cries, he springs into the white foaming surge of this ever fretted sea. And one was near as the hero sprang ; even Ua with the clustering curls. She loved the chief, she did hope that when his steps were stayed by the sea, and he had mingled his moan with the wild waters' wail, that he would turn once more to thc inland groves, where she wonld twine him wreaths, and soothe his limbs, and rest his head upon her knees ; bufc he has leaped for death, he eome up no more ; and thus did Ua wail for Kaaialii Where art thou gone, oh chief? Hast thou gone to meet *Aipuhi? Did the gods call thee? Or the King of the coral cave? Dost thou go to snatch thy love, Thy love from her grave in the sea? Dost thou seek her to beat thy cloth? Dost thou seek her to catch the squid? Wilt thou press her cheeks in the waves and her breasts in the depths of the sea? Oh, chief, come back to the shore! Oh, chief, return to thy Ua! I will beat the fine tappa for thee. I will search the tide for the squid. I will pick among surf beaten rocks For limpets to eat with thy poi. Oh, chief, come back to the groves To the jasmins of shaded Kohai [Kaohai]. Their sweetness will be lost in the air. If thou stayest forever below, The jasmins are growing for thee, To garland thy strong swelling neck. And my arms will twin round it for

Oh, Chief, come back to my arms, Come and press thy face to my cheeks! Come and lay thy head on my breasts And sleep in the groves of Kohai [Kaohai?] I will sing to thee of Kaala, Thy love, and the friend of thy Ua. I will breathe out her name with my kisses And as I clasp thee I'll soothe thee With love like the one thou hast lost Oh, chief, come back to the shore, The King of Kohala, he calls, Thy spear is waiting for thee And thy canoe by the crags of Kealia Oh, chief, oh brave, strong breast Come back to life, Come back to love, Come back to thy Ua. Alas! alas! oh, Kaaialii! Kaaialii, the sweet chief is gone, Is gone forever to meet Aipuhi, And the King of the coral caves. Thus wailed Ua,--and as the chief rose no more from out the lashed and lathered sea, she wailed out, "Auwe ka make!" Alas he is dead, and thus wailing and crying out, and tearing her hair, she ran back over the bluffs, and ran down the shore to the tabooed ground of Kealia, and wailing ever, flung herself at the feet of the dread Chief of all the isles. —* The shark god.