🧚 The Alapa Regiment · page 2

Ka-leo-puu-puu was able to prove beyond question that the mantle of priesthood had never passed out of the family since the days of Pau-makua of the eleventh century.125 There was strong rivalry between the two priestly lines.126 Kahekili of Maui desired to bring the two priestly powers into conflict with each other.127 This was the real beginning of the new war.128

New temples were built and old temples repaired by both kings, and all were filled with gods and priests and sacrifices.129 Prayers and incantations innumerable were used by both parties.130 Many human sacrifices were laid upon the altars.131

At last the Maui priest informed his king that he was assured by the gods of final victory.132 “The warriors of Hawaii should come like fish into a bay and should be caught in a net.”133 From this suggestion came the plan of battle afterward carried out.134

The new year dawned—the year known in the civilised world as 1776.135 It was the year of the Declaration of Independence in America.136 It was the year of increased British effort and many reverses on the part of the colonies.137 It was in this year that King George’s dark-skinned brother in ambition, Ka-lani-opuu, set sail with “a cloud of boats.”138 Hundreds of canoes crossed the channel between the two islands and then coasted western Maui.139

They landed wherever any little valley on the rugged slope of Mt.140 Hale-a-ka-la—“House of the sun”—afforded soil sufficient to give life or foothold.141 They destroyed the villages and drove the terrified defenceless people up the lava cliffs to mountain hiding-places.142

Early one morning a part of the king’s army landed at Maalaea Bay, near the spot where they had been defeated.143 The chiefs looked over the sandy isthmus lying between the two great Maui mountains—Mt.144 Hale-a-ka-la and Mt.145 Iao.146 On the other side of some sand hills in this isthmus lay Wai-luku, the home of the Maui king.147 The cry arose: “On to Wai-luku!148 On to Wai-luku!”149 No strong force had offered opposition so far in the invasion.150 It seemed fair to presume that they had completely surprised the Maui warriors.151

Through the Wai-luku lands dashes a swiftly flowing stream of clear, cold water, breaking through the foothills of Mt.152 Iao.153 The banks of this stream had already been the scene of many a bloody battle, hence the name Wai-luku—“Water of destruction.”154

It was nearly ten miles away—but that would be only a short morning’s race for the hardy chiefs.155

The Alapa warriors shouted, “Let us drink of the waters of Wai-luku this day!”156 The king, surrounded by his bodyguard of royal chiefs, watched the splendid array of warriors as they hastened to surprise the Maui warriors.157 The king’s prophet chanted as they passed him:158

“Roll on, roll on, waves of Hawaii!159 You are the surf waves.160 The war god rides on the surf To land on the banks of Wai-luku.”161

Over the long desert isthmus sped the stalwart chiefs on up the divide between the two great mountains, until they saw the valley of the Wai-luku and the ocean waters of the eastern coast.162 On sped the eight hundred bronzed and sinewy athletes.163 It was to them an easy race for victory.164 Below Wai-luku lies a sandy tract through which the winds swept with power.165 It has long been a tangled group of large rounded sand hills.166 As they entered this rough region the first serious show of force met the exultant Hawaiians.167 There was obstinate resistance, but the onset of the Hawaiian chiefs was irresistible.168 They literally trampled the warriors of Maui beneath their feet.169 On into the sand hills they rushed, chanting their song of victory.170 Suddenly their Maui foe disappeared, and in front and rear and on every side rose up hundreds of warriors from Oahu—strangers to the Alapa chiefs.171

The scouts of Maui had faithfully reported the movements of Ka-lani-opuu and the coming of the Alapa high chiefs, giving the Maui king time to select and place his allies from Oahu.172 The wily king had made thorough preparation to catch his enemies “in a net.”173 The ambuscade was not ordinarily a part of Hawaiian warfare.174 In battle, dependence was placed upon the strong arm rather than in cunning wit.175 Often the beginning of a battle would be delayed by a series of single conflicts between challenging chiefs, as in the days of European knight-errantry.176 Banners were seldom carried.177 Some giant chief with marked helmet towered above his fellows and was the centre around which his followers could gather.178 Sometimes war gods—images of hideous and distorted features—were carried by priests and thrust into the faces of opponents.179

This battle of the Alapa regiment was unlike the ordinary contests.180 The brave warriors massed their strength and expected to override all opposition.181

But when they were drawn into conflict in the sand hills their ranks were broken.182 They were forced to pass around the obstacles or climb over them.183

From every wind-raised hill the Oahu men hurled heavy stones upon the plumed helmets beneath them, and thrust long spears into those who stormed the hillsides.184

Still up the loose sand the Alapa warriors struggled, putting to death every foe, as they took possession of one hill after another, while their comrades forced the Oahu warriors back through the winding sand valleys.185

The conflict continued hour after hour.186 The blazing tropical sun filled the struggling warriors with raging thirst, and the waters of the Wai-luku were still nearly a mile away.187

Then the struggle toward the stream was checked.188 The Oahu warriors were continually reinforced by fresh, unwearied men.189 The broken ranks of the Alapa regiment were met by a constantly increasing host of enemies.190 Soon the larger bodies were separated into small bands, each one hopelessly surrounded by picked warriors.191

Broken helmets and tattered feather cloaks lay crushed and trampled into the sand.192 Fragments of broken spears, javelins and war clubs lay in splinters under the feet.193 Naked and bleeding the chiefs raised broken arms to ward off descending blows.194 They died bravely, avenging themselves to the utmost in their death.195

Only one of the large regiment was captured alive.196 Hundreds of bodies of his companions marked the progress of the fight.197 This last warrior, Ke-awe-hano—“the silent supporter”—noted for his valour, fought to the last and then was beaten down and captured.198

“To the chief!199 To the chief!” was the cry of the Oahu warriors.200 The wounded man was carried at once to the camp of the king.201 They decided that he should be sacrificed to the gods, but his wounds were severe and he died before they could carry him to the temple.202

Two other valiant chiefs side by side fought their way through their enemies and escaped.203 They evidently left before the regiment had been annihilated, for they were unnoticed until they had gone so far that pursuit was useless.204 They reached the camp of Kalaniopuu at sunset—the last of the Alapa regiment.205

“Into the valley of death rode the six hundred.”206 Like sacrifices mark the brave deeds of brave men in all nations.207

This battle received the name in Hawaiian history—“The furious destruction at Kakanilua”—Kakanilua was the name of the sand hills below Wai-luku.208

Great was the wailing among the royal chiefs of Hawaii and throughout the army.209 Sore was the heart of the disappointed king.210 He called a war council of the powerful chiefs of his bodyguard.211 It was a night council.212 The old king seemed to have a secret feeling that the gods were fighting against him.213 Apparently he desired to give up the invasion.214 He was surrounded by a turbulent band of fighting chiefs.215 They waged war among themselves when they could not attack the neighbouring islands.216

They decided to press on the next day and defeat Kahekili and his allies.217 Before day began to dawn the camp was roused for action.218 The majestic masses of clouds almost always hanging over Mt.219 Iao were glorious in the morning light as the great army drew near the sand hills.220 The Maui army crowded up toward the steep sides of the mountain as if to avoid the scene of the battle of the preceding day.221 The debris of battle, the mutilated bodies of hundreds of warriors inspired the great army to endeavour to avenge the recent defeat.222

But the Maui army had the advantage of a well chosen position.223 The Hawaiians had to fight up hill or else drift down to the sand hills.224 In either case advance was difficult.225 Each step forward was fully earned.226 Each sand hill passed was almost as much of a defeat as a victory.227 There was a full day of savage fighting, marked by inhuman acts of awful brutality.228 The native account of the battle says: “It was not a war characterised by deeds of princely courtesy.”229 Many noted names of valiant chiefs were never again mentioned in Hawaiian story.230 The story and the life ended together in this Wailuku battle.231

At last the Hawaiian warriors were forced to retreat to the camp of their king, where Kalaniopuu and his guard had waited for the result of the battle.232

Kahekili evidently suffered almost as severely as the invaders, for there was scarcely any attempt at pursuit.233

Kalaniopuu had brought part of his household with him.234 His chief queen, Ka-lo-la, was the sister of Kahekili.235 She had come to share in the victory over her brother and assist in the pacification of her former friends.236 The attack had been made, and the ragged remnants of a vanquished army had come back.237

He was too heavily burdened with camp equipage and suffering men for immediate fight.238 He proposed that they sue for peace and that his wife, Ka-lo-la, be the messenger to her brother.239 The queen utterly refused to face her brother.240 There had been too many past personalities between them, and she had evidently been a vigorous endorser of her husband’s invasions into her old homeland.241 Life was too precious to be risked in that brother’s presence.242 She proposed that the royal prince, Kiwalao, her son, be sent as ambassador.243

Kiwalao was robed with all the royal elegance of a king according to the customs of that almost naked, savage life.244 He wore his finest neck ornaments, his most costly feather cloak and girdle and helmet.245 He was attended by high chiefs carrying the royal kahili, or large feather banner, and a royal calabash.246 These chiefs preceded the young prince as his heralds.247

When his name and position were announced to the outposts of the Maui army, they fell flat on the face in the sand while he passed by.248 It was death to stand before a prince or a tabu chief.249 Kiwalao was one of the highest sacred tabu chiefs in all the islands.250

Runners carried the news of the coming of this prince to the Maui king.251 He was lying on a mat in the royal grass house at Wailuku.252 Ka-lani-hale—“the heaven house”—was the name of this home of the king.253

As Kiwalao drew near the door all the Maui chiefs prostrated themselves before him, while the king lazily turned over and partly raised himself, lifting his head in token of friendly greeting.254 To have turned away from the prince, letting his face look down, would have been the sign of immediate death of his visitor.255 Kiwalao, with slow and dignified tread, crossed the room and seated himself in his uncle’s lap.256 Then both wailed over the troubles which had brought them together, and over the deaths among their followers.257

The embassy was successful, and terms of peace between the two kings were arranged.258 Kalaniopuu returned to Hawaii, to begin at once a new crusade against Kahekili.259 During the ensuing two years the war degenerated into a series of petty raids by which he kept his wife’s brother busy marching warriors from one end of Maui to the other to repel his attacks.260 In 1779 the coming of Captain Cook changed the course of action and gave the people new things to think about, until Kamehameha secured white men’s arms and conquered all the islands.261

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