The Polynesian. [volume], December 05, 1840, Page 102, Image 2

About The Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu (Oahu), Hawaii) 1840-1841

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that lived in the interior of the Island of
Oiilni, some hundred or hundred and lilty
years since, 1 will commune ate them, hoping
thereby to induce some other one to search
i.i.jtc carefully for the whole r-tory.
Halemanu, eight or ten miles east of Wni
nhia is the place where Kalo Aikannka, a
cannibal chief, once lived. This litlle spot
nearly resembles an ox-bow in shape, a::d lies
between two deep ravines; the only access
to it from the sea being through a narrow
isthmus of only a few yards in widih. On this
little ox-bow of one or two hundred acres is
the site of a heathen temple, of obloiu; shape,
about -i) ) feet by (1.), sullicicutly hp-go to
seat .J.VJJ people in the native way, and leave
a mii ill space unoccupied.
Near tliH is the site of a house said to have
been occupied by the chief; dimensions ;0
loot by 10. Ictwcen the huse and the tem
ple, a little to the west is a largo excavation
in the earth, sufficient to admit an ox to be
masted whole; this is pointed out as the
oven in which men were funnel ly roa-ted
for the feasts of the chief.
Still further to the west, and d:s!aut from
the temple about 2 or ! rods is a larje
flat stone, with a smooth surface, ne arly an
octagonal shape six feet perhaps in diameter,
and of one or two tons weight. On this stone
it is sai l the roasted victims of this cannibal
chief were dissected and eaten. The stone
goes by the name of Kalo's ijnt hid or meat
platter. Natives say that pieces of this
stone broken o!f and exposed to the action
of lire, have frerjueutly developed an oily
substance which they suppose arises from
its having been saturated witSi the J'at of victim-.?.
The experiment however, which we
made, did not satisfy us that such would bo
likely to take place at tins late period.
Kalo is reported as having been a chief
over about three thousand people, all of
whom lived within a lew miles of the hc
iau or temple, where ho was accustomed
occasionally to feast on the dead body of
some cn:my, intruder, or stranger who
might be despatched for the occasion.
Kaanokccwe, his servant or under chief
lived at a place culled Kanewai; where
fhere is very narrow pass between two ra
vines, and very abrupt on both sides. On
this neck of land Kaanokeewe built his
bouse, reaching from bank to bank; .so that
all who might go to the mountains for timber
in that direction must go through his house;
travelers also from the north side of the
Island frequently passed that way.
All of these he was in the habit of ques
tioning as to the object of their several
journeys; and if by any artifice he could
implicate them in deception real or fancied
ho regarded them as lawful prey, took their
lives, and carried them with haste to Kalo
to he devoured.
Kaanokccwe is reported as having-been
very athletic; ready to give battle to any
man, and sure to conquer in single combat.
So that the victims procured by him for his
master were numerous. Natives say, many
forties in number. Kaanokeewe destroyed,
all bis own brethren and those of his wife,
except one, who escaped him and went to
Kauai. On Kauai he learned tin; art of man
aging a contest in single combat, and with
his newly acquiivd skill returned to Oahu.
No sooner had he arrived than he heard
that his sister, Kaholekua, wife of Kaano
keewe had been killed by her husband. On
this intelligence he made haste to the spot,
found his sister not dead but severely injured,
lie then attacked Kaanokeewe with idl his
skill, and in the encounter both nf them went
oir the precipice together; and in the fall
Kaanokcewe's head was caught between two
trees, and, grappled as he was with his an
tagonist, his neck was broken short o!f.
With the death of this procurer of victims,
the cannibalism of the chief Kalo ended, as
lie had no one to procure him victims.
From that time this horrid custom ceased.
Previous to the time of Kalo, it is said
that a company of cannibals reached Oahu
by the way of Kauai, who were strangers,
which had arrived at Kauai from some for
eign land. The name of one was Kahanu-uui-a-lewa-lani;
his younger brother was
named Kawcloaikauaka; they were children
of Neva. They were all cannibals, and did
much mischief for a time among the peoplo
From the story of Kalo I am impressed
with a few facts.
The diminution of the population. 'The
great temple 200 feet by oO is said to havo
been filled with people who lived near.
There are now but about forty or fifty peo
ple living within four or live miles of the
itc.
THE POLYNESIAN.
j Cannibalism was not common among the
'people of the Sandwich Islands. Kalo is
said to have been feared and detested, with
ull his company for their eating human flesh,
i The size of the heathen temples and the
'multitudes that thronged them,' induced by
no motives but fear, are a sad comment on
the comfort and happiness said to be enjoy
ed by idolatrous heathen, when we recollect
'that all the hopes the peoplo had from either
piiest or idol was merely exemption from a
violent death, from famine or from disease,
indicted upon them for some crime commit
ted ignorant Iv.
It is said that in the exercise which they
called prayer, every person was required, on
penalty ot death, to keep one position, from
the bej,innin;i to the end of the exercise.
I In going into a heathen temple, wiiness
jing the stillness of the assembly, and the
j solemn awe that pervades the place, one
! would be almost led to conclude that "Ignor
ance is the mother of devotion. " I'ut when
he might see the bloody knife, or the devo
jted human victim, and learn that neither
1 rcvd'i love, fdilh, nor hope wore to be
j found there, nothing but fear and dread ot
what may be, he would retract and con
clude that such devotion, as idolatry inspires,
i contains within itself an awful curse, that
i claims the commiseration of every philan
thropist. . Yours, respectfully.
I . J. S. Kmf.hsox.
NCTIHv POLYNESIAN.
SATURDAY, DEC. 5, IS 10.
"he Exploring Squadron lias now left
our harbor to cruise in various directions.
The Porpoiso lias sailed (so it is suid) for
the southern groups, to return lien: in
four months. The Peacock and Flying1
Fish to Ascension, King's Mill Croup and
the Caroline Archipelago, 1 hence to the
Columbia itiver, in soring;, when a store
ship will sail from 'here for that place,
with all neeesary supplies, which will
probably obviate the necessity of their
returning here. The Vincennes lias
gone to Hawaii, for the purpose of mak
ing a thorough survey of the volcano, and
Mauna I, on, and all the interesting points
in that vicinity. She will also go to. the
Columbia in a few months. Much has
been done, during the stay of the Squad
ron, and we have not ;i doubt but that the
history of the Expedition will give the
most faithful account of the Islands, which
has ever appeared, particularly in idl de
partments of science. The artists, too,
have been busy, and have taken many
views of scenery, costumes, and the por
traits of chiefs and common people.
The salt kike at .Ewa, which litis bereto-
jfore been supposed to be connected with
the sea, .and alfected by tides, and the
money distributed among llie natives.
The impression created on the minds of
the chiefs ly the deportment of the olli
ccrs, is o'f the most favorable nature, and
will add much to the already high repu
tation trained bv American . ollicer.s for
their government and country. It is need
less to speak of the umuingled satislactioli
and pleasure which the visit lias produced
among the residents. The sorrow mani
fested at their departure is the best evi
dence of this. May their future labois
be as successful as their past, and sis hon
orable to themselves and their country.
y the .Joseph lYabody, Capt. Doininis
we have received a few newspapers from the
United States, of which the latest date is
Sept. ulh. We glean tho following items
from them.
The Sub-treasury bill passed the House
of Representatives on June 30. Yeas,
Nays, 107. Mr. Poinsett is appointed Sec
retary1 of the Navy, and Mr. Kenton takes
his place as Secretary of War. The elec
tions appear to be going favorably for (e:i.
Harrison, and his friends are confident of
his election.
The .Lama sailed, from Hoston, Aug. 0,
for this place. Tho Ship Morea. ('apt.
Snow, was to leave New York for these
Islands, in idl October.
.The practice of running horses -furiously
through the streets, has. become so frequent
d' late, as to endanger the sali ty of pedes
trians, and lljo attention of the Covorn r
should be drawn to this evil. , Sevcial per
sons have been knocked down and rode over
in the most careless manner, endangering
not only their limbs but their lives, it is a
'matter of astonishment that more have not
been injured, considering tho numbers who
ride on horseback, ami the almost total dis
regard shown to the safely of these on foot.
This dangerous habit is not confined to the
natives, but is quite too common with those
who should know better We hope that all
those who have any regard for the lives of
others, ana their own reputation, will here
after ride in a 'more prudent manner, and
not disgrace themselves by any more such
exhibitions of horsemanship, which however
pleasing 1(.v may be to. the riders, are not
particularly gratifying to those who may bo
within range of the horse's heels. " -
The question is frequently asked whether
England claims any authority oyer, or ex
tends her protection to these Island? The
following extract from the minutes of pro
ceedings in the IIoie;e of Lords, in March'
last, settles the point.
In answer to a question from Lord Inges
trie, it appears that Lord Pahnerston !isM"iii.f
salt the product ol evaporation, has been I)'1 received any otheial account of the out-
ascertained to be of mineral formation,
and disconnected with the ocean. Salt
is found ISO feet above the surface of the
lake. Its depth, which was considered
fathomless, (and rightly so,) proved to be
sixteen inches. The harbor at Ewa, or
Pearl River, was surveyed, and found
commodious for shipping, with a good
entrance between the reefs, with twenty
three feet of water upon the bar. Hon
olulu harbor and adjacent reefs were also
thoroughly surveyed ' 'Astronomical, me
teorological, and . magnetic observations
and experiments have been daily and
nightly made sit the observatory, with all
the instruments, with which the Expedi
tion is most liberally provided. The pen
dulum for determining the figure of the
earth, is. the first that has ever been car
ried on ii voyage of this nature, and
promises the most interesting results. In
many other respects the slay of the Squad
ron has been most beneficial to the' isl
ands. Pusiuess has revived, and much
rage committed by the French ships of war
hi me aaiKiwicn islands. The noble For
eign Secretary declared that these Islands
were not under the protection of the EmdUh
(ioveriiment, but that "he considered them
to be an independent State." A'. V. Merc.
A bill had been brought into Parliament"
creating Prince Albert, 'Urgent, in case of
the demise of the Queen, an event which
the Englishmen think there is some special
reason to provide for, though they hope they
may have a successor to the throne without
any such painful consequences. The ap
pointment of Prince Albert gives aneral
satisfaction. . b
I'lom the Xew York Journal of Com
rrimir.u uv Tin: (wuiouma m taik!
The account which we published in our
last, from a Mexican paper, relating to the
arrest of 10 Americans in Upper California,
and their conveyance in chains to Tepic)
near Mazatlan, was first inserted in a Sail
Luis poner, and thence was copied into the
Diario del liobierno of the Mexican capital,
from which latter paper we made our transla
tion. We however did not translate the
whole article, for want of time and room
and it may be sullb-ient to slate i1;,t the
part which we omitted, is occupied with an
attempt to prove an intention on the pait of
4,tho Yankees," to get possession of t?ic tcr
ritory in quest ign, alter the manner of t
Texas ' revolution. In this connexion,
introduced the names of Capt. Win,
iklrv. of the hark Don Ouixottn! J.ti., n '
7 . ' "I
jthi Jones, late U. S. Consul at the Sand
I wich Islands; and Capt. Kennedy, nf .i
U. .S. slnp J'eaeoei, 1 no conduct oft!K.Sf
gentlemen, all of whom have visited Fi),(.
Caliibruia. Is construed in said nrti..i
I ... - . I. ! 1 1 M
couurenanciug mo uiea oi u Compaq ((
1 1 rpu r Caliibruia being contemplated lv tli,
i Yankees. Probably it was considered nl-cr.-.
sary to attempt to make out a case of th-
kind, in order to justify, even in the m'
ol 1 lie ,Mexiea::s, the flagrant outrage cum.
milted upon our citizens by the tiovrn,,,,
of that territory. Tho naner aMmUi .
juakes no men! ion of Einrlishmen hem...'
kYrned in the alleged revolutionary piviert
juutiongu 11 i ceiium inai many oi Hie l(r.
jsons arrested and carried to Tepic, are l;rj;.
ish subjects. ' e now present another ur
sioti of the affair, as communicated by Capt
Clillbrd, of the American bark Fn'a, j,,,.
Vera Cruz. YYc have reason to believe
that this statement is essentially correct.
On the 7th of A m il the En-dUli .!
j American residents, on the coast of Cull.
i forma, near "Santa Barbara, were witi.
jany prcviotisju lice, seized upon and tliroui,
iiaio prison, no one coiuutcii lor what cause
After undergoing an examination, of wind,
I nothing public was made known, the Cj'ivlt
inor chartered a vessel called the d'uimmv,!.
I which finally left Santa Parbara. on tlw :i
;May, for San Phis, with fbrtv six prisons
I on noaru, nail oi which number were l.n;.
jusli, the remaining halt citizens ol tho L'ti
jted States. -
I These miserable sufferers, loaded wii
i iron s worn down by tho cruelty they b;
i received and expecting, many ol them, t
j.-ink under the weight of their nccunnihih
miseries, were, crowded like cornicing
; felons into the bold of the vessel, where, t
add to their suHeriiirs, they were inhuman!
deprived both of light and air.
The (iuipuzcoa was eleven days on L
passage, to San Jilas, durinir which time t!.
prisoners endured every cruelty, and sufei-
en every abuse Which the brutal lochias
their persecutors could inwnt. Arrived i
San Plas they were with as little delay c
possible landed, and immediately forced
commence their inarch to Topic, a distanc
oi sixty miles, winch they pcrfoimed in lv
days, over a mountainous road, with tin
I thermometer standing at !)0, having no plan
'whereon to rest their weary bodies but tl
ihanl stones, and no food to supply exhaiK
jed nature, save a scanty morsel, provide
oy i no iianu oi chant v.
Duiiugtho inarch, which was labori"ii
enough to exhaust the stoutest frame, ll
prisoners were urged onward by lashes ii
dieted upon their naked bodies, and oiio,li
sank under fatigue, was barbarously hcatt
with the butt end of a thicket, to renovate Ii
sticngth and arouse bis drooping spirits.
Arrived at Tenio, the situation uf tli
prisoners was soon -meliorated hv iho cm r-
ignie ami humane exertions of the J ?riti
ami Amt-ncv.n Consuls at that elaco. for
was found on investigation, that the olliccr
j who had come from California in charger
ithe piisoners, had no documents of tin
! nature to show the cause of the inlet
(proceedings of the Governor, or any jr
i of charges against the prisoners: consemieni
ly, by orders of the military commander, tlx
mm were xaKcn ironr their limbs, and l;
dhection of the Consuls oonifbrt:.l.l. .m.ntrr
and w holesome food were piovidcd lbr tluiii
without delay.
The military gentlemen, whose brutality
had excited tho indignation even of the au
thorities of Tepic, to their utter consterna
tion were compelled to march to the qitaifd.
where they found themselves placed undo"
charge of a strong guard, with the prnilcf
of occasionally peeping through the grati
A circumstantial account of the history
of the outrage and the s'ullerings of the pris
oners had been forwarded by the consul
to the British and American ministers ro
dent in flexion, both of whom had warmly
entered into 'the cause, and had demand
a full explanation from the supreme govern
ment, an-' satisfaction for the injuries wliid
their countrymen had been compelled h
suffer.
(iflicial accounts ofthl Ii.f-.in.ui if.-insiK'-
I , . I'l IIOIOI,'I
jtion have been forwarded to.thc !ritih an:
j American governments by their respd liv
jbunislers at the rjty nf Mexico, and it
confidently hojied that prompt and en i1"
l measures will be pursued by tlu.se jm-h
lo obtain ample ju.slice and remiinciatie.ii f"1
ni
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