g would demand it if it were seen,
he gave it in charge of his mother Waahia, a seer of such renown and
verity that she accompanied the army at the request of its leaders. The
old woman concealed the blade in the hollow of a rock. Unhappily for
her cause, she had not foreseen the result of this campaign, for the
expedition met its Waterloo on the shores of Kauai, hundreds of the
men being drowned or slain by slings and javelins before a landing
could be made. King Kalaunui was made prisoner, the kings of Maui,
Oahu, and Molokai, whom he had taken with him as hostages for the
surrender of their islands when he should return, were released, and
a remnant of the invading force, under lead of Kaulu, returned. The
queen was filled with wrath at the failure of this expedition, and
rebuked Kaulu for treachery and cowardice,--Kaulu, who had stood by
his lord to the moment of his capture, and who had wrested the magic
sword from its owner.

Burning under this charge, he sought his mother and asked what
he should do to disprove it. She replied that he should not only
be cleared by the king himself, but he should marry the king's
daughter. The queen began at once to negotiate for the release of her
husband. That monarch was confined in a hut, surrounded by a stone
wall and strongly guarded, but was, nevertheless, treated with the
respect and distinction worthy of the Napoleon that he was. A fleet
of canoes with many spears was offered in exchange; but, with the
spoils of battle still in their possession, the victors only smiled
at this. Next came an offer of twenty feather cloaks, with stone axes,
ivory, and whalebone; but this, too, was rejected. A third proposition
by the queen was that the ruler of Kauai should wed her daughter and
agree to a perpetual peace. This came to nothing. Several attempts
were made to renew the war, but they fell flat, for the experience had
been too bitter and the people refused. Three years thus passed,--a
time sufficient to convince the queen of her political weakness. She
had almost resigned hope when old Waahia sought an audience at court,
and said, when she had received permission to break the taboo and speak
before the councillors, that she, and she alone, could rescue the king,
but she would not undertake this unless the chiefs would promise to
grant her request, whatever it might be, on their lord's return.

This pledge they gave with the understanding that it was not to affect
life or sover