the test.

When Kahalaopuna and party were on the road to the scene of the test,
her spirit friends informed her of the a-pe leaves, and advised her
to trample on them so as to tear them as much as possible, as they,
being spirits, would be unable to tear the leaves on which they should
be seated, and if any one's attention were drawn to them, they would
be found out and killed by the _poe po-i uhane_ (spirit catchers).

The young girl faithfully performed what was required of her. Kaea,
on seeing the torn leaves, remarked that she was evidently human,
but that he felt the presence of spirits, and would watch for them,
feeling sure they were in some way connected with the girl. Akaaka
then told him to look in a calabash of water, when he would in all
probability see the spirits. The seer, in his eagerness to unravel the
mystery, forgot his usual caution and ordered a vessel of water to be
brought, and, looking in, he saw only his own reflection. Akaaka at
that moment caught the reflection of the seer (which was his spirit),
and crushed it between his palms, and at that moment the seer dropped
down dead. Akaaka now turned around and opened his arms and embraced
Kahalaopuna, thus acknowledging her as his own beloved granddaughter.

The King now demanded of the girl and of Kauhi an account of all
that had happened between them, and of the reported death of the
maiden. They both told their stories, Kauhi ascribing his anger
to hearing the assertions of the two disfigured men, Kumauna and
Keawaa. These two, on being confronted with the girl, acknowledged
never having seen her before, and that all their words had been idle
boastings. The King then said: "As your fun has cost this innocent
girl so much suffering, it is my will that you two and Kauhi suffer
death at once, as a matter of justice; and if your gods are powerful
enough to restore you, so much the better for you."

Two large _imus_ (ground ovens) had been heated by the followers of the
young men, in anticipation of the possible fate of either, and Kauhi,
with the two mischief-makers and such of their respective followers and
retainers as preferred to die with their chiefs, were baked therein.

The greater number of Kauhi's people were so incensed with his cruelty
to the lovely young girl that they transferred their allegiance to her,
offering themselves for her vassals as restitution, in a measure,
for the undeserved sufferings borne by her at the hands of thei