the groves of
koa that cover the southwestern flank of the mountain, until, nearing
its base, he stood on a distant hill; and consulting his arrow, he shot
it far into the air, watching its bird-like flight until it struck
on a distant hill above Kailua. To this hill he rapidly directed his
steps, and, picking up his arrow in due time, he again shot it into the
air. The second flight landed the arrow near the coast of Holualoa,
some six or eight miles south of Kailua. It struck on a barren waste
of _pahoehoe_, or lava rock, beside the waterhole of _Waikalai_,
known also as the _Wai a Hiku_ (Water of Hiku), where to this day all
the people of that vicinity go to get their water for man and beast.

Here he quenched his thirst, and nearing the village of Holualoa, again
shot the arrow, which, instinct with life, entered the courtyard of
the _alii_ or chief, of Kona, and from among the women who were there
singled out the fair princess Kawelu, and landed at her feet. Seeing
the noble bearing of Hiku as he approached to claim his arrow, she
stealthily hid it and challenged him to find it. Then Hiku called
to the arrow, "_Pua ne! Pua ne!_" and the arrow replied, "_Ne!_"
thus revealing its hiding-place.

This exploit with the arrow and the remarkable grace and personal
beauty of the young man quite won the heart of the princess, and she
was soon possessed by a strong passion for him, and determined to
make him her husband.

With her wily arts she detained him for several days at her home,
and when at last he was about to start for the mountain, she shut
him up in the house and thus detained him by force. But the words
of his mother, warning him not to remain too long, came to his mind,
and he determined to break away from his prison. So he climbed up to
the roof, and removing a portion of the thatch, made his escape.

When his flight was discovered by Kawelu, the infatuated girl was
distracted with grief. Refusing to be comforted, she tasted no food,
and ere many days had passed was quite dead. Messengers were despatched
who brought back the unhappy Hiku, author of all this sorrow. Bitterly
he wept over the corpse of his beloved, but it was now too late; the
spirit had departed to the nether world, ruled over by Milu. And now,
stung by the reproaches of her kindred and friends for his desertion,
and urged on by his real love for the fair one, he resolved to attempt
the perilous descent into the nether world and, if possibl