CHAPTER XXIX
When Kahalaomapuana returned from Kealohilani, from her journey in search of a chief, she related the story of her trip, of its windings and twistings, and all the things she had seen while she was away.
When she recited the charge given her by Kaonohiokala, Laieikawai said to her companions, "O comrades, as Kahalaomapuana tells me the message of your brother and my husband, a strange foreboding weighs upon me, and I am amazed; I supposed him to be a man, a mighty god that! When I think of seeing him, however I may desire it, I am ready to die with fear before he has even come to us."
Her companions answered, "He is no god; he is a man like us, yet in his nature and appearance godlike. He was the first-born of us; he was greatly beloved by our parents; to him was given superhuman powers which we have not, except Kahalaomapuana; only they two were given this power; his taboo rank still remains; therefore, do not fear; when he comes, you will see he is only a man like us."
Now, before Kahalaomapuana's return from Kealohilani, the seer foresaw what was to take place, one month before her return. Then the seer prophesied, in these words: "A blessing descends upon us from the heavens when the nights of full moon come.
"When we hear the thunder peal in dry weather and in wet, then we shall see over the earth rain and lightning, billows swell on the ocean, freshets on the land, land and sea covered thick with fog, fine mist and rain, and the beating of the ocean rain.
"When this passes, on the day of full moon, in the dusk of the early morning, at the time when the sun's rays strike the mountain tops, then the earth shall behold a youth sitting within the eye of the sun, one like the taboo child of my god. Afterwards the earth shall behold a great destruction and shall see all the haughty snatched away out of the land; then we shall be blessed, and our seed."
When his daughters heard the seer's prophecy, they wondered within themselves that he should prophesy at this distance, without knowing anything about their sister's mission for which they waited.
As a prophet it was his privilege to proclaim about Kauai those things which he saw would come to pass.
So, before leaving his daughters, he commanded them and said, "My daughters, I am giving you my instructions before leaving you, not, indeed, for long; but I go to announce those things which I have told you, and shall return hither. Therefore, dwell here in this place, which my god has pointed out to me, and keep yourselves pure until my prophecy is fulfilled."
The prophet went away, as he had determined, and he went into the presence of the chiefs and men of position, at the place where the chiefs were assembled; there he proclaimed what he had seen.
And first he came to Aiwohikupua and said, "From this day, erect flag signals around your dwelling, and bring inside all whom you love.
"For there comes shortly a destruction over the earth; never has any destruction been seen before like this which is to come; never will any come hereafter when this destruction of which I tell is ended.
"Before the coming of the wonder-worker he will give you a sign of destruction, not over all the people of the land, but over you yourself and your people; then the high ones of earth shall lie down before him and your pride shall be taken from you.
"If you listen to my word, then you will be spared from the destruction that is verily to come; therefore, prepare yourselves at once."
And because of the seer's words, he was driven away from before the face of the chief.
Thus he proclaimed to all the chiefs on Kauai, and the chiefs who listened to the seer, they were spared.
He went to Kekalukaluokewa, with his wife and all in their company.
And as he said to Aiwohikupua, so he said to Kekalukaluokewa, and he believed him.
But Waka would not listen, and answered, "If a god is the one to bring destruction, then I have another god to save me and my chiefs."
And at Waka's words the seer turned to the chiefs and said, "Do not listen to your grandmother, for a great destruction is coming over the chiefs. Plant flag signals at once around you, and bring all dear to you inside the signals you have set up, and whoever will not believe me, let them fall in the great day of destruction.
"When that day comes, the old women will lie down before the soles of the feet of that mighty youth, and plead for life, and not get it, because they have disbelieved the words of the prophet."
And because Kekalukaluokewa knew that his former prophecies had been fulfilled, therefore he rejected the old woman's counsel. When the seer left the chief planted flag signals all around the palace and stayed within the protected place as the prophet had commanded.
At the end of his circuit, the seer returned and dwelt with his daughters.
For no other reason than love did the seer go to tell those things which he saw. He had been back one day with his daughters at Honopuwaiakua when Kahalaomapuana arrived, as described in the chapter before.