At last Paoa came to an island which appeared very large and was covered with vegetation. Paddling his canoe into a great crescent-shaped bay, he observed a river emptying into it and turned the nose of his tiny craft that way. Not far up the river he came to a long, low rock which he called Waa Kauhi, and landed on the southeastern side of its point.
So great was the joy of Paoa upon reaching this beautiful island that he decided to make it his home. To commemorate his safe landing he at once planted on the rock the pili grass he had brought with him. Also he liberated his aku and opelu fish in the new waters, where today their progeny teem in countless millions.
Very soon he built himself a grass hut for a home, and was careful to protect the pili grass, which grew rapidly and before long spread to other parts of the big island, where it throve even better than on the scant soil of the pahoehoe rock.
Hawaiians soon learned to use the pili grass in house building, as it made a tighter thatch and lasted longer than the lauhala or the grasses to which they had been accustomed. The stems of the flowers were later used in weaving hats, as they, too, were firm and strong.
Farther up the river, which Paoa learned was called the Wailuku, there lived the goddess Hina. Soon after the arrival of this stranger from Tahiti, Hina heard of him and his chosen home. Evidently he had not come to wage war or do harm to the people, for he had already made friends with many of the fishermen living near him.
So Hina decided to see him for herself and went down to his home. She was surprised to find that he really had established himself on that low rock.
"Why," she exclaimed, "you must not stay on this rock! Can't you see the waters above here are high? When the rains come you will be washed away and drowned. It is not safe!"
Paoa stood upon the little plot of pili grass as he answered her. "No, I will not go away, for no matter how high the waters come they shall never cover this spot."
From that day Paoa's word has held true. No matter how high the Wailuku rises, it never has covered the little plot of pili grass which still grows on the long, low rock at the river's mouth.