Having put his guns and ammunition on board, he proposed to sail immediately for Hawaii, in company with a fleet of war canoes, to attack Kamehameha. But the English sailors who had been reserved to navigate the two vessels, suddenly rose at midnight, recaptured them, and sailed for Hawaii, where they informed Kamehameha of all that had occurred.
Kamehameha saw that his opportunity had now come, and lost no time in mustering all the war canoes and fighting men of Hawaii.
After overrunning West Maui and touching at Molokai, he landed in Waialea bay, Oahu, in the latter part of April, 1795. There he spent a few days in organizing his army before marching up the valley of Nuuanu, where Kalanikupule had prepared to make his last stand. The Oahu warriors were soon routed and pursued up the valley. Some of the fugitives were hemmed in and driven over the "Pali," or precipice, at the head of Nuuanu, a little north of the present road.
This victory made Kamehameha master of all the Islands
except Kauai and Niihau. With the exception of a short insurrection in Hawaii, there was peace during the rest of his reign.
DECREASE OF POPULATION.
The decrease of the population during this period must have been very rapid. Vancouver in 1792, Broughton in 1796, and Trumbull in 1801, were strongly impressed with the misery of the common people and their rapid decrease in numbers. This was partly the result of wars, but was still more due to the diseases and vices introduced by foreigners. In the summer of 1804 a pestilence, supposed to have been the cholera, carried off half of the population of Oahu. Botany Bay convicts had introduced the art of distilling liquor before the year 1800, and drunkenness had become very prevalent.
THE SANDAL-WOOD TRADE.
During the first quarter of the present century the sandal-wood trade was at its height. This wood was in great request at Canton, where it was sold for incense and the manufacture of fancy articles. It was purchased by the picul of 133-1/2 pounds, the price varying from eight to ten dollars for the picul. This wood, while it lasted, was a mine of wealth for the chiefs, by means of which they were enabled to buy fire arms, liquor, boats and schooners, as well as silks and other Chinese goods, for which they paid exorbitant prices.