Kiana: a Tradition of Hawaii

by James Jackson Jarves

Queen Mab.

Beatriz was once more at her home by the seaside. Liliha was always near her. Since their first meeting the loving forest-girl had grown still dearer to her. When her father claimed her, she pleaded so hard and showed so much distress at the thought of leaving her white sister that he consented she should remain for the time being. Kiana and the high-priest were at peace. The latter had more than once visited Olmedo, for the double purpose of talking with him and seeing his daughter. By this interchange of civilities and the impression which the superior condition of Kiana’s people made upon him, added to the more enlarged views derived from his intercourse with the Spaniards, Hewahewa became, if not a believer in any creed, a more humane and wiser man. By his influence, backed as it always was when necessary with the arms of Kiana, his people partially gave up their predatory habits, and paid more attention to their fisheries and the culture of their soil. It was great gain also to establish an amicable intercourse between tribes so long bitterly hostile to each other. Instead of warlike expeditions to secure prisoners for sacrifice and to plunder, Hewahewa’s people now came often to trade. A commerce was growing up, which later led to the establishment of regular fairs, the principal of which was held at stated intervals on the banks of the Wailuku river, in the territory of Kiana. Here the products of the soil and the manufactures of the several districts of Hawaii, each of which from peculiarity of soil or climate, or from the skill and industry of its inhabitants, could claim some local advantage, were brought and interchanged. A paid police preserved order, and public inspectors decided upon the qualities of the merchandise, or acted as arbitrators in case of dispute, while the numerous pedlars by their cries and importunity would not have discredited their brethren of Europe.

But this fact is foreign to my story, except so far as showing how soon and rapidly commercial industry supplants the fighting principle, if it be allowed a fair chance, even among the passionate and sensuous aborigines of Polynesia.

Beatriz looked wan and feeble. More than a month had gone by since her rescue. Before her capture she had been gradually failing, but almost imperceptibly and with such an increased delicacy of outline and purity of complexion, that while Olmedo and Juan had praised her increasing beauty, neither had noticed that it was sapping her life. The exposure and excitement consequent upon the violence of Tolta, acting upon an already enfeebled frame, had at last brought her very low. Daily since her return had she been compelled to shorten her walks. At the same time her voice grew weaker, but gained ever in sweetness, and the flush upon her face became deeper. Still so long as she could go out she went, leaning upon Liliha or Olmedo, to look upon the scenery she so loved, and to breathe the balmy sea air beneath the palms. Juan clung to her as to a life-buoy. Careless and impetuous as he had always been, he loved his sister fervently. To see her pine day by day, her flesh wasting as disease claimed it, the rich blood fading from her cheek never to return, each embrace growing more languid as life ebbed, well nigh drove him mad. Bitterly he blamed himself for his absence on that fatal day. Even the horror of Tolta’s death did not check his curses upon him. To Olmedo he would listen in deference as he talked of the consolations of religion, but escaping to the woods, he would there sit hours in silent agony brooding over his coming loneliness, and fiercely resenting any intrusion. Liliha alone could quiet his grief. Knowing his habits, she would sometimes steal from the side of Beatriz and go after him. Taking his hand, without speaking, she would lead him to his sister, and the two would sit by her in sympathetic sadness, watching her every motion, and endeavoring to anticipate every want. While thus occupied he was in some degree soothed. His sister was still with him. The Blessed Mother of God might yet restore her. He would be so lonely when she was gone. Never until now had he felt how large a portion of his happiness was derived from her presence; how much he needed her calm sustaining spirit, her untiring kindness, and above all her exhaustless fountain of forgiveness. Was all this so soon to be taken away? Cold shudders passed through his heart as the gloom of certainty shut down upon him, and starting up abruptly he would go back to the forest. Giving time for the paroxysm to subside, Liliha at a sign from Beatriz would again bring him back. “My dear brother,” she would say, “sorrow not so, I may yet live; I feel stronger to-day. Take my hand; see! it is not very thin; and my face, is it not a little fuller? It seems so to me. Once you know, before we left Spain, I was as ill, but I got well. Kiss me and stay by me while I sleep a little. When I wake we will talk more. I have much to say, and yet I cannot speak it, when you are so sad. Another kiss, dear Juan; you have ever been a kind brother to me.” Thus she would cheer him with a hope that at times dawned upon herself, in spite of her rapid decline.

Often Kiana came in, and sat gazing at her until the big tears followed one another down his cheeks. Seemingly unconscious of them, he would remain without uttering a word for hours, striving only to give some order which he thought might promote her comfort. To him the fading away of the maiden was like the loss of sunlight to the landscape. The earth was all there, but its joy and glory were alike gone.

How was Olmedo? Calm. Never had Beatriz appeared to him so lovely as now. He had seen too many death-beds not to know that she was shortly to pass away. Every change in her aspect was closely watched, and all that his experience could suggest done to postpone, if it could not avert, her death. But he neither sought to deceive himself nor her. If Juan felt himself alone, how much more must he whose soul was so interwoven with the dying woman’s! Tenderly and truly had their love and faith kept pace in all the eventful scenes they had passed through. Tempted, they had conquered. Their hearts had recognized their inalienable birthright—to love—yet they had not sinned. Now the spiritual was triumphing over the material. As the body grew more helpless, the spirit became indeed stronger. This he saw. How could he then sorrow; when, with the eye of faith, he beheld infinite joy expanding in her soul? Mourn for himself, left so solitary in his earthly pilgrimage, he must, and did, but he rejoiced for her. At no time had he been more earnest in his religious duties than during her illness. A solemn responsibility rested upon him to be even more faithful to her pure aspirations and gentle faith. He was with her also more than ever. As she drew nigh her departure, every trace of the harsher doctrines of her church passed from her mind, as the dead leaves of autumn give way to the living growth of spring. Fed by the vital currents of faith and love that flowed into her soul from that world her spirit was now piercing, his mind grew likewise, and he perceived how that separation in body could prove union in spirit. Thus he was comforted and sustained. He now felt that divine wisdom and love were given in some degree to all men; that all nature was imbued with their principles; that both nature and man were working out the great problem of happiness, through a slow and laborious progress, governed by universal laws existing from a beneficent and impartial deity. Polemical creeds were the shackles of intellect and the graves of the soul. There was but one creed, viz., that God made all men, and none had a right to arrogate to themselves the way of salvation. Of him to whom much was given, it was true that much would be required. God was always revealing himself to the inquiring soul. No age or race had a right to claim a final revelation or a monopoly of inspiration. Truth was as free as the air to all who could or would receive it, but it was like gold in the mine, dark and hidden until labor brought it to the sunlight, stamped it with the die of reason, and put it into circulation. All new coin was looked on with suspicion, but when made familiar became as current as the old. All truth was partial, because its degree depended upon the quality and capacity of the individual mind. Perfect truth is the divine atmosphere. No man can breathe that now, but might hope to attain it through infinite progress. Hence among men universal toleration of opinions should prevail. The best minds here were but infants in knowledge. Striving there should be, but it should consist in mutual charity and forbearance; the patient waiting of each soul, and patient working out of its duties in faith, for individual and general life were linked together for a harmonious end. If disappointment to him were needful for another’s good, he was ready to bid it welcome, and from out of self-sacrifice to rise the stronger man. He saw in Beatriz’s death her spiritual promotion. In strengthening her to meet it, he was best preparing himself for those consolations which as necessarily result from moral laws as does gravitation from the physical. Therefore Olmedo looked upon the present trial as the beautiful working out of the final happiness of Beatriz and himself. To him she was the divine messenger through whom life and light had come. Talk not of the power of passionate love! Its selfish flame burns itself out, leaving nothing but ashes. Olmedo loved Beatriz, but it was now with a love in which passion was sublimated into purity; strengthened by self-sacrifice and made immortal by faith. What, then, were a few years of time to him who already saw into eternity!

One day Beatriz felt so much stronger that she asked to be carried to the spot in the forest, where she and Olmedo had met when they were taken off by Tolta. Besides her litter-bearers and women, who retired a little way after making up for her an easy couch, she was alone with him. It was the loveliest hour of the twenty-four, drawing towards sunset, just as the sun’s rays, becoming mellow, were casting a veil of soft and purple light, tinged with golden radiance, over sea and land. The air was as warm and healthful as an infant’s breath.

Beautiful as was the place, it had never looked so beautiful to her as now. The birds were twittering in their leafy homes, and, coming close to her as to an old friend, warbled a welcome before they bade good night to the sinking sun, or from the topmost branches sang their vespers. All old memories came back to her, save only the sad one connected with Tolta, which she seemed now to have forgotten. She thought only of the many talks they had had here, on subjects dear to both; their mutually expressed longings for the familiar faces and scenes of their native land, and their plans and hopes when forced to feel that they would no more see them; the sadness that stole over her spirit as she realized that she must live and die upon the island without one of her sex, born of her race, to share her solitude; how the good father comforted her with holy words, and finally her love spoke and his spoke, and they each knew the heart’s secret of the other, and both trembled, but grew stronger from prayer and faith, and now could look back upon their past without a blush, and forward with hope in an eternal union; all this, and much else that was endeared to her, came bright and joyful to her recollection. She recalled to Olmedo scenes and words full of gladness to both. Her voice was much clearer and stronger, and her manner so cheerful, that he was borne away on the pleasant tide, and thought only of their present happiness, without heeding that it was the illumination of a mortal on the confines of the spirit-world.

Suddenly a shadow passed over her features, and she told Olmedo that she would rest awhile. Closing her eyes, she sank into a gentle slumber that lasted for half an hour. Bright smiles chased each other in such quick succession on her face, that she seemed to her watcher to be already living in another sphere. As he gazed almost in awe upon a happiness that gave him a closer insight into the joys of a soul communing with its God, Beatriz awoke. Turning her eyes vacantly upon him, then looking around upon the scenery still lovely, for the brief twilight was in its prime, she was for a moment bewildered. “Where am I; is this earth,—am I back again? How dark it seems,” said she. “Give me your hand, Olmedo,—I see you now. I have had such a dream,—shall I tell it to you?”