For the Children.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2354, 21 November 1908, Page 1 (Supplement)

For the Children.

A HEROINE OF THE SOUTHERN SEAS.

Far away in tho Pacific ocean are the .Sandwich Isles, for the most part formed of coral, but ..with lofty volcanic mountains in their midst. One of these is named Kilauea, and is one of the .largest and most terrible valcones in the world. Its enormous crater contains a lake of liquid Inc, from six to nine miles round, and the smoke of it rises like a cloud by day and night. The natives used to believe that amid the fite therc a fierce goddess named Pc-lc, whoso bath was the mighty crater, anti whose hair was supposed to beet le glassy threads that covered the ■hills. Everyone stood m awe of 1 c-lc, but eS 'Th C e a pnests m sSd that if a woman climbed the inountain, picked berries from the bushes and flung them into the lake of fire, the goddess would “shake with her thunders, and shatter her island.” . . But a hundred years ago Christian missionaries came to the island, and gradually the people gave up their faith in the fierce, savage deities they hud worshipped, and began to serve the one true Maker of heaven and earth. Only, the fear of I ede was still upon them, and uei fiamni mountain was the heathen stronghold. Then it was that a brave Christian woman, strong in faith and courage, resolved to try to defy the goddess in her fastness, and break the spell that bound the people. Her name was Kapiolani, and she was the wife of Naihe, the public oratoi of ; Hawaii. This was in lozo. ; One day she plucked; a branch of r tlie sacred berries, which it vas a 1 sacrilege for a woman to touch, ail I [ started to climb the mountain. It r was a toilsome and terrible ascent, jf | two and a half miles; very dangerous, too. when she reached the shppejj sheets of lava and tlie slopes of the crumbling cinders. k T The enraged priests of Pe-le came out of their sanctuary among the crags and tried to bar her way with tlireats, but she heeded them not She pressed on to the summit and then clambered down the side of the terrible crater, till she stood on the brink of the boiling sea of hie. Then she hurled into it the sacred berries, with the words: “If 1 perish by the anger of Pe-le, then dread is her power; but, behold, I defy her wrath! I have broken her orders; I live and am safe, for Jehovah the Almighty is my God. His was tlie breath that kindled these flames; His is the hand which restrains tlieir fury. Oh, ye people, behold how vain are the gods of Hawaii, and seme the Lord!” . , . Safely Kapoilam descended tlie ■mountain, having broken the power of superstition by her brave deed, and won her cause of faith and freedom.