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Updated: May 18, 2025
Kapoiolani came out of the hut to witness the scene. She remained calm as before, and quieted the fears of her attendants by observing "I know in whom I trust. Even should the lava continue flowing, many days must elapse before the crater is full, and long before it is so we shall be in safety. Pele has nothing to do with it."
Mighty cliffs of jet black rock were on every side, with the lake of shining lava below them, though relieved by the blue sky overhead, to which Kapoiolani looked up and pointed. "There!" she said, "above us is the glorious heaven, which is to be the future home of believers; below, the dark pit, the dwelling-place of those who reject the Lord of light and love."
"She is an impostor, and I will prove her to be so!" exclaimed Kapoiolani, when she heard of it; and, attended by a band of Christians, she went out to meet the priestess. A woman appeared descending from the hills, dressed in a fantastic way, with her robes scorched and partially consumed by fire. She was followed by a band of women and girls, dressed in the same manner.
She did not object to old Tom and the two boys attending her. "My people," she said, "believe that any strangers approaching the crater will meet with certain destruction; your going will more easily convince them of their folly." Kapoiolani performed her journey on foot, as there were at that time no horses in the island, and she objected to be carried by her people.
Two days afterwards several canoes were seen coming off to the ship. In one of them were Kapoiolani and Naihi. They came, they said, to beg that the captain would bear a message to the missionary, Mr Hart, and his wife, requesting that they would come and reside with them, that they might instruct their people in the gospel.
Kapoiolani told him that at times the lake which they saw below them rose up high above the cones, filling the whole space within a hundred feet of the edge with a sea of liquid lava, and that it occasionally burst its way through the edges, carrying destruction in its course, towards the ocean, while at other times new cones arose in the side of the mountain, through which the lava burst its way, flowing down in all directions.
She told them that her name was Kapoiolani, that she was the wife of one of the chief men of the island, who had gone away on a preaching tour with the missionary by whose means she and her husband had been taught the truth, and begged Tom and the boys to remain till their return. This they were very glad to do, as they still felt weary, and Bass complained of aches in all his limbs.
What joy it will be to take you back with me, and to set the minds of your dear mother and sister at rest about your safety!" What Harry said in return need not be repeated. He told his father, however, that he was anxious, before returning home, to let Mr and Mrs Hart know of his and Tom's and Bass's safety, and to thank Kapoiolani and her husband for their kindness.
On hearing this the pretended Pele became very indignant, and, drawing a document written on native cloth from her bosom, declared that it would prove her authority. "It will prove that you yourself cannot write, but some one else has assisted you in your imposture, and that is all it will prove, foolish woman!" exclaimed Kapoiolani.
At every hour of the day people were coming in to receive instructions from Kapoiolani, who was evidently better acquainted with the truths of Christianity than her neighbours. She had for some time accepted the gospel, and showed the deepest earnestness and zeal in making it known to others.
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