--- title: The Eight of Oahu — Hawaiian Historical Legends · full text with trees description: The Eight of Oahu, «Hawaiian Historical Legends» by W. D. Westervelt: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: This is a story of one of the most daring deeds in Hawaiian history. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/16/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Hawaiian Historical Legends](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/) / The Eight of Oahu # The Eight of Oahu The Eight of Oahu of «Hawaiian Historical Legends» by W. D. Westervelt: the whole text, 71 sentences and 1337 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. This is a story of one of the most daring deeds in Hawaiian history.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") After the death of Captain Cook in 1779 Ka-meha-meha was slowly gaining dominion over the large island of Hawaii.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") Meanwhile the king of Maui, Kahekili, seemed to be far more successful in extending the boundaries over which he exercised rule.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") Kahekili had control of Maui and the adjacent islands and had sent expeditions to harass the followers of Ka-meha-meha on Hawaii.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") Oahu was also tempting Kahekili, and he had already taken steps to weaken the forces of that island.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") Kahekili had fomented distrust and bloodshed among the Oahu chiefs and at last with an immense fleet of canoes filled with warriors had landed on the beach, south of the crater Leahi, now known as Diamond Head.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") His canoes were spread along the beach below Diamond Head, covering the sands of Waikiki.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") This was in the early part of the year 1783.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") The King of Oahu had been taken by surprise.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") He was staying for a time in the beautiful valley back of Honolulu.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") The Nuuanu stream with its many falls and sweet waters was a place where kings had always loved to rest.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") While revelling there in seductive pleasures the king, Ka-ha-hana, suddenly was awakened by the report of the coming of the Maui chief.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") The uninvited guest was unwelcome because no preparation had been made for the reception.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") Messengers were hurried to all parts of Oahu, and the warriors were hastily gathered together.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") Over the mountains and along the arid plains they came.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") But the force was woefully inadequate to meet the Maui invaders.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") In this company there were eight famous warriors, who seemed to think themselves invulnerable.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") They had often faced danger and returned chanting victory.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") The night shadows were falling around the camp when these eight men, one by one, crept away from the other chiefs.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") Word had been passed from one to the other and a secret expedition partially outlined.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") Therefore each man was laden with his spear, club, and javelins.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") When free from all chance of interference they encouraged each other to undertake an expedition, as Fornander says, “on their own account and inflict what damage they could.”[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") Those who have known the Waikiki beach of to-day with its splendidly wooded shores, the luxuriant park inland, the plains covered with trees, and the lower mountain ridges choked with lantana bushes, cannot realise the desolate wastes of the past.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") The tropical luxuriance of the region around Honolulu belongs to to-day and not to a hundred years ago.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") It was over this arid plain dotted here and there by cocoanut trees and across a few streams bordered by taro patches that the eight famous chiefs picked their way.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") It was not smooth walking.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") Lava had been poured out from the craters in the mountains and foothills.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") The softer parts of the petrified streams had dissolved and the surface of the land was covered with the hard fragments which remained.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") The trail which they followed led in and out among great boulders until they came to the sandy slopes of Diamond Head.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") With the coming of morning light they found themselves not far from the old temple, which had been used for ages for most solemn royal ceremonies, a part of which was often the sacrifice of human beings, and here, aided by their gods, they thought to inflict such injuries upon the Maui men as would make their names remembered in the Maui households.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") Fornander says: “It was a chivalrous undertaking, a forlorn hope, wholly unauthorised but fully within the spirit of that time for personal valour, audacity, and total disregard of consequences.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") The names of these heroes were: Pupuka, Makaioulu, Puakea, Pinau, Kalaeone, Pahua, Kauhi and Kapukoa.”[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") Several hundred warriors from Maui were stationed near this temple at the foot of Diamond Head.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") Probably some of them had carelessly watched the approach of eight chiefs of Oahu.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") “Into the valley of death rode the six hundred,” but this was not an impetuous torrent of six hundred mounted cavalry men sweeping through Russian ranks.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") It was a handful of eight against what was said to be a force of at least six hundred.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") Into these hundreds the eight boldly charged.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") The conflict was hand to hand, and in that respect was favourable to the eight men well skilled in the use of spear and javelin.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") Side by side, striking and smiting all before them, the little band forced its way into the heart of the body of its foes.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") The Maui warriors had expected to take these men, as a fire without trouble swallows up splinters cast into it.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") They had thought that this little company would afford them an excellent sacrifice for their war gods, and had hoped to take them alive, even at the expense of the lives of a few men.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") But quickly the formidable character of the eight fighters was appreciated.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") Wave upon wave of men from Maui beat against the eight, but each time the wave was shattered and scattered and destroyed.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") Large numbers were killed while the eight still fought side by side apparently uninjured.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") It has been said that this was a fight “to which Hawaiian legends record no parallel.”[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") Eight men attacked an army and for some time were victorious in their onslaught.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") But the force around them was continually receiving additions, and an overwhelming body of men was slowly crowding over the dead and dying and preparing to crush them by weight of numbers.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") Then came the whispered call to retreat, and the eight made a terrific onslaught against the circle of warriors surrounding them.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") It was a marvellous escape.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") After an awful struggle the opposition was broken down and the eight leaped over the piles of the slain and fled toward the mountains.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") One of the eight was short and bow-legged.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") He could fight well, but could not run away as swiftly as his comrades.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") The Maui men pressed closely after the fleeing chiefs.[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") The bow-legged man was tripped and thrown.[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") In a moment his spear and javelin were taken from him and a renowned Maui chief caught him and placed him on his back with the face upward, so that he could not do any injury.[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") He started swiftly toward the temple to have his captive sacrificed “as the first victim of the war.”[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") The friends of the captive were still near at hand and heard him cry out that he was captured.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") They had no hope of being able to rescue him but turned to see if anything could be done.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") He saw them and called to one of them to kill him rather than let him be sacrificed alive.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") He urged that a spear be thrown to pierce him through the stomach.[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") “In hope of shortening the present and prospective tortures of his friend, knowing well what his fate would be if brought alive into the enemy’s camp, the chief did as he was bidden.”[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") The spear came unerringly toward the prisoner, but as he saw the polished shaft almost piercing him he twisted to one side and it sank deep into the body of the chief who carried him.[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") In the confusion attendant upon the death of this great chief the bow-legged warrior escaped to his friends and soon all the little company were beyond pursuit.[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") What became of the eight?[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") Only one lived to perpetuate his name among the families of Oahu.[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") Pupuka became the ancestor of noted chiefs of high rank.[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") The others were probably all killed in the destructive battles which soon followed.[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") Kahekili conquered the Oahu army with great slaughter and finally received the body of Kahahana, which was taken to the temple at Waikiki and offered in sacrifice.[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") After this annihilation of the Oahu army no hint is given of the other members of the band of the famous eight.[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") They live on the pages of history.[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") XVI[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [In the Days of Kahahana, 1782](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/15/) - next →: [The Red Mouth Gun](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/17/) - ↑ back to [Hawaiian Historical Legends](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/)