roughing it-第90部分
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But there is no other monument to Captain Cook。 True； up on the mountain
side we had passed by a large inclosure like an ample hog…pen； built of
lava blocks； which marks the spot where Cook's flesh was stripped from
his bones and burned； but this is not properly a monument since it was
erected by the natives themselves； and less to do honor to the
circumnavigator than for the sake of convenience in roasting him。
A thing like a guide…board was elevated above this pen on a tall pole；
and formerly there was an inscription upon it describing the memorable
occurrence that had there taken place； but the sun and the wind have long
ago so defaced it as to render it illegible。
Toward midnight a fine breeze sprang up and the schooner soon worked
herself into the bay and cast anchor。 The boat came ashore for us； and
in a little while the clouds and the rain were all gone。 The moon was
beaming tranquilly down on land and sea； and we two were stretched upon
the deck sleeping the refreshing sleep and dreaming the happy dreams that
are only vouchsafed to the weary and the innocent。
CHAPTER LXXII。
In the breezy morning we went ashore and visited the ruined temple of the
last god Lono。 The high chief cook of this templethe priest who
presided over it and roasted the human sacrificeswas uncle to Obookia；
and at one time that youth was an apprentice…priest under him。 Obookia
was a young native of fine mind； who； together with three other native
boys； was taken to New England by the captain of a whaleship during the
reign of Kamehameha I； and they were the means of attracting the
attention of the religious world to their country。 This resulted in the
sending of missionaries there。 And this Obookia was the very same
sensitive savage who sat down on the church steps and wept because his
people did not have the Bible。 That incident has been very elaborately
painted in many a charming Sunday School bookaye； and told so
plaintively and so tenderly that I have cried over it in Sunday School
myself； on general principles； although at a time when I did not know
much and could not understand why the people of the Sandwich Islands
needed to worry so much about it as long as they did not know there was a
Bible at all。
Obookia was converted and educated； and was to have returned to his
native land with the first missionaries； had he lived。 The other native
youths made the voyage； and two of them did good service； but the third；
William Kanui； fell from grace afterward； for a time； and when the gold
excitement broke out in California he journeyed thither and went to
mining； although he was fifty years old。 He succeeded pretty well； but
the failure of Page； Bacon & Co。 relieved him of six thousand dollars；
and then； to all intents and purposes； he was a bankrupt in his old age
and he resumed service in the pulpit again。 He died in Honolulu in 1864。
Quite a broad tract of land near the temple； extending from the sea to
the mountain top； was sacred to the god Lono in olden timesso sacred
that if a common native set his sacrilegious foot upon it it was
judicious for him to make his will； because his time had come。 He might
go around it by water； but he could not cross it。 It was well sprinkled
with pagan temples and stocked with awkward； homely idols carved out of
logs of wood。 There was a temple devoted to prayers for rainand with
fine sagacity it was placed at a point so well up on the mountain side
that if you prayed there twenty…four times a day for rain you would be
likely to get it every time。 You would seldom get to your Amen before
you would have to hoist your umbrella。
And there was a large temple near at hand which was built in a single
night； in the midst of storm and thunder and rain； by the ghastly hands
of dead men！ Tradition says that by the weird glare of the lightning a
noiseless multitude of phantoms were seen at their strange labor far up
the mountain side at dead of nightflitting hither and thither and
bearing great lava…blocks clasped in their nerveless fingersappearing
and disappearing as the pallid lustre fell upon their forms and faded
away again。 Even to this day； it is said； the natives hold this dread
structure in awe and reverence； and will not pass by it in the night。
At noon I observed a bevy of nude native young ladies bathing in the sea；
and went and sat down on their clothes to keep them from being stolen。
I begged them to come out； for the sea was rising and I was satisfied
that they were running some risk。 But they were not afraid； and
presently went on with their sport。 They were finished swimmers and
divers； and enjoyed themselves to the last degree。
They swam races； splashed and ducked and tumbled each other about； and
filled the air with their laughter。 It is said that the first thing an
Islander learns is how to swim； learning to walk being a matter of
smaller consequence； comes afterward。 One hears tales of native men and
women swimming ashore from vessels many miles at seamore miles； indeed；
than I dare vouch for or even mention。 And they tell of a native diver
who went down in thirty or forty…foot waters and brought up an anvil！
I think he swallowed the anvil afterward； if my memory serves me。
However I will not urge this point。
I have spoken； several times； of the god LonoI may as well furnish two
or three sentences concerning him。
The idol the natives worshipped for him was a slender； unornamented staff
twelve feet long。 Tradition says he was a favorite god on the Island of
Hawaiia great king who had been deified for meritorious servicesjust
our own fashion of rewarding heroes； with the difference that we would
have made him a Postmaster instead of a god； no doubt。 In an angry
moment he slew his wife； a goddess named Kaikilani Aiii。 Remorse of
conscience drove him mad； and tradition presents us the singular
spectacle of a god traveling 〃on the shoulder；〃 for in his gnawing grief
he wandered about from place to place boxing and wrestling with all whom
he met。 Of course this pastime soon lost its novelty； inasmuch as it
must necessarily have been the case that when so powerful a deity sent a
frail human opponent 〃to grass〃 he never came back any more。 Therefore；
he instituted games called makahiki； and ordered that they should be held
in his honor； and then sailed for foreign lands on a three…cornered raft；
stating that he would return some dayand that was the last of Lono。
He was never seen any more； his raft got swamped； perhaps。 But the
people always expected his return； and thus they were easily led to
accept Captain Cook as the restored god。
Some of the old natives believed Cook was Lono to the day of their death；
but many did not； for they could not understand how he could die if he
was a god。
Only a mile or so from Kealakekua Bay is a spot of historic interestthe
place where the last battle was fought for idolatry。 Of course we
visited it； and came away as wise as most people do who go and gaze upon
such mementoes of the past when in an unreflective mood。
While the first missionaries were on their way around the Horn； the
idolatrous customs which had obtained in the island； as far back as
tradition reached were suddenly broken up。 Old Kamehameha I。； was dead；
and his son； Liholiho； the new King was a free liver； a roystering；
dissolute fellow； and hated the restraints of the ancient tabu。 His
assistant in the Government； Kaahumanu； the Queen dowager； was proud and
high…spirited； and hated the tabu because it restricted the privileges of
her sex and degraded all women very nearly to the level of brutes。
So the case stood。 Liholiho had half a mind to put his foot down；
Kaahumahu had a whole mind to badger him into doing it； and whiskey did
the rest。 It was probably the rest。 It was probably the first time
whiskey ever prominently figured as an aid to civilization。 Liholiho
came up to Kailua as drunk as a piper； and attended a great feast； the
determined Queen spurred his drunken courage up to a reckless pitch； and
then； while all the multitude stared in blank dismay； he moved
deliberately forward and sat down with the women！
They saw him eat from the same vessel with them； and were appalled！
Terrible moments drifted slowly by； and still the King ate； still he
lived； still the lightnings of the insulted gods were withheld！
Then conviction came like a revelationthe superstitions of a hundred
generations passed from before the people like a cloud； and a shout went
up； 〃the tabu is broken！ the tabu is broken！〃
Thus did King Liholiho and his dreadful whiskey preach the first sermon
and prepare the way for the new gospel that was speeding southward over
the waves of the Atlantic。
The tabu broken and destruction failing to follow the awful sacrilege；
the people； with that childlike precipitancy which has always
characterized them； jumped to the conclusion that their gods were a weak
and wretched swindle； just as they formerly jumped to the conclusion that
Captain Cook was no god； merely because he groaned； and promptly killed
him without stopping to inquire whether a god might not groan as well as
a man if it suited his convenie
