KEKUPUA'S CANOE


Kakae, a chief, lived at Wahiawa, Kukaniloko, Waialua, Oahu. One day
his wife told him that she desired to go in search of her brother,
Kahanaiakeakua, who was supposed to be living at Tahiti. Kakae
thereupon ordered his man Kekupua to go into the woods and find
a suitable tree and make a canoe for his wife for this foreign
voyage. Kekupua, with a number of men under him, searched in the
forest belt of Wahiawa, Helemano, and Waoala, as also through the
woods of Koolau, without success. From Kahana they made a search
through the mountains till they came to Kilohana, in Kalihi Valley,
and from there to Waolani, in Nuuanu, where they slept in a cave. In
the dead of night they heard the hum as of human voices, but were
unable to discern any person, though the voices sounded close to
them. At dawn silence reigned again, and when the sun arose, lo,
and behold! there stood a large mound of stones, the setting of which
resembled that of a _heiau_, or temple, the remains of which are said
to be noticeable to this day.

Kekupua and his men returned to their chief and reported their
unsuccessful search for a suitable _koa_ (_Acacia koa_) tree for
the desired canoe, and related also the incident at Waolani. Kakae,
being a descendant of the Menehunes, knew immediately the authors of
the strange occurrence. He therefore instructed Kekupua to proceed to
Makaho and Kamakela and to stay there till the night of Kane, then go
up to Puunui and wait till hearing the hum and noise of the Menehunes,
which would be the signal of their finishing the canoe. And thus it