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the word of Rum give us for the land？ Have you received one dollar；
as much as one dollar； any one of you； for the land？ Yet it is
theirs； and in return they tell us we can go to work on the land；
their land； and that what we produce by our toil shall be theirs。
Yet in the old days we did not have to work。 Also； when we are
sick； they take away our freedom。〃
〃Who brought the sickness； Koolau？〃 demanded Kiloliana； a lean and
wiry man with a face so like a laughing faun's that one might expect
to see the cloven hoofs under him。 They were cloven； it was true；
but the cleavages were great ulcers and livid putrefactions。 Yet
this was Kiloliana； the most daring climber of them all； the man who
knew every goat…trail and who had led Koolau and his wretched
followers into the recesses of Kalalau。
〃Ay； well questioned；〃 Koolau answered。 〃Because we would not work
the miles of sugar…cane where once our horses pastured； they brought
the Chinese slaves from overseas。 And with them came the Chinese
sicknessthat which we suffer from and because of which they would
imprison us on Molokai。 We were born on Kauai。 We have been to the
other islands； some here and some there； to Oahu； to Maui； to
Hawaii； to Honolulu。 Yet always did we come back to Kauai。 Why did
we come back？ There must be a reason。 Because we love Kauai。 We
were born here。 Here we have lived。 And here shall we dieunless…
…unlessthere be weak hearts amongst us。 Such we do not want。
They are fit for Molokai。 And if there be such； let them not
remain。 Tomorrow the soldiers land on the shore。 Let the weak
hearts go down to them。 They will be sent swiftly to Molokai。 As
for us； we shall stay and fight。 But know that we will not die。 We
have rifles。 You know the narrow trails where men must creep； one
by one。 I； alone； Koolau； who was once a cowboy on Niihau； can hold
the trail against a thousand men。 Here is Kapalei； who was once a
judge over men and a man with honour； but who is now a hunted rat；
like you and me。 Hear him。 He is wise。〃
Kapalei arose。 Once he had been a judge。 He had gone to college at
Punahou。 He had sat at meat with lords and chiefs and the high
representatives of alien powers who protected the interests of
traders and missionaries。 Such had been Kapalei。 But now； as
Koolau had said； he was a hunted rat； a creature outside the law；
sunk so deep in the mire of human horror that he was above the law
as well as beneath it。 His face was featureless； save for gaping
orifices and for the lidless eyes that burned under hairless brows。
〃Let us not make trouble；〃 he began。 〃We ask to be left alone。 But
if they do not leave us alone； then is the trouble theirs and the
penalty。 My fingers are gone； as you see。〃 He held up his stumps
of hands that all might see。 〃Yet have I the joint of one thumb
left； and it can pull a trigger as firmly as did its lost neighbour
in the old days。 We love Kauia。 Let us live here； or die here； but
do not let us go to the prison of Molokai。 The sickness is not
ours。 We have not sinned。 The men who preached the word of God and
the word of Rum brought the sickness with the coolie slaves who work
the stolen land。 I have been a judge。 I know the law and the
justice； and I say to you it is unjust to steal a man's land； to
make that man sick with the Chinese sickness； and then to put that
man in prison for life。〃
〃Life is short； and the days are filled with pain；〃 said Koolau。
〃Let us drink and dance and be happy as we can。〃
From one of the rocky lairs calabashes were produced and passed
round。 The calabashes were filled with the fierce distillation of
the root of the ti…plant； and as the liquid fire coursed through
them and mounted to their brains； they forgot that they had once
been men and women； for they were men and women once more。 The
woman who wept scalding tears from open eye…pits was indeed a woman
apulse with life as she plucked the strings of an ukulele and lifted
her voice in a barbaric love…call such as might have come from the
dark forest…depths of the primeval world。 The air tingled with her
cry； softly imperious and seductive。 Upon a mat； timing his rhythm
to the woman's song Kiloliana danced。 It was unmistakable。 Love
danced in all his movements； and； next； dancing with him on the mat；
was a woman whose heavy hips and generous breast gave the lie to her
disease…corroded face。 It was a dance of the living dead； for in
their disintegrating bodies life still loved and longed。 Ever the
woman whose sightless eyes ran scalding tears chanted her love…cry；
ever the dancers of love danced in the warm night； and ever the
calabashes went around till in all their brains were maggots
crawling of memory and desire。 And with the woman on the mat danced
a slender maid whose face was beautiful and unmarred； but whose
twisted arms that rose and fell marked the disease's ravage。 And
the two idiots； gibbering and mouthing strange noises； danced apart；
grotesque； fantastic； travestying love as they themselves had been
travestied by life。
But the woman's love…cry broke midway； the calabashes were lowered；
and the dancers ceased； as all gazed into the abyss above the sea；
where a rocket flared like a wan phantom through the moonlit air。
〃It is the soldiers；〃 said Koolau。 〃Tomorrow there will be
fighting。 It is well to sleep and be prepared。〃
The lepers obeyed； crawling away to their lairs in the cliff； until
only Koolau remained； sitting motionless in the moonlight； his rifle
across his knees； as he gazed far down to the boats landing on the
beach。
The far head of Kalalau Valley had been well chosen as a refuge。
Except Kiloliana； who knew back…trails up the precipitous walls； no
man could win to the gorge save by advancing across a knife…edged
ridge。 This passage was a hundred yards in length。 At best； it was
a scant twelve inches wide。 On either side yawned the abyss。 A
slip； and to right or left the man would fall to his death。 But
once across he would find himself in an earthly paradise。 A sea of
vegetation laved the landscape； pouring its green billows from wall
to wall； dripping from the cliff…lips in great vine…masses； and
flinging a spray of ferns and air…plants in to the multitudinous
crevices。 During the many months of Koolau's rule； he and his
followers had fought with this vegetable sea。 The choking jungle；
with its riot of blossoms； had been driven back from the bananas；
oranges； and mangoes that grew wild。 In little clearings grew the
wild arrowroot； on stone terraces； filled with soil scrapings； were
the taro patches and the melons； and in every open space where the
sunshine penetrated were papaia trees burdened with their golden
fruit。
Koolau had been driven to this refuge from the lower valley by the
beach。 And if he were driven from it in turn； he knew of gorges
among the jumbled peaks of the inner fastnesses where he could lead
his subjects and live。 And now he lay with his rifle beside him；
peering down through a tangled screen of foliage at the soldiers on
the beach。 He noted that they had large guns with them； from which
the sunshine flashed as from mirrors。 The knife…edged passage lay
directly before him。 Crawling upward along the trail that led to it
he could see tiny specks of men。 He knew they were not the
soldiers； but the police。 When they failed； then the soldiers would
enter the game。
He affectionately rubbed a twisted hand along his rifle barrel and
made sure that the sights were clean。 He had learned to shoot as a
wild…cattle hunter on Niihau； and on that island his skill as a
marksman was unforgotten。 As the toiling specks of men grew nearer
and larger； he estimated the range； judged the deflection of the
wind that swept at right angles across the line of fire； and
calculated the chances of overshooting marks that were so far below
his level。 But he did not shoot。 Not until they reached the
beginning of the passage did he make his presence known。 He did not
disclose himself； but spoke from the thicket。
〃What do you want？〃 he demanded。
〃We want Koolau； the leper；〃 answered the man who led the native
police； himself a blue…eyed American。
〃You must go back；〃 Koolau said。
He knew the man； a deputy sheriff； for it was by him that he had
been harried out of Niihau； across Kauai； to Kalalau Valley； and out
of the valley to the gorge。
〃Who are you？〃 the sheriff asked。
〃I am Koolau； the leper；〃 was the reply。
〃Then come out。 We want you。 Dead or alive； there is a thousand
dollars on your head。 You cannot escape。〃
Koolau laughed aloud in the thicket。
〃Come out！〃 the sheriff commanded； and was answered by silence。
He conferred with the police； and K