Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 24.djvu/143

 Northwest Trader Hawaiian Islands 123 across the mountains from Waikiki, the capitol of the island. Some fighting took place between his followers and those of Kalanikupule, but this trouble was settled by a personal conference between the two chiefs, and Kaeo continued on around the island to Waianae, the usual point of departure for Kauai. While resting here Kaeo learned of a plot among his warriors directed against himself. In this emergency he resorted to a measure not infrequently used by more civilized generals. He pro- posed an immediate attack on Kalanikupule and the con- quest of Oahu. The plot collapsed and his followers ral- lied about him with enthusiasm, augmented in numbers by several bands of disaffected Oahuans. The advance toward Waikiki was begun at once and within a few days the two armies were in contact west of Honolulu. From the various accounts it appears that besides almost con- tinuous skirmishing, there were two engagements that might be called pitched battles, the whole campaign ex- tending over a period of perhaps two or three weeks and ending December 12. Kalanikupule was defeated in the first of the two general engagements but was victorious in the second, in which also Kaeo was slain. It was at the beginning of this campaign — a critical moment in the fortunes of Kalanikupule— that Captain Brown brought his two vessels into the harbor of Fair- haven. His coming must have seemed to the harassed king like a gift from the gods, for he immediately applied to Captain Brown for assistance in the struggle with Kaeo. His overtures met with a favorable response and it is clear that some kind of an agreement was made be- tween the two. Just what the terms of this agreement were it is not so easy to determine. About the only things that we can be quite sure of are that Brown agreed to furnish some assistance to the king and that Kalanikupule agreed to pay something for this service. Kamakau, who alone gives any details on this point, states that Kalani- kupule arranged to secure the aid of Captain Brown "for