Kuna."

When Paoa, a very powerful god from Tahiti, came to visit Hawaii he
built a grass hut and made his home on the long, low rock--now known
as Maui's canoe--in the Wailuku near its mouth.

Local gods viewed this selection of a homesite as foolhardy, but Paoa
was unaware of the sudden and rapid rise the river made when heavy
rains and cloud-bursts loosed their torrents high upon the slopes of
Mauna Kea. Hina, goddess of the river, warned the visitor of his
danger and told him how the angry waters would sweep everything before
them. In the legend, "The Coming of Paoa," you will find his answer.

In those days there must have been much more water in the river than
there is today, for a certain amount is now diverted above Rainbow
Falls for water power.

In spite of the decreased volume the river is still very violent and
treacherous. At high water big boulders are clumsily rolled down
stream and when the river is unusually high even trees are torn from
the banks and carried out to sea.

So the Wailuku still lives up to its name, Destroying Water.

HOW HILO WAS NAMED.

King Kamehameha the Great was a very famous warrior. His chief
ambition, which he lived to realize, was to become sole ruler of all
the Hawaiian Islands. Naturally he had numerous enemies, and he never
remained long in one place for fear some of them might learn of his
whereabouts and attack him.

One time, when he was encamped near the mouth of the Wailuku, he
planned a quiet visit to what is now known as Reed's Island, where
lived a particular friend of his. As this friend was a powerful chief,
Kamehameha felt safe in going to him without his usual warrior
bodyguard.

Before leaving camp he called his servants to him and told them to
stand watch over his canoe, that it might not be stolen or carried
away by the tide. This they promised faithfully to do.

As time passed and the king did not return or send word to his
servants they grew uneasy about him. Perhaps he might have been
ambushed, they reasoned; or more likely fallen into one of the caverns
formed by ancient lava flows and which are often treacherously
concealed by a thin, brittle crust that a man of Kamehameha's bulk
might easily break through. Much as they feared for the king's safety,
the servants dared not leave the canoe unguarded. They were in a
quandary indeed.

"I know what we can do!" cried one of the men. "We can make a rope of
ti leaves and tie the canoe so it