THE RED FISH INVASION

The ancient superstition that visits of red fish in large numbers to the Islands portend the death of some member of the royal family, absurd as it may be, has just had what may be considered by many a remarkable substantiation. A few months ago there started running into and around the harbors of the Islands such schools of alalaua as had not been seen before in five years or more, if not in many years prior to that; and the schools of aweoweo, or grown alalaua, are still here. When the little red fish first started coming in months ago, the older natives shook their heads and declared that one of their aliis must go. It has so turned out. Of course the supposition that there is, or can be, any connection between the two circumstances is ridiculous, but the singular thing to anybody is that the two incidents should have happened together so many times in history, as to create a more or less fixed superstition.

(Maui News, 11/16/1917, p. 4)

The Maui News, Eighteenth Year, Number 923, Page 4. November 16, 1917.