580 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



differentiated in the island-groups until the New-Zealander 

 cannot understand the Tongan, nor the Samoan the Tahitian, 

 — whose customs, religions, tattooing, all have become distinct, 

 — still hand down the same legends almost word for word, 

 unchanged by the passing of many centuries. These stories 

 have in most cases been preserved by religious influences, the 

 traditions relating mainly to gods and heroes round whom was 

 wrapped much of awe and mystery. In New Zealand the 

 priestly incantations and legends were perpetuated with a very 

 lively sense of the deadly consequences of error and the fear of 

 offending celestial persons whose resentment would be aroused 

 by a careless slip or want of reverential attention. Years 

 were spent in arduous training and in discipleship to learned 

 teachers, and no innovation was possible in the authorized 

 version recited in the presence of fiercely-critical elders. This 

 short preamble may not be considered unnecessary as explain- 

 ing why these legends are not to be looked on in the same 

 light as mere tales of fiction invented at the present day to 

 pass an idle hour. They are in many cases the heir-looms 

 from an incalculably remote antiquity — a time, in my opinion, 

 far antecedent to that covered by any historical period or 

 literary record. Of course they are not all of equal value : 

 some are corrupt, and others have been related by partially- 

 uninstructed persons ; but by the student of mythology and folk- 

 lore points are to be perceived that tell of age and authenticity 

 by subtle processes that the surface observer is not able to 

 appreciate, just as to the eye of the naturalist important dif- 

 ferences of allied species are apparent that the untrained by- 

 stander would not only pass over, but might, with self-suffi- 

 ciency, refuse to believe exist. They do exist, however, and in 

 a similar manner intrinsic evidence of high antiquity is often 

 presented to the trained student of mythology. 



Concerning the deluge, I shall not in this paper dwell 

 upon the many legends. They are to be found all over the 

 world, and perhaps in no finer or more original manner than 

 in the Polynesian hymns and traditions. To compare the 

 allusions recorded by different ancient peoples would make a 

 paper of exceeding length, and I trust that at some future 

 time I shall be enabled to compile the different accounts, and 

 show that they are of great (sometimes local) interest, even in 

 regard to scientific points which are mere details of the stories. 

 For the present I shall touch on a class of the traditions 

 which seem to prove that, in some manner to us incompre- 

 hensible, the deluge of water was preceded or accompanied by 

 another great catastrophe — namely, that of a terrible confla- 

 gration. The Hebrew account gives no hint of this, nor does 

 the Chaldean, except perhaps by obscure references. It is 

 only through the legendary statement of primitive peoples 



