162 TRADITIONARY TALES. 



having on board some families, who brought 

 with them hogs, fowls, dogs, and several edible 

 roots. To the present day are the first foot- 

 steps of man on this land to be seen. Rono 

 was at that time absent, catching fish on the 

 northern islands for his wife. The fire-god, 

 his subject, unpropitious to man, taking advan- 

 tage of this circumstance, made an effort to 

 repulse the new-comers. He approached them 

 with terrible gestures, and asked whence they 

 came. They answered — " We come from a 

 country which abounds in hogs, dogs, cocoa- 

 nuts, and bread-fruit. We were overtaken by 

 a violent storm when on a voyage to visit some 

 neighbours ; and the moon changed five times 

 before we reached this land." They then beg- 

 ged permission to remain, which the fire-god 

 cruelly refused, and continued inexorable, al- 

 though they offered to sacrifice a hog to 

 him. 



Rono, however, observing that a strange 

 smell proceeded from O Wahi, suddenly return- 

 ed, and was greatly surprised at the sight of 

 the men. Encouraged by his friendly deport- 

 ment, they made their petition to him, relating 



