TRAKSACTIOKS OF SECTION Q. 365 



The food of 



The thousands 



To whom thou gocst, 



To the many above, 



To the thousands above ; 



And all is cahu. 



Flax cords were then tied with a sHp-kuot to a tassel of the 

 mat in which the body was enshrouded, and one cord was 

 placed in the hand of each child of the boys and girls, and the 

 priest again chanted,— 



The gods draw near, 

 The gods come towards ; 

 But, Kinokino, do not 

 Thou come to my side 

 With the art of Hia 

 The god. 



And, as the last word of the chant was uttered by the priest, 

 each child pulled the flax cord with a jerk, to disconnect the 

 soul from the body, lest it should remain and afflict the 

 relatives. 



When the body was buried the priest went back to the pa 

 (stockade, fort, the home of the people) ; and the bearers of 

 the body went to the nearest swamp, and when they had 

 had caught a matata, or swamp-sparrow, they sent word to 

 the priest, who forthwith went to them. Each person was 

 then provided with a stick to which certain of the feathers of 

 the bird were tied. The bearers, with a stick thus dressed in 

 each hand, sat on their heels in line, facing the priest, who 

 stood facing the east, with a stick similarly dressed in his left 

 hand. He then moved to the south end of the row of men, 

 and chanted, — 



Oh ! here am I. 



Oh! 



Oh ! then, son here. 



Here, here, oh, oh t 



O son ! here, 



Here, here. Oh, oh ! 



Here am I ; 



Oh! 



son ! oh ! 



1 did search for 

 You here. Oh, oh ! 

 Here am I. Oh ! 

 Oson! Oh, oh! 



And as he chanted he gradually raised his stick, and all 

 with sticks extended at arm's length gradually raised them in 

 perfect harmony and as though it were the action of one, also 

 their bodies, until as the priest concluded his chant they were 

 all erect with extended arms. The priest then collected the 

 sticks and threw them down in front of tlie mua. 



