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. Hono 

 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 &quot; 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.&quot; 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 



