236 LETTER FROM NOMAITANNA. 



excuse my indifferent writing. Hunger compels 

 me to close my letter. I wish that thou also 

 mayst eat thy hog s head with appetite and 

 pleasure. 



I am, 

 With royal constancy 



And endless love, thine, 



NOMAHANNA.&quot; 



This curious epistle is very neatly written 

 in a firm hand. The letters are large, well- 

 formed, and very intelligible. The superscrip 

 tion bears only the words with which the letter 

 begins &quot; Aroha Rukkini !&quot; The composition 

 had taken her many weeks to complete ; she made 

 some progress in it every day ; but what was 

 once inserted she never altered ; the same clean 

 page that had been transmitted to me, being 

 the identical one on which the letter was com 

 menced. 



It was soon known in Hanaruro that the 

 Queen had written to me ; and as all she did 

 was imitated, I was presently in a fair way for 

 being honoured with many similar letters. All 

 my intended correspondents, however, would 



