TRADITION OF A FLOOD. 395 



search of it ; but all endeavours to discover any traces 

 of the lost one proved unsuccessful. The messenger de- 

 clared that it could nowhere be found. Degei had a 

 fresh search instituted, which led to the discovery of the 

 body of the dead bird, and that of the deed which had 

 deprived him of life. The two youths, fearing Degei's 

 anger, fled to the mountains and there took refuge with 

 a powerful tribe of carpenters, who willingly agreed to 

 build a fence strong enough to keep Degei and his mes- 

 sengers at bay. They little knew the power they had 

 attempted to balk. Degei, finding the taking of the 

 fence by storm impossible, caused violent rains to fall, 

 and the waters rose to such a height that at last they 

 reached the place where the two youths and their abet- 

 tors had fortified themselves. To save themselves from 

 drowning they jumped into large bowls that happened 

 to be at hand, and in these they were scattered in vari- 

 ous directions. When the waters subsided, some landed 

 at Suva, some at Navua and Bega ; and it is from them 

 that the present race of carpenters and canoe-builders 

 claim to be descended.* 



* The late Rev. J. Hunt lias published a version of this story, which he 

 himself terms as being between an imitation and a translation of the original. 

 I quote a few verses. It begins with one of the boys trying his arrow : 

 " ' I '11 try, I mean no harm, I '11 only try,' 

 Pointing his arrow as he fix'd his eye : 

 His brother strikes his hand, the arrow flies, 

 And prostrate at their feet old Turulcawa lies. 



" Stretch'd on the fatal ground, upon his back, 

 They see the deadly arrow's fatal track ;i 

 His entrails all turn out, his flowing blood 

 Stains the white sand, and dyes the ocean flood. 



" ' This is no common bird,' one faintly said, 

 ' His glaring eyes retain their crimson red ; 



