484 MYSTIC ISLES 



With the finding of the first eel, began an hour's 

 search for his fellows. We had struck their haunt, but 

 they did not yield us half a dozen of their kind without 

 diligent, though pleasant, work. We splashed to places 

 when one sang out that an eel was in sight, and pursued 

 them in their divagations through the river, trusting to 

 drive them into eddies or under the fringe of plants 

 hanging from the banks where we hunted them out. 



In a couple of hours we found ourselves with a full 

 creel of eels and oura, and I a trifle dismayed at facing 

 the march home. Raiere relieved Tahitua of the bur- 

 den, and a song shortened the way. I gave them the 

 ditty of the New-Zealand Maori, who metaphorically 

 toasted his enemy: 



O, the saltiness of my mouth 



In drinking the liquid brains of Nuku 



Whence welled up his wrath! 



His ears which heard the deliberations ! 



Mine enemy shall go headlong 



Into the stomach of HInewai ! 



My teeth shall devour Kaukau! 



The three hundred and forty of my enemy 



Shall be huddled in a heap in my trough; 



Te Hika and his multitudes 



Shall boil in my pot! 



The whole tribe shall be 



My sweet morsel to finish with ! E ! 



