CHAPTER XXV 



I meet a sorcerer — iPower over fire — The mystery of the fiery furnace — 

 The scene in the forest — Walking over the white hot stones — Origin 

 of the rite. 



WALKING to the neighboring district of 

 Pueu with Raiere to see the beauties of the 

 shore, we met a cart coming toward Tau- 

 tira, and one of the two natives in it attracted my in- 

 terest. He was very tall and broad and proud of car- 

 riage, old, but still unbroken in form or feature, and with 

 a look of unconformity that marked him for a rebel. 

 Against what? I wondered. Walt Whitman had that 

 look, and so had Lincoln; and Thomas Paine, who more 

 than any Englishman aided the American Revolution. 

 Mysticism was in this man's eyes, which did not gaze at 

 the things about him, but were blinds to a secret soul. 



Raiere exchanged a few words with the driver of the 

 cart, and as they continued on toward Tautira, he said to 

 me in a very serious voice: 



"He is a tahua, a sorcerer, who will enact the Umuti, 

 the walking over the fiery oven. He is from Raiatea 

 and very noted. Ten years ago. Papa Ita of Raiatea 

 was here, but there has been no Umuti since." 



"What brings him here now?" I asked. "Who pays 

 him?" 



Raiere answered quickly: 



"Aue! he does not ask for money, but he must live, 

 and we all will give a little. It is good to see the Umuti 

 again." 



