OF THE SOUTH SEAS 507 



son red and turning white. The flames leaped up from 

 the wood between the stones. 



About the oven, forty feet away, the people of the 

 villages who had gathered, stood or squatted, and 

 solemnly awaited the ritual. The talma, Tufetufetu, 

 was still in a tiny hut that had been erected for him, and 

 at prayer. A deacon of the church went to him, and 

 informed him that the umu was ready, and he came 

 slowly toward us. He wore a white pareu of the an- 

 cient tapa, and a white tiputa, a poncho of the same 

 beaten-bark fabrics. His head was crowned with ti- 

 leaves, and in his hand he had a wand of the same. He 

 was in the dim light a vision of the necromancer of 

 medieval books. 



He halted three steps from the fiery furnace, and 

 chanted in Tahitian: 



O spirits who put fire in the oven, slack the fire! 



O worm of black earth, 



O worm of bright earth, fresh water, sea water, heat of the oven, 



red of the oven, support the feet of the walkers, and fan 



away the fire! 

 O Cold Beings, let us pass over the middle of the oven ! 

 Great Woman, who puts the fire in the heavens, hold still 



the leaf that fans the fire! 

 Let thy children go on the oven for a little while ! 

 Mother of the first footstep ! 

 Mother of the second footstep ! 

 Mother of the third footstep ! 

 Mother of the fourth footstep ! 

 Mother of the fifth footstep ! 

 Mother of the sixth footstep ! 

 Mother of the seventh footstep I 

 Mother of the eighth footstep ! 



