THE ABOEIGINES OF THE ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 67 



Samoaiis, produced Tagaloa the visitor of the peoples, Taga- 

 loa the proliibitor of the peoples, and Tagaloa the messenger, 

 who went fortli to attend to the duties signified by these 

 names.* Among the Tahitians eveiy disease was supposed 

 to be sent by the gods, because of some crime against their 

 tabu or else because of the offering of an enemy.f 



The people of the Sandwich Islands have an ancient 

 tradition of a superintending power above. Maui, a super- 

 human being or god, is said to have laid his hand upon the 

 sun and arrested its course to give his wife time to finish 

 work, which she was anxious to complete before dark.| 



As among the Indians of America, so among the natives of 

 these islands, all that I have said about the guardian spirits 

 who are worshipped more than tlie Supreme Deity, and all 

 that I shall say about the Deluge, sacrifices, and prayer, 

 refers to the same great fact that the Supreme Spirits exercise 

 a providential care over mankind. 



(3) The Deluge. — It is somewhat strange how traditions of 

 this event exist in all parts of the world. 



Near Sydney in Australia there was a tradition of a deluge, 

 which overtopped the Blue Mountains, and two men only 

 escaped the devastation in a large ship.§ 



In the Fiji Islands there was likewise a tradition of a 

 Hood, which some say was partial, and others say was 

 universal. It was occasioned by the killing by two boys of 

 a favourite bird belonging to the Supreme Deity, who tried 

 first for three months to conquer them with his army, but 

 was unable to do so, as they were assisted by their friends, 

 whereupon he sent a flood. They cared mot for it, as they 

 were fortified on a high mountain, but the flood came to them, 

 Avhen they cried to a god who taught them how to build a 

 canoe or two canoes, or a float, according to different stories, 

 and eight persons were saved. All the highest land was 

 covered. They settled down on Mbeagga. The highest 

 point on the island is Nginggj-tangithi Koro, which conveys 

 the idea of a little bird sitting there, and lamenting over a 

 drowned island. 11 



* Trans. Vict. Inst., vol. xx, p. 150. 



t Polynesian Researches., p. 301. 



I Jarves, Sandwich J stands, pp. 17, 19. 



§ Journal of Tyertnan and Bennet, vol. ii, p. 266. 



J I Fiji and Fijians, cliai>. 7. 



F 



