Corzxso.—On a better Knowledge of the Maori Race. 97 
they made up their minds to halt, so they sat down. Then it was that the 
people in the villages, under the chief Tangaroamihi, gazed watchfully 
upon that armed party there encamped, thinking it was a party of their 
enemies coming to fight and to kill; but in this they were deceived, it being 
altogether a different party. 
A long time the party remained there, watching and waiting, but 
nothing came. At last one of the chiefs got up and said—“ Where- 
abouts does this noxious beast that destroys men dwell?" Then another of 
those chiefs replied —* Who knows where, in the water, or in the stony cliff 
that overhangs yonder ?" On this they set to work, and closely examined 
that lake; but alas! the monster was not to be found there ; nevertheless, 
the appearance of that water was of a forbidding fearful character, that is | 
io say, the fear was caused by the peculiar glitter of the water, as if 
strangely and darkly shaded, having the appearance of the water whence 
the greenstone is obtained. But notwithstanding all that, they could not 
detect any kind of chasm or deep dark hole in all that lake, like the hole in 
which Pekehaua was found. 
Then certain of the chiefs said to the priests, ** Begin, go to work; select 
some of your potent charms and spells." So those were chosen and used; 
the priests recited their charms, causing stinging like nettles, and their 
charms of stitching together, so that the bubbles might speedily arise to the 
surface of the lake, if so be that the monster they sought was there in the 
water. At this time one of the priests arose, upon the word spoken forth 
by one of the chiefs of the party, and said, ** It is all to no purpose; nota 
single burst, or rising, or bubble has arisen in the water of Tikitapu.” 
Then they turned their attention upwards to the stony cliff which stood 
before them ; when, before they had quite finished their spell, causing nettle- 
stinging, and were reciting their lifting and raising charms, a voice was 
heard roaring downwards from the overhanging precipice at Moerangi, as if 
it were the creaking of trees in the forest when violently agitated by the 
gale; then they knew and said, * Alas! the monster's home is in the cave 
in the stony cliff." 
Upon this the whole body of 170 arose and stood ready for action; for 
glad they also were that they had found food for their inner man. In their 
uprising, however, they were not forgetful, for they immediately commenced 
reciting their powerful charms and spells ; all were used, of each and every 
kind—none were left unsaid; the several priests made use of all,* that 
being their peculiar work. 
They now set to work, and soon they got near to the entrance of the 
* Seven or eight kinds of charms and spells are here also particularized, and then 
the remainder given in a lump. 
I 
