Cotznso.—Traditions of the Maoris. 19 
Uenuku, Ruatapu was completely overcome with shame, and his whole 
heart was filled ‘with grief and pain, and, loudly lamenting, he went away to 
the place where ‘the canoe was, planning in his mind how he should best 
accomplish the murder of Uenuku’s favourite sons, his elder brothers. He 
soon hit upon a plan; he got a stone chisel and he worked away with it at 
the bottom of the new canoe, until he had cut a hole through, which, when 
done, he plugged up and hid with wooden chips and scrapings, so that it 
should not be seen. Then he went back into the town, but he would not 
eat any food, for his heart was still deeply grieved at the lowering words 
which his father had used respecting him. The next morning early 
Ruatapu went and aroused and brought together the men of the place to 
drag the new canoe down to the sea. They all came and she was soon 
afloat, and then those young chiefs, 70 in number, who had been already 
prepared for that duty, entered on board of the canoe, he himself taking’ care 
that no boys* embarked with them, for some who came to do so he returned 
to their home. The canoe being well-manned with smart paddlers, and all 
being ready, away they paddled ; Ruatapu himself going with them, seating 
himself in his own place on board, and keeping the heel of his foot firmly 
fixed on the hole which he had bored in her bottom. They paddled a very 
long way out to sea, when Ruatapu removed his foot from the hole, and the 
water rushed in. On seeing the water in the bottom of the canoe they cried 
out, ‘‘ We shall be upset! turn her round to the shore !”” but Ruatapu again 
fixing his heel on the hole, and also baling out the water, the canoe was soon 
free from it. They still paddled away further out, when some said, “ Let 
us now return, for we have paddled to a very great distance.” On hearing 
this, Ruatapu answered, “ We will soon return ; let us first go a little further 
out.” So away they paddled, until they had got quite out of sight of 
land ; then he again removed his heel from the hole, and the water rushed 
in! All immediately called out, ‘‘ Where is the baler? hasten ; bale out 
the water; we are lost!” But Ruatapu had hidden the baler; and soon 
the canoe was filled with water, and was upset.t Then Ruatapu made after 
his brothers, and quickly drowned several of them by plunging them under. 
Having done so, and seeing Paikea still swimming, he followed hard after 
him to drown him also; but Paikea repeatedly evaded him. At last 
Ruatapu said to Paikea, “« Which of us two shall carry the tidings of our 
- disaster to land?” And Paikea replied, ‘I will, for I can do it; for I am 
also a son of (or descended from) the sea.” And this was both the reason 
of his so saying and of his escaping drowning,—Paikea being descended 
from Rongomaitahanui, who was also descended from Te Petipeti, and Te 
a nse word may mean—younger so: 
} See proverb, No. 181, “Trans, N.Z. Inst.,” Vol. XIL, p. 140, 
