08 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



A man of no rank, 



A man of no notice, 



A demon, a despised thing, 



A poor young fellow, (an) eater of servants' scraps ! 



But, — concerning my war-belt, ha ! 



My war-belt which was dreaded, 



Behold it now ! 



Fittingly and securely fixed. 



(It was) carefully and fitly woven in the house. 



Over which was sung (while weaving) 



The mournful lament of sisters ! 



Lo ! the favourable wind arises ; 



I hear it ; I feel it. 



The strong north wind blows, 



I feel it encircling. 



My foes are already hiding through fear ! 



Enclose me around, Space ! 



O Space and Air encircle me ! 



Sky encircle me ! 



Who am now here, engaged 



In girding-on the war-belt of the warrior 



1 shall stand — as a rainbow. 



Girt with the war-belt of the warrior. 



Lo ! the lightning flashes — it flashes ! 



The war-belt is rough as the sharp spines of the sea hedgehog ; — 



Dreadfully hated it is ! 



This war-belt, whose fame carries fear and hiding ; 



Whose great fame is everywhere known. 



Do you still ask, " What is this war-belt? " ' 



A war-belt of wrath ! 



A war-belt of flaming rage ! 



A war-belt that destroys and eats up its foes ! 



Now you know. Hurrah ! 



(MS., iiied.) 

 " If Tangaroa should enquire, etc." The great fight in which Whakatau 

 was engaged, and so vahantly slew his foes, was commenced at sea and 

 finished on the sea-side ; hence the name of " Tangaroa," — who was the 

 Maori "god" ( = maker and master) of the sea and of fishes; one of the 

 great Polynesian " gods." 



" Space " (or the clear open expanses, or Air,) and " Sky," are here 

 invoked, as being the most ancient of all their many personifications. 



"I shall stand — as a rainbow," — see Pror^ris, " Trans. N.Z. Inst.," 

 Vol. XII., p. 139, proverb 167. See, also, the closing hemistich of song 13, 

 infra. 



"Do you still ask, 'What is this war-belt?'" — meaning. What the 

 consequences of putting it on ? 



