76 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



hither to me ? And you, my hundred friends, who are strenuous to aid me, leave it for a 

 while ; just merely for a little (time), while I am sitting-up a bit. Be assured, I shall not 

 wait long, only until the moon rises ; then I, also, will go forth, to look at the fleecy 

 clouds sailing hither, coming this way over the mountain. 



Alas ! the boundary that parts us, dear young lady ! is as a great ocean-depth to thee. 

 Notwithstanding, in that one direction towards thee, my eyes are dim with steady gazing. 

 For thou alone art the only one of my deepest affection, etc., etc. 



Note. — The great beauty of this song, in its commencement, arises from 

 the poet's making it to rain heavily and unceasingly witliout, while he is 

 lamenting within a miserable hut, and comparing the flood of waters flowing 

 from his eyes with the falling rain ! The imagery is so natural, plaintive 

 and afi'ecting, that it is worked up into many of then' love-songs. So, 

 again, where he says — " wait a while, — lohile I am sitting up a hit:'" — mean- 

 ing, just as a sick person, who is weak when roused to get up. (A version 

 of a part of this song is at p. 396 of " Grey's Poetry.") 



(15.) 



A Love-song. By a Widow for her Dead Husband, 



(Part only.) 



After the evening hours, 



I rechne upon my bed. 



Thy own spirit-hke form 



Comes towards me, 



Creeping stealthily along ! 



Alas ! I mistake ! 



Thinking thou art here with me 



Enjoying the light of day ! 



Then the affectionate remembrances 



Of the many days of old 



Keep on rising within my heart ! 



This, however, loved one ; this 



Thou must do, — 



Eecite the potent call to Eakahua 



And the strong cry to Eikiriki, — 



That thou may est return (to me). 



For thou wast ever more than a common husband, — 



Thou wast my best-beloved, — my chosen ; 



My treasured possession ! alas ! 



(MS., ined.) 



(This, in part, worked up with another song, will be found in Grey's 

 " Poetry of the New Zealanders," p. 352.) 



Note. — The cries, or invocations, to Eakahua, and to Eikiriki, often 



mentioned in their poetry, etc., were said to be to those beings who had 



power to restore from the dead. 



(16.) 



A Love-song. 

 Eise up quickly, thou Moon ! make haste to get above me, that I may give vent to 

 my sighing, and utter my laments ! Now, indeed, for the first time, do I feel the pangs of 



