CoLENSO. — Traditions of the Maoris. 11 



which Tawheta interrupted (from within) by exclaiming, " Thou thyself ! 

 thou thyself! " Then Uenuku said, " Welcome hither ! Dids't thou come 

 hither from our children and young people (leaving them well) ?" To this, 

 Tawheta replied, — " They are all there enjoying themselves at their usual 

 games of play; spinning tops, flying kites, making oats' cradles, darting 

 reeds, and all manner of games."* 



Now it came to pass that, when all those visitors had entered the jm, 

 the wounded man, Eongouaroa, had managed, though with great difficulty, 

 to get out of the canoe in which he had been hidden, and to crawl a Uttle 

 way on to a bush of cutting-grass, where he lay down in the sun. Now 

 the food for the visitors having been deposited in the ovens, and covered 

 over with stones and earth to be cooked, the women engaged therein went 

 outside to gather green leaves of shrubs and flax ( PhormiumJ and sedges, on 

 which to place the food when cooked for their visitors ; and so they got to 

 the place where Eongouaroa was lying with his smashed head ! On seemg 

 him, and hearing in a few faint words his tale, they soon went back to the 

 jMo, and calling Uenuku aside, told him, " Master ! master! it is all a false 

 story {or supposition) ; they are come hither with a different design. The 

 whole of our people have been killed by Tawheta ; one only escaped, 

 Eongouaroa! They are come to cajole and destroy thee!" On hearing 

 this, Uenuku demanded, "Where is that survivor?" "Oh! there he is, 

 lying down outside on the tuft of cutting-grass (toetoe), with his head all 

 broken and smashed with a club ! " Then Uenuku said, " Fetch him, lead 

 him hither into the •pa:''' So he was fetched ; but, first of all, he was led to 

 the sacred place (tttaahu) close by, where the charms, and recitals, and all 

 proper sacred ceremonies were performed over him, including the feeding 

 the demon with his blood, and the hangmg-up of his blood in that spot ; 

 and this was the charm which was recited for him : — 



1. Provoking irascible sinew, striving (to) kill ! 



2. Hither is come the one (they) sought to murder. 



3. Verily thy own skilful priests (are here) : 



4. Thou and I together indeed! (as one). 



5. Thy wound is sacred ; — 



6. The celebrated first-born priestesses shall cause the lips of the wounds to incline 



inwardly towards each other ; 



7. Of (or by) the evening, lo ! thy wound shall become as nothing ! 



8. The stone axe (which caused it) was verily (as) the strong tide rushing on to 



the shores, and tearing up the beds of sheU-fish. 



9. Striving, provoking sinew ! eager after food for (their) baking 



* This second interjected reply of Tawheta (who was still within the house, and who, 

 according to etiquette, had no need then to speak), was, I think, mainly made to amuse 

 his own party there mth him. 



