TRADITION OF A FLOOD. 395 
search of it; but all endeavours to discover any traces 
of the lost one proved unsuccessful. The messenger de- 
clared that it could nowhere be found. Degei had a 
fresh search instituted, which led to the discovery 6f the 
body of the dead bird, and that of the deed which had 
deprived him of life. The two youths, fearing Degei’s 
anger, fled to the mountains and there took refuge with 
a powerful tribe of carpenters, who willingly agreed to 
build a fence strong enough to keep Degei and his mes- 
sengers at bay. They little knew the power they had 
attempted to balk. Degei, finding the taking of the 
fence by storm impossible, caused violent rains to fall, 
and the waters rose to such a height that at last they 
reached the place where the two youths and their abet- 
tors had fortified themselves. To save themselves from 
drowning they jumped into large bowls that happened 
to be at hand, and in these they were scattered in vari- 
ous directions. When the waters subsided, some landed 
at Suva, some at Navua and Bega; and it is from them 
that the present race of carpenters and canoe-builders 
claim to be descended.* 
* The late Rev. J. Hunt has published a version of this story, which he 
himself terms as being between an imitation and a translation of the original. 
I quote a few verses. It begins with one of the boys trying his arrow :— 
«Tl try, I mean no harm, I’ll only try,’ 
Pointing his arrow as he fix’d his eye: 
His brother strikes his hand, the arrow flies, 
And prostrate at their feet old Turukawa lies. 
“ Stretch’d on the fatal ground, upon his back, 
They sce the deadly arrow’s fatal track ;' 
His entrails all turn out, his flowing blood 
Stains the white sand, and dyes the ocean flood. 
«This is no common bird,’ one faintly said, 
‘His glaring eyes retain their crimson red; 
