AND OF WIRO, THE EVIL SPIRIT. 145 
made the pole-star, and was caused, for his good- 
ness, to shine for ever. Such are the ridiculous 
tales, given in an almost literal translation from 
native traditions, concerning the origin of these 
islands-: and such is what somo of the people are 
weak enough to believe; though, by the majority, 
it probably has all been treated as a fable. They 
pay no kind of respect or worship to Mawe or his 
brother; und have no other gods whom they 
regard. When, therefore, they have a desire to 
believe the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, there 
is only the natural hardness of the human heart to 
oppose its progress : they have no long-cherished 
idols to remove — no domestic or public images to 
destroy — no household-gods to cast away. 
The ideas of the New Zealanders with respect 
to Wiix), the evil spirit, are in some respects more 
in accordance wdth the Scriptural accounts of 
Lucifer, the prince of darkness. They say he is 
a liar, and the father of lies ; that he tempts to 
murder and cannibalism ; urges to adultery and 
fornication ; incites to theft, witchcraft, self-de- 
struction, and every description of crime ; and 
that there is no sin but what is put into the heart 
by him ; — that he laughs when men weep ; rejoices 
when they are sorrowful ; and dances when they 
are on the way to war ; — that blood is a feast in 
which he delights ; and that, as he feeds upon 
the souls of men, so has he taught the New Zea- 
landers to feed upon their bodies. They believe 
that he is a great spirit, everywhere present, and 
H 
