148 
MYTHOLOGY. 
Hades; prayers were addressed to her; she was known in 
Tonga, Tahaiti, and Hawaii, with a slight change of name 
and history. Po, or night, was the great name for Hades, 
although, in general, the Reinga, which is only its entrance, 
is spoken of, instead of the place itself, the word literally 
meaning the place where these spirits jumped into Po. 
The general estimation in which the gods were held by 
the natives, was not a slavish one ; they rather regarded 
them as powerful enemies, who were to be rendered harm- 
less by the aid of charms or spells ; and to avoid their ill 
will, offerings were made to them : still, they firmly believed 
in their existence and power of visibly interfering with 
human affairs. 
The following account was given by a chief, who was in a 
war expedition against the Ngatiawa, at Otaki. They were 
endeavouring to storm the powerful pa Kakutu, at Rangi- 
uru ; at noon, when encamped opposite the beleagured 
place, Puta, the Priest of Taupo, who was in their party, 
stood and prayed to Rongo-mai, the great god of his tribe, 
that he would manifest himself in their favor, and give the 
pa into their hands ; immediately a great noise was heard 
in the heavens, and they saw Rongo-mai rushing through 
the air, his form, which is that of a whale, was of fire, with 
a great head, he flew straight into the pa, which he entered 
with his head downwards, knocking up the dust which arose 
in a cloud with a crash like thunder ; the Priest said, in 
two days the place would be taken, which accordingly came 
to pass ; my informant, a very sensible Christian Chief, be- 
lieved it was actually the god who appeared, I bid him draw 
his form, which he did ; it was evidently a meteor, and a 
very bright one, to have been thus apparent at noon ; this, 
however, is by no means uncommon in New Zealand, where 
they appear to be far more frequently seen than in the 
northern hemisphere. It is remarkable that it should have 
been seen at the very moment the Priest was praying for 
his god to appear, and further that it should have fallen into 
the very pa they were attacking ; it was natural that it 
should have been regarded as a favorable omen by the one, 
