234 
KITES AND CUSTOMS RELATING TO THE DEAD. 
to be left, and she was the only relative remaining to 
bring him up, when she stepped into the canoe, another 
tried to stop her, and wanted to go likewise, this was 
her evil spirit, after some time, it was permitted ; her 
relative gave her two very fine seed kumara, when she 
reached the shore, the evil spirit likewise wanted to get out, 
and hinder her from doing so, but it was not allowed to 
leave the canoe ; the banks of the coast were very steep ; 
there she saw the roots of the pohutukawa, of which she laid 
hold to ascend by, but immediately she put her hands upon 
them, a number of potiki, infant gods, ran up, and were 
going to drag her down, when she bethought herself of the 
seed kumara, and threw one amongst them, whilst they were 
scrambling for it, she climbed up, but before reaching the 
top they returned, she then threw the second kumara 
amongst them, and thus diverting their attention escaped 
and safely arrived at her house, where her spirit again en- 
tered the body, she got up and tried to open the door, but 
could not, being fastened outside ; she then managed, though 
faint with hunger, to creep out at the window, and seeing a 
bowl with the remainder of the ochre in it, which had been 
used to paint her door, she drank it all off.* 
There are many stories told of persons who have descended 
into the Reinga and returned ; one is said to have gone there, 
who stated, that when he jumped into the sea, he found it 
was of no great depth; there was a large place below, into 
which the sun shone, he saw a door, which he tried to open 
in vain, it was fastened ; so after having knocked some 
time to no purpose, he wisely determined to revisit the 
earth : another went down, and there married a lady, with 
whom he returned to his own place; after some time she 
persuaded him to go back with her to the Reinga, so they 
went to the jumping place ; when they got there, she told 
him to go first, but giving the lady the precedence, he bid 
her take the first leap, after some dispute, she did so ; her 
timid partner changing his mind, returned home, and left 
his wife in the Reinga ! 
* This poor woman appears to have been in a trance. 
