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teach them the new religion, and bidding Tati 
farewell, they sailed away. 
Very soon the Tahitian, whose name was 
Mauta, began to win the hearts of Hino-riri 
and other women to the new lotu, though the 
men held aloof, and one day he baptized Hino 
and her two children. But Matara the priest 
and many of the head men talked and muttered 
and said evil would come of it, and tried to 
poison the mind of Tati against Mauta and the 
faith of the new god, Christ. 
Six moons had gone by, and then a great 
storm passed over the island, and nearly every 
coconut tree was torn up by the roots, and the 
people were hard pressed with thirst, for the 
sandy soil of Vahitahi will hold no rain-water. 
Matara said this storm was sent by the gods, 
who were angered at the new faith. So the 
priest and people came to Tati’s house and 
told him this, and he was troubled in his mind. 
But Hino said it was idle talk, and besought 
him to pray to the new god; and old Tati 
said to Matara— 
“ Let us wait awhile and see what this new 
priest can do. He is for ever praying.” 
They laughed scornfully and said, “ Nothing 
