348 Wild Life in Southern Seas. 
the new faith, should be killed and their bodies 
given up to the altar, else would the hunger 
and thirst that ate into their bowels never be 
appeased till death came. So one night they 
came and slew them, and, giving their bodies 
to the sharks, they placed their hearts upon 
the altar of the gods. And lo, the next day 
there came a score of porpoises into the lagoon, 
and flung themselves out of the water on to the 
beach. 
“ Ho,” said Matara, “ Tahua and Mau and 
U’umao are pleased, for, see, they have sent 
these fish for us starving ones to eat. This, O 
people, is because of the two women who were 
offered to them last night. But yet,” and his 
eyes burned like red coals as he spoke, “ there 
are still some who are false. And until these, 
too, are given up to vengeance, we shall suffer 
hunger and thirst.” 
As the days went by, and the last of the 
porpoise flesh had been divided among the 
hungering people, Tati the chief gave Hino 
his wife hot words, and cursed her for 
bringing misfortune upon the land. This 
was soon told to Matara the priest, who 
