58 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
The traditioiv which prevails in the Leeward Islands^ is 
intimately connected with the island of Raiatea. Accord¬ 
ing to this, shortly after the first peopling of the world 
by the descendants of Taata, Ruahatu, the Neptune 
of the South Sea Islanders, was reposing among the 
coralline groves in the depths of the ocean, on a spot 
that, as his resort, was sacred. A fisherman, either 
through forgetfulness or disregard of the tabu, and 
sacredness of the place, paddled his canoe upon the 
forbidden waters, and lowered his hooks among the 
branching corals at the bottom. The hooks became 
entangled in the hair of the sleeping god. After 
remaining some time, the fisherman endeavoured to 
pull up his hooks, but was for a long period unable 
to move them. At length they were suddenly dis¬ 
entangled from whatever they had been attached to, 
and he began to draw them towards the surface. In 
an instant, however, the god, whom he had aroused 
from his slumbers, appeared at the surface of the water, 
and, after upbraiding him for his impiety, declared, 
that the land was crimmal or convicted of guilt, and 
should be destroyed. 
The affrighted fisherman prostrated himself before 
the god of the sea, confessed his sorrow for what he had 
done, and implored his forgiveness, beseeching him 
that the judgment denounced might be averted, or that 
he might escape. Ruahatu, moved by his penitence 
and importunity, directed him to return home for his 
wife and child, and then proceed to a small island called 
Toa-marama, which is situated within the reefs on the 
eastern side of Raiatea. Here he was promised secu¬ 
rity, amid the destruction of the surrounding islands. 
The man hastened to his residence, and proceeded v/illj 
