POETRY. 
199 
The grief generally felt was described in affecting 
strains, and then, in reference to sympathy of a 
higher order, it was added— 
To rii rii te ua ite iriatae: 
Ere ra te ua , e roimata ia no Oro. 
The literal rendering of which would be— 
“ Thickly falls the small rain on the face of the sea, 
They are not drops of rain, but they are tears of Oro.” 
The sentiment of the second line is weakened 
by the introduction of the plural pronoun and the 
conjunction ; but, preserving the idiom, as well 
as the sense, the line would be— 
Not rain, but the weeping it (is) of Oro. 
In the Tahitian, the word for tears, roimata , is 
the same in the singular and plural, and accords 
with the singular pronoun, it referring to the word 
ua or rain. 
Their songs were generally historical ballads, 
which varied in their nature with the subjects to 
which they referred. They were exceedingly 
numerous, and adapted to every department of 
society, and every period of life. The children 
were early taught these udes , and took great 
delight in their recital. Many of their songs 
referred to the legends or achievements of their 
gods, some to the exploits of their distinguished 
heroes and chieftains ; while others were of a more 
objectionable character. They were often, when 
recited on public occasions, accompanied with 
gestures and actions corresponding to the events 
described, and assumed a histrionic character. 
In some cases, and on public occasions, the 
action presented a kind of pantomime. They had 
one song for the fisherman, another for the canoe- 
