296 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES* 
CHAP. XII. 
Conversation with the natives—Appearance of the country 
in the vicinity of Pualaa—Extinguished volcano in the 
valley of Kapoho—Description of the horua, a native 
game—Traditionary story of a contest between Pele and 
Kahavari—Incidents on the journey to Hiro—Descrip* 
tion of Ora—Public worship at Waiakea—Conversation 
with a priestess of Pele, the goddess of the volcanoes— 
Opinion of the natives respecting the permanent resi¬ 
dence of Missionaries at Waiakea—Description of native 
houses. 
It was about eight o’clock in the morning of the 
seventh when I joined Messrs. Thurston and 
Bishop at Pualaa, where we took breakfast, and 
afterwards spent the forenoon in conversation with 
the natives. 
Two or three old men, whom we afterwards 
learned were priests, seemed to dispute what we 
said about Jehovah’s being the only true God, and 
the Christian the only true religion. They said 
they thought their ta'6 (traditions) respecting Tu, 
Tanaroa, Rono, or Orono, and Tairi, were as 
authentic as the accounts in our book, though 
ours, from the circumstance of their being written, 
or, as they expressed it, “ hana paia i ka pala - 
pala” (made fast on the paper,) were better pre¬ 
served, and more akaaka , clear, or generally 
intelligible. 
