202 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
A small blow shall be a blow like the water-spout of the 
sea, 
A blow to the rear of the army, 
Shall be seen by thee before my face. 
O god of earth, O god of ocean, 
Let the armament be firm and true. 
Only the worthless fly ; 
Let us (or may we) stand as the coral rock, 
Move on terrific as the sea hedge-hog, 
A corpulent and short-breathed fellow (is our opponent) 
We shall obtain the passes ; 
Be as the large savage dog, turn not from blows. 
Our defence (or steadiness) in battle shall be as that of the 
flock of birds, 
Who sleep at sea in the midst of the storm. 
Recite the song of battle, 
Be courageous, be vigilant and strong ; 
Leave the dead among the dead, 
Urge on the collected (or united) spears of bold warriors. 
The annexed little fragment is from a song 
descriptive of one of the small islands near Maufiti, 
the westernmost of the Society Islands 
Song of Tanatua. 
A dwelling remote is the island Tiapa*, 
A land whence appears well Maupiti, 
Unequalled among the thousands of lands ; 
Easy is the access to Tuanai,t 
Elevated is the (rock) Tauraura, 
The eating-place of Oubuore; 
Where the point of land meets the coral reef. 
Cease to weep, great Ipo, 
Here is beautiful Maupiti, 
O the w r aters of Atimo, 
Ane also at Maupiti. 
Their traditionary ballads were a kind of 
standard, or classical authority, to which they 
referred, for the purpose of determining any dis¬ 
puted fact in their history. The fidelity of public 
recitals referring to former events, was sometimes 
* A small island near Maupiti. f An island. 
