in revisiting their former homes, where the living dwell affectionately remembered by the dead. At night-fall they would wander amongst the trees and plantations nearest to these dwellings, sometimes venturing to peep inside. As a rule, these ghosts were well-disposed to their own living relatives; but often became vindictive if a pet child was ill-treated by a step-mother or other relatives, etc.

Sometimes wearied with these wanderings, the ghosts huddled together in the Red-cave, the stony base of which is constantly laved by the waves of the Pacific, rolling in with terrific violence from the east. Or, if it so pleased their fancy, they clambered up the open, lawn-like place above the cave, out of reach of the billows and foam of the ocean (now a favourite resting-place for fishermen, where they cook and eat part of their finny spoil). This open grassy space, so renowned in their songs and myths concerning the dead, is known as "One-ma-kenu-kenu " = THE smooth spot, or the well-weeded spot. A coarse species of grass covers the sandy soil, pleasingly contrasting with the utter barrenness beyond, where Desolation seems to be enthroned.

The precise period for final departure was fixed by the leader of the band. But if no distinguished person was amongst them, they must of course wait on until such a leader was obtained. Thus in the beautiful classic laments for Vera, he is represented as the chosen captain of the dead, as his uncle Nagarā ruled over the living about 125 years ago.

The chief of this disconsolate throng resolves to depart. Messages are sent to collect those stray ghosts who may yet be lingering near their ancient haunts. With many tears and last lingering looks they assemble at the Red-cave, or on the grassy lawn above it, intently watching the rising of the sun. At the

first streak of dawn the entire band take their departure to meet the rising sun. This done, they follow in his train as nearly as may be he in the heavens above, they at first on the ocean beneath, but afterwards over the rocks and stones (always avoiding the interior of the island),' until late in the afternoon of the appointed day they are all assembled at Vairorongo, facing the setting sun.

"Vairorongo" means "Rongo's sacred stream."

It is a little rivulet rushing out of the stones at the marae of Rongo, where in the olden time only the priests and kings might bathe.

At last the congregated throng, whose eyes are fixed upon the setting sun, feel that the moment has come when they must for ever depart from the cherished scenes of earth-despite the tears and solicitations of relatives, who are frequently represented as chasing their loved ones over rocks and across fearful precipices, round half the island. The sun now sinks in the ocean, leaving a golden track; the entire band of ghosts take a last farewell, and following their earthly leader, flit over the ocean in the train of the Sun-god Rā, but not like him destined to reappear on the morrow. The ghostly train enter Avaiki through the very aperture by which the Sun-god descends in order to lighten up for a time those dark subterranean regions.

This view is expressed in the beautiful myth of Veêtini.

After the crowd of spirits had taken their departure, a solitary laggard might sometimes be left behind-arriving at the appointed rendezvous only in time to see the long annual train disappear with the glowing sun. The unhappy ghost must wait

1 The rocks encircling the island and near the sea were the home of the vanquished in battle, too often hunted or starved to death; also the temporary home of these exile spirits.

till a new troop be formed for the following winter, its only amusement being "to dance the dance of the tiitii, or starved!" or to 'toss pebbles in the air" through the weary months that inter

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vene.

The point of departure for spirit-land is called a "reinga vaerua." There are three on Mangaia, all facing the setting sun. The boundary of the Mission premises at Oneroa is marked on one side by a bluff rock standing out by itself like a giant facing the west. It was believed that the spirits of those buried in that grand repository of the dead "Auraka," at the proper season left its gloomy, winding subterranean passages and divided themselves into two bands: the majority starting from "Araia" and lodging on the fatal bua tree; some-those issuing from "Kauava ”. going in mournful procession to the projecting rock alluded to, thence leapt one by one to a second and much smaller block of stone resting on the inner edge of the reef, and thence again to the outer and extreme edge of the reef on which the surf ceaselessly beats. From this point they take their final departure to the shades in the track of the sun.

At Atua-koro, on the north-west coast of the island, are two great stones very similarly placed by the hand of nature. This was considered to be an arrangement for the convenience of ghosts on that part of the island. Like the former these stones are known as "Reinga vaerua," i.e. Leaping-place-of-souls!

These are but trifling modifications of the highly poetical representation of disembodied spirits, NOT the slain, being impelled to follow in the train of the setting sun to spirit-land.

At Rarotonga the great "reinga" or "rereanga vaerua" was at Tuoro; on the west of the island, as at Mangaia. So, too, in all

the other islands of the group. At Samoa, a spirit leaving the dead body at the most easterly island of that group would be compelled to traverse the entire series of islands, passing the channels between at given points, ere it could descend to the subterranean spirit-world at the most westerly point of Savai'i.

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If

However, the standard and esoteric teaching of the priests was that the souls of the dying leave the body ere breath is quite extinct, and travel to the edge of the cliff at Araia (= hindered, or sent back) near the marae of Rongo, and facing the west. a friendly spirit should meet the solitary wanderer at any point of the sad but inevitable journey from the place where the seemingly dead body lies, and should say, "Go back and live," the now joyful ghost at once returns to its old home and re-inhabits the once forsaken body. This is the native theory of fainting.

But if no friendly spirit interfere, the departing soul pursues its mournful travels and eventually reaches the extreme edge of the cliff. Instantly a large wave (the sea is about 100 yards distant) approaches to the base, and at the same moment a gigantic bua tree (beslaria laurifolia), covered with fragrant blossom springss, up from Avaiki to receive on its far-reaching branches unhappy human spirits. Even at this last moment, with feet almost touching the fatal tree, a friendly voice may send the spirittraveller back to life and health. Otherwise, he is mysteriously impelled to climb the particular branch reserved for his own tribe and conveniently brought nearest to him. The worshippers of

1 The difference is merely as to the mode of access to the shades,-whether by following the setting sun, or by climbing on a branch of the mysterious bua tree. In either case the END of all who die a natural death is to be cooked and eaten by Miru, her children and followers.

Motoro have a branch to themselves, the worshippers of Tane have another the tree in question having just as many branches as there are principal gods in Mangaia. The whole batch of lesser Tanes congregate on one great branch, etc., etc.

Immediately the human soul is safely lodged upon this gigantic tree, the bua goes down with its living burden to nether-world. While yet on the tree the wretched spirit looks down to the root, and to his horror sees a great net spread out beneath to catch it.1 This net, from the strong meshes of which there is no escape, is firmly held by Akaanga and his assistants. The doomed spirit at last falls into this fatal net, and is at once submerged in a lake of fresh water which lies near the foot of the gigantic bua tree and bears the name of Vai-roto-ariki = the-royal-fresh-water-lake. In these treacherous waters captive ghosts exhaust themselves by wriggling like fishes in the vain hope of escape. The great net is eventually pulled up, and the half-drowned spirits tremblingly enter the presence of the inexpressibly ugly Miru, generally called "the ruddy" (Miru Kura), because her face reflects the glowing heat of her ever-burning oven. The hag feeds her unwilling visitors with red earth-worms, black beetles, crabs, and small blackbirds.

The grand secret of Miru's power over her intended victims is the "kava" root (piper mythisticum). It consists of one vast root, and is named by her "Tevoo," being her own peculiar property. The three sorts of "kava” known in the upper world were originally branches off this enormous root ever-growing in

1 Hence the proverb in regard to the dying, “Ka ei i roto i te kupenga tini mata varu" = "Will be caught in the net of innumerable meshes," i.e. the net of Akaanga. It is curious that the proverb should outlive the faith on which it was founded.

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