The Rev. Mohi Turei lived at Rangitukia on the East Coast, and died there in 1914 at the age of 85. He wrote a great many stories in Maori, many of them being printed in early Maori magazines. He is one of the very best of all New Zealand writers. This story is about the famous Ngati Porou ancestor Tuwhakairiora, who lived about 17 generations ago. It was first published in the Polynesian Journal in 1911. Mohi's original Maori version will be given in our next issue. The translation given here is by Archdeacon Walsh, though in some places we have slightly modified it to make it more readily intelligible.

The Story of Tuwhakairiora Poroumata and his wife Whaene were well born, being descendants of Porourangi, their tribe was Ngati-Ruanuku. They lived on the East Coast at Whareponga, near where the town of Ruatoria now stands. It was the custom in those days for the people, whenever they gathered food, to give a portion as a tribute to their chief. So when the tribe made a catch of fish, the attendants of Poroumata's pa went to the landing places to fetch the fish. For some time all went well with the fetching, then trouble arose. Poroumata's attendants had become greedy; they carried away too large a portion of the catch, and they chose all the best portions. When hapuka were caught, these attendants cut off all the tails, the belly-fat and the heads, and left only the poorer portions for the people. Nor was it only the attendants of Poroumata who abused the people in this way; Poroumata's own sons did likewise. Because of this, the people began to murmur amongst themselves. They were resentful of the unjust tribute which was being exacted from them, and they plotted to kill Poroumata. Poroumata knew nothing of the wrong deeds of his sons and attendants; he cherished only kindly feelings for the tribe. But the people believed that these things were done on the instructions of Poroumata. One night Poroumata looked at the clouds beyond the crayfish beds, resting close and compact, at the Milky Way and the Magellan Clouds, at the flakes of mist running together and settling in masses upon the mountains. He said, ‘It will be calm tomorrow; the wind will be a light sea-breeze making gentle ripples on the water; I shall put to sea.’ In the morning he and his men embarked in the canoes and reached the fishing ground. While he was occupied with baiting his hooks the men in the bow of his canoe exchanged knowing glances with those in the stern, and those in the stern with those in the bow. All the men exchanged similar glances, indicating that he was to be slain. They slew him then, and he died. They tore out his entrails and vitals, and threw them into the sea, and they were cast ashore. The place where they were cast ashore came to be called Tawekatanga-o-te-ngakau-o-Poroumata (the place where the entrails of Poroumata hung entangled). The fishing ground was called Kamokamo (knowing glances). These names still remain. So Poroumata died, and who there to avenge his death? For the tribe was rejoicing, and ate its own food with no one to interfere. His daughters, Te Ataakura, Materoa, and Tawhipare, mourned for their father. Long was the mourning and grieving of these women for their father. Enough of that. Tumoana-kotore was also a descendent of Porourangi; he as well as Poroumata. Tumoana-kotore married two sisters; Rutanga was the elder, Rongomai-tauarau the younger. They were both of them his wives. The elder had a child, Hinemahuru. The younger had a child, a son, Ngatihau. When Tumoana-kotore died, the days of his mourning were such as befitted the mourning for a chief. They wrapped him up, and took him, and suspended him in a puriri tree near to Waiomatatini. The resting place for the bones was a little above on the mountain. When a year had passed and the flesh decomposed, they would carry away the bones to that resting place. The men who had suspended him in the tree went to return home. They had crossed a small stream when a voice reached them. They stood and