Page:Polynesian Mythology by George Grey (polynesianmythol00greyuoft).djvu/321

safety, and on they went, and at length they reached the most fatal place of all—Waimatuku. Here they smelt the stench of the carcases of the numbers who had been previously destroyed; indeed the stench was so bad that it was quite suffocating, and they both now said, "This is a fearful place; we fear we shall perish here." However, Hakawau kept on unceasingly working at his enchantments, and repeating incantations, which might ward off the attacks of evil genii, and which might collect good genii about them, to protect them from the malignant spirits of Puarata, lest these should injure them; thus they passed over Waimatuku, looking with horror at the many corpses strewed about the beach, and in the dense fern and bushes which bordered the path; and as they pursued their onward journey, they expected death every moment.

Nevertheless they died not on the dreadful road, but went straight along the path till they came to the place where it passes over some low hills, from whence they could see the fortress which stood upon the Sacred Mount. Here they sat down and rested, for the first time since they had commenced their journey. They had not yet been seen by the watchmen of the fortress. Then Hakawau, with his incantations, sent forth many genii, to attack