page 62

Chapter XI. The Feast.

When the last muttered prayer was said, and the dreaded spell woven for all time around the threshold of the chieftain's tomb, then was the feast spread in the island pah. On tall stages of wickerwork, erected with skill and considerable labour, were piled heap upon heap of large baskets full of cooked food, consisting of pigeon, wood-hen, and the other much prized, though smaller, forest birds in profusion and variety of preparation; large quantities of fish, dried and fresh; fern root, kumeras, dried and fresh forest berries, gourds filled with the sweet water obtained from the flax-plant; large wooden bowls containing page 63the prepared juice of the tutu plant, whose intoxicating properties were understood. These various viands and simple confections, with many hundred stomachs in which to stow them, made up the jovial gathering. Capacious booths of green boughs were hastily thrown up to shelter the revellers from the weather, should it chance to prove unpropitious, and also to afford shelter during the night Ample umus, or ovens, were in full operation around. These ovens are simply holes dug in the ground from two to three feet deep, and of proportional circumference, according to the size of the joints intended to be cooked; a fire is made in this hole, in which stones are heated to a red heat; these are removed, and a layer of green leaves is then strewn on the bottom of the oven. The food to be cooked is then placed on the leaves; to these more are added as a covering, the hot stones are replaced; water is next poured on the stones, and, whilst steam is generating, the earth is replaced on top, and the whole covered over, lightly but effectually, so as to prevent the escape of the steam. After a proper time is allowed to elapse, the series of coverings are removed, and the delicacies are perfected.

Everything was almost ready; squads of semi-clad old women were busily chattering around the ovens, and engaged in dishing up the viands; swarms page 64of naked children were squirming in every direction, playing with each other, crying at each other, all eagerly intent on the cooking, and loudly vociferating approval as the moment in which to begin drew nigh: the old were squatting apart in hungry expectation and impatience, awaiting the signal to begin.

The principal men were seated in a circle, listening to the tohunga, who was reciting the story of the early life of their deceased chieftain. Among the listeners sat Mary and her friends. Whilst thus engaged, a portion of the contents of an oven was served up to the tohunga for his approval. The priest solemnly turned to the aged crone in whose hand the steaming morsel lay; he looked at it for an instant, then tasted, and announced his approbation by a sonorous grunt, which was the long-wished-for authority to make a beginning; and begin every one did in good earnest. Seated on the ground in groups of twenties and thirties, the men in every instance apart from the women, whilst relays of slaves and other attendants, principally women, kept up a continuous stream of supplies to the noisy and rapacious masticators. Loud and merry roars of raucous laughter followed every joke, and wild and unrestrained mirth reigned over all. With astonishing celerity, and in incredibly short spaces of time, heap page 65after heap of the dainties disappeared, and not until the principal men and women were more than satisfied dared one of the slaves taste food. Slowly one gourmand after another sank helplessly on the ground, and snored away the soporific effects of his satiety. Mid-day came, and found the inmates of the island pahs in an ominous torpor, similar to that of an over-gorged tantara or large lizard, and resembling the latter animal in its quadrupedal crawl. Evening found the heroes of the trencher slowly awaking from their unrefreshing slumbers, only to begin the feasting anew, and so on day after day, until the food that would have sufficed them for months was disposed of in the short period of four days. On occasions of feasting, when Gluttony is high steward, and Sloth the attending chamberlain, wonders may be achieved in circles boasting of more civilization than the Maori aspires to.

During the orgies Mary was attended by Raukawa, who did not commit himself to gluttony, doubtless being restrained by the presence and the example of his fair companion. During her stay on the island she learned much concerning the customs and modes of life observed and followed by the people: Raukawa was particularly well-skilled in the primitive arts of his people, and was thoroughly versed in their page 66ancient legendary lore. Mary was very inquisitive on the latter topic, and Raukawa would entertain her with the recital of long and very interesting legends of the early chiefs that ruled the tribes, their wars and conduct during their oft-recurring hostilities, their friendships and abiding attachments.

In these pleasant days Mary also accompanied the youth to visit different places on the island remarkable for natural beauty or for the remains of an ancient people, attested by earth-mounds of unusual form and magnitude. They visited the caverns in the cliffs: many of these caves were of considerable extent and dimensions, so much so that it was generally believed by the islanders that at least one of the caves wound its way through the entire diameter of the island, affording in its gloomy chambers a shelter to sea-monsters of uncouth forms and fierce natures; furthermore, these cyclopean apartments were supposed to be the abode of the spirits of those of their enemies whose heads they obtained in battle. The cave, which was used as a receptacle for the grisly relics mentioned above, might be entered by a low, irregular arch in the cliff front: once inside, the visitor perceived that the cavern roof rose to a height of one hundred feet, and extended, in an angular form, to a space of about three hundred page 67feet. In this capacious hall was an array of human heads, some recently added, and known by their cold brown hue, resulting from the process of preparation through which they passed; the snow-white crania were by far the more numerous, and these reflected from their smooth polished specula the light as it entered the cave, throwing the feeble radii around in showers of icy green coldness. These barbaric trophies were placed on rudely-carved posts, and the entire collection was in every stage of decay, yet regarded with feelings of awe by the natives: none dared to touch any of the bones, no words were spoken by any whom business or curiosity ever brought into this chamber of the rock. The deep booming and hollow moaning of the ocean came in fitful pulsations up from the mysterious labyrinths of the cavern; sea-birds sat in stolid indifference far up on the black shoulders of the gigantic masses of rock that comprised the walls and roof; extensive and populous settlements of bats held possession of the interstices of the rugged dome that hung overhead. An occasional wild scream from the sea-birds awoke the echoes of this weird chamber, producing an effect which was exceedingly wizard-like and solemn.