Miria, the chief, being away cutting
wood, went to Meauri's village, passing through several seaside villages.
We selected a new position for the house, at the back of a large temple;
gave them tobacco and red cloth, they promising gladly to have wood cut
against my next return. Sitting on the platform, Rua turned to me and
asked, "Tamate, who is your real Maiva friend?" Fancying there was
trouble, I replied, "Oa Maoni, who sleeps in that house in death, was my
friend: Meauri, Rua, Paru, and Aua are now my friends." "I thought so,
and Miria has no business to build a house for you. Before we saw the
boat we were down on the beach at Miria's village to begin a quarrel; we
saw you were coming, and we waited for you." "But I want a house on the
coast as well as inland; Miria's village is small and too exposed, and I
must look for another place." "That is all right; but this first." "Be
it so." After visiting three villages I had not seen before, and going
through all the inland ones, I returned to Miria's village; he not having
returned, I went along to Ereere.
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