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The Chief’s Funeral

           Itseemedpossiblethatthe"taboo"mightbeforgotten,andtheymightrushupontheprisoners,whowerealreadyterrifiedattheirdeliriousgestures.

           ButKai-Koumouhadkepthisownsensesamidstthegeneraldelirium.Heallowedanhourforthisorgyofbloodtoattainitsmaximumandthencease,andthefinalsceneoftheobsequieswasperformedwiththeaccustomedceremonial.

           ThecorpsesofKara-Teteandhiswifewereraised,thelimbswerebent,andlaidagainstthestomachaccordingtotheMaoriusage;thencamethefuneral,notthefinalinterment,butaburialuntilthemomentwhentheearthhaddestroyedthefleshandnothingremainedbuttheskeleton.

           Theplaceof"oudoupa,"orthetomb,hadbeenchosenoutsidethefortress,abouttwomilesoffatthetopofalowhillcalledMaunganamu,situatedontherightbankofthelake,andtothisspotthebodywastobetaken.Twopalanquinsofaveryprimitivekind,hand-barrows,infact,werebroughttothefootofthemound,andthecorpsesdoubledupsothattheyweresittingratherthanlying,andtheirgarmentskeptinplacebyabandofhanes,wereplacedonthem.Fourwarriorstookupthelittersontheirshoulders,andthewholetribe,repeatingtheirfuneralchant,followedinprocessiontotheplaceofsepulture.

           Thecaptives,stillstrictlyguarded,sawthefuneralcortegeleavetheinnerinclosureofthe"pah";thenthechantsandcriesgrewfainter

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