'Now Mr. Interpreter,' said our President,' we are waiting for your story.'

'Well,' said the Interpreter,' I must obey I suppose, but I fancy when I have finished, that some of you will wish I had never begun. However it still page 121rains, and as my yarns may help to run off the hours, I will do my best to interest you.

'I have no story of battle or imprisonment to tell. I never saw a Taniwha, nor was I ever nearly caught by one—at least that I know of. But I have certainly seen a good deal of Maories and Maori customs and perhaps I could not do better than tell you something about them. I may as well begin with