lived a great
warrior, whose name was Rono. This chief was very popular, but he was
very jealous. In a moment of anger he killed his wife, of whom he was
passionately fond. The regret and grief that resulted from this act
drove him out of his senses; he wandered disconsolately about the
island, fought and quarrelled with every one that came near him. At
last, in a fit of despair, he embarked in a large canoe, and, after
promising to return at the expiration of twelve hundred moons, with a
white face and on a floating island, he put out to sea, and was never
heard of more.

This tradition, it appears, had been piously handed down from family
to family. The natives of Hawai--who are not more extravagant in the
matter of idols than some nations who boast a larger amount of
civilization, but who do not destroy them so often--enrolled Rono
amongst the list of their divinities. An image of him was set up,
sacrifices were instituted in his honor. Every year the day of his
departure was kept sacred, and devoted to religious ceremonies. The
twelfth hundred moon had just set, when a large boat appeared in the
bay, and a man came ashore. The high priest of the temple, Raou, and
his daughter, On La, priestess of Rono, solemnly declared that the man
in question was Rono himself, who had returned at the precise time
named, and in the manner he promised.

It was, therefore, clear from this statement that Willis was to be
henceforward Rono the Great.

Jack was rather pleased than otherwise to learn that he was the
companion of a real live divinity. It assured him, in the first place,
that the danger of his being converted into a stew or a fricassee was
not imminent. He did not forget, however, that the consequences might
be perilous if, by any chance, the illusion ceased; for he knew that
the greater the height from which a man falls, the less the mercy
shown to him when he is down. As soon, therefore, as the ceremonies
had a little relaxed, and Willis was left some freedom of action, Jack
went forward, and knelt before him in his turn.

"O sublime Rono," said he, "I know now why your nose has escaped all
the rubbings that mine has had to undergo."

"Do you?" said Willis; "glad to hear it, for I am as much in the dark
as ever."

Jack then related to him the fabulous legend he had just heard.

After a while, Willis shook off his _entourage_ as gently as possible,
and succeeded in getting out of the temple. Accompanied by Jack,