e, slew three of
them, put their heads in baskets and brought them to Roka.

"From this thing came a long war which was called 'the war of the face
of Sipi-nah,' and a great battle was fought in canoes on the lagoon.
Lirou's father with many hundreds of his people were slain, and the rest
fled to Roan Kiti pursued by King Roka, who burnt the town. Then Lirou
(who, now that his father was killed, was chief) sued for peace, and
promised Roka a yearly tribute of three thousand plates of turtle shell,
and five new canoes. So Roka, being satisfied, sailed away, and there
was peace. Had he so desired it he could have utterly swept away all
Lirou's people and burned their villages and destroyed every one of
their plantations, but although he was a great fighting man he was not
cruel. Yet he said to Sipi-nah, after peace was made: 'I pray thee, come
near me no more; for although I have revenged myself upon those who have
ill-used and insulted thee and me, my hand will again incline to the
spear if I look upon thy scarred face again. And I want no more wars.'

"The son of Lirou (who now took his father's name) and his people began,
with heavy hearts, to rebuild the town. After the council house was
finished, Lirou told them to cease work and called together his head men
and spoke.

"'Why should we labour to build more houses here?' he said. 'See, this
is my mind. Only for one year shall I pay this heavy tribute to Roka
Then shall I defy him.'

"The head men were silent.

"Lirou laughed. 'Have no fear. I am no boaster. But we cannot fight him
here in Roan Kiti, which is open to the sea, and never can we make it
a strong fort, for here we have no _falat_,{*} nor yet any great forest
trees. But at Tokolme are many thousands of the great stones and mighty
trees in plenty. Ah, my father was a foolish man to give such a place to
people who fought against us. Are we fools, to build here another weak
town, and let Roka bear the more heavily upon us? Answer me!'

* "Falat" is the natives' name for the huge prisms of basalt
with which the mysterious and Cyclopean walls, canals,
vaults, and forts are constructed on the island of Ponape.

"'What wouldst thou have, O chief,' asked one of the head men.

"'I would have Tokolme. It is mine inheritance. There can we make a
strong fort, and from there shall we have entrance to the sea by the
river. Are we to let these dogs from Yap deny us?'

"'Let us ask them to give us,