g. It was there
that by far the greater number of the ghosts gathered for their last
sad journey with the sun: they all belonged to the southern half of the
island. The other point of ghostly muster was called Karanga-iti or "the
Little Welcome"; it faced towards the rising of the sun at the winter
solstice in June, and it was there that the ghosts born in the northern
half of the island assembled. Thus many months might elapse between a
death and the final departure of the soul from the land of the living.
The weary interval was spent by the spirits in dancing and revisiting
their old homes. As a rule they were well disposed to their living
relatives, but the ghost of a mother would often grow vindictive when
she saw her pet child ill-treated by its stepmother. Sometimes, weary of
wandering, the poor ghosts huddled together in the Red Cave, waiting for
the midsummer sun and listening to the monotonous moan of the great
rollers, which break there eternally.[63]

[63] W. W. Gill, _Myths and Songs from the South Pacific_, pp.
155-157.

The exact moment of departure was fixed by the leader of the band. As
the time drew near, messengers were despatched to call in the stray
ghosts who might be lingering near their ancient haunts. Tearfully they
gathered at the Red Cave or on a grassy lawn above it, out of reach of
the foam and the billows. All kept their eyes on the spot of the horizon
where the sun was expected to appear. At the first streak of dawn the
whole band took their departure to meet the rising orb of day. That
done, they followed in his train as nearly as might be, flitting behind
or beneath him across the rolling waters or the rocks and stones of the
coast, till towards the close of day they all mustered at Vairo-rongo,
"the Sacred Stream of Rongo," facing towards the setting sun. The spot
is so named from a little rivulet which there rushes out of the stones
at the sacred grove (_marae_) of Rongo: none but priests and kings might
bathe there in days of old. At the moment when the sun sank beneath the
horizon, the entire band of ghosts followed him along the golden track
of light across the shimmering sea and descended in his train to the
nether world, but not like him to reappear on the morrow.[64]

[64] W. W. Gill, _Myths and Songs from the South Pacific_, pp.
157 _sq._

There were three such points of departure for the spirit-land in
Mangaia, all facing the setting sun. Each of them was kno