"What do you come to do?" inquired Marama again. After the
usual formula of consulting me Bickley answered:

"We come to take that mountain (he meant lump) off your neck
and make you beautiful; also to cure all the sickness among your
people."

"And I come," broke in Bastin, "to give you new hearts."

These announcements evidently caused great excitement. After
consultation Marama answered:

"We do not want new hearts as the old ones are good, but we
wish to be rid of lumps and sicknesses. If you can do this we
will make you gods and worship you and give you many wives."
(Here Bastin held up his hands in horror.) "When will you begin
to take away the lumps?"

"To-morrow," said Bickley. "But learn that if you try to harm
us we will bring another wave which will drown all your country."

Nobody seemed to doubt our capacities in this direction, but
one inquiring spirit in a wicker crate did ask how it came about
that if we controlled the ocean we had arrived in half a canoe
instead of a whole one.

Bickley replied to the effect that it was because the gods
always travelled in half-canoes to show their higher nature,
which seemed to satisfy everyone. Then we announced that we had
seen enough of them for that day and would retire to think.