534 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



2. Famous mere, 12in. by 3|in. Kawakawa-rewa. Slightly speckled 

 with black. Name, Te Inu-toto (The Blood-drinker). This greenstone 

 mere was the peace-offering of the Urivvera Tribe when Nga Korau and 

 Te Kereru, with two hundred of their followers, came to Ruatoke in 1869 

 and made their submission to Major Mair, R.M., as representing the 

 Government. The Major handed to one of the chiefs his gold watch, and 

 placed a gold ring on the finger of the other in token of reconciliation. 

 This peace-making was always referred to afterwards as the marenatcmga 

 or the marriage. It had been in the possession of the tribe for many 

 generations, and had figured in many bloody affairs. Hence the 

 name. 



3. Mere, named Tuhiwai. Is a portion of a large mere broken and 

 worked into shape again. Length, lOin. Has no neck. The handle 

 must have been broken off. This was the tribal property of Ngatiapa 

 from time immemorial. They were originally in the Taupo country, and 

 migrated to Rangitikei, on the West Goast, perhaps one hundred and 

 fifty years ago. It is sometimes called Tuhiwai-iti, or the Lesser Tuhi- 

 wai, in contradistinction from another Tuhiwai, the property of Ngatiapa, 

 which was lost during a fight on the West Coast early in this^century 

 about 1812. The large viere was discovered ten years ago accidentally, 

 in a forest near Porotawhau (Rangihaeata's old retreat, or stronghold). 

 An old_ woman was collecting fungus in the forest when a mob of cattle 

 was driven through. She ran away, and saw some of the cattle stumble 

 over an old tree-trunk which lay on the ground. When she came back 

 she found the tree partly broken, and the long-lost 7ncrc exposed. Nga- 

 tiapa redeemed it by paying this woman's tribe £200 in notes, five or six 

 horses, and a lot of mats. The story of the losing of Tuhiwai is referred 

 to in the following lament, composed by Puhara, a Rangitane woman of 

 high rank, after the death of her husband. Sent to me by Sir Walter 

 BuUer :— ^ 



E hara te makau i te wai 



Kawakawa koe 



Wai kahurangi, e, 



No te wai ano i tene ai 



Whakare uta 



I ruoe ai Tuhiwai, e, 



E pa liiwi luai ra 



I ara te tuiigaane 



Kei te po tau au, e ! 



The Smaller Tuhiwai is inanga of a very green tint. It was presented 

 to Sir W. Buller in 18C5, in connection with the sale of the Rangitikei- 

 Manawatu Block, amid the firing of guns and the wailing of women. A 

 curious discoloration on the edge is attributed to the oil of the decaying 

 corpse when buried with it. A similar discoloration is seen on a mere 

 in the possession of Mr. Kohn, of Wellington, which was found imbedded 

 in the skull with which it was buried. 



4. Remarkable vierc, 12Jin. by 3^in. It is a grey stone (graugriin) 

 unlike any I have seen, known as Tuwhai Kowha's mere. A dull dense 

 inanga, with curious green spots or blotches. It is not carved on the 

 handle, and is bored with two crater mouths. It is most singularly 

 flawed with two silky asbestos-like joints of considerable breadth and 

 most beautiful lustre. This was one of the tribal weapons of the Uriwera, 

 having been in possession of that people for many generations, possessing 

 an individual history known to them, but not yet ascertained by the 

 present owner. It isjespecially interesting as having been used by the chief 

 Tamaikoha at the killing of Mr. Bennett White at Opotiki, inl8G5, as a 

 declaration of war against the Europeans. His servant was killed with 

 him. The act was a formal one, implying no ill-will against the victims. 



5. Portion of a very small, narrow mere. Dark kaivakatua. Dug up 

 at Waitemata. Very ancient. 



