58 Tr ansae tions . — Miscellaneous . 



the mutton-bird " (petrel) ; but on further consideration it 

 became apparent that the word Motiti was an abbreviation 

 for Motu-iti, " the small island." Such being the case, we 

 have here a warrant to suppose that certain other place- 

 names may also be clipped or shortened — notably, the name 

 Wai-titi-rau, already spoken of as originally in its full signifi- 

 cance being Wai-titi-tirau. 



At the same time, it may be that this name has been im- 

 perfectly written and understood by the pakeha. Possibly it 

 might be Wai-titiro, " the water of looking at " — i.e., a look- 

 ing-glass to reflect the image of a person — or " the place of the 

 distant view." As I am unacquainted with this spot, and its 

 position or history, this question must be left open, and 

 might be decided by some one consulting the Maoris in that 

 district. 



A remarkable use of the woicdirahui, together with a tragical 

 incident of early pakeha days, is given by Dr. Shortland in 

 " Traditions and Superstitions of the New-Zealauders," page 

 234:— 



" In the more lawless and savage days of the New-Zea- 

 landers a trading vessel came into the harbour of Tauranga to 

 purchase a cargo of flax. . . . No cargo was at the time 

 procurable, and the captain was persuaded by one of the 

 chiefs of Ngapuhi Tribe to take his ship to Whakatane, about 

 forty miles distant, being led to believe he would there obtain 

 plenty of flax without any difficulty. The chief sent one of 

 his men in the vessel, ostensibly as a guide, but he was really 

 the bearer of a message as fatal as that contained in the letter 

 given to Bellerophon, for it was a hint to the chief of Whaka- 

 tane to seize the vessel and all the property in it. 



"The Ngapuhi chief knew that he could attempt nothing 

 against this ship while at Tauranga, for it was there under the 

 protection of the natives of the place, who carried on a profit- 

 able trade with foreigners, which would have been ruined com- 

 pletely by an act of violence. He therefore conceived the idea 

 of making both ship and cargo a present to the less scrupulous 

 natives of Whakatane, in order that he might claim a share 

 of the spoil. The captain fell into the trap, and, attempting 

 to defend his vessel, he and his crew were all killed, and the 

 vessel was then plundered and destroyed. 



"A secret is seldom, if ever, well kept by the people of 

 this country. With the news of the fate of the unfortunate 

 ship, its cause, and the very words of the message, ' Tend ton 

 ra/Ma_2Joa^-a,' were reported at Tauranga. . . . Nini, after 

 expressing his resentment against the perpetrators of the deed, 

 demanded of the chief of Ngapuhi, who was present, if it was 

 true that he had sent the message to Whakatane which led to 

 the catastrophe. The chief did not deny it. ' Then,' said 



