Walsh. — Method of preparing and using Kokowai. 7 



plentiful. Mr. W. H. Skinner, of the Survey Office, New 

 Plymouth, informs me that the great place for the kokowai- 

 deposits in the middle of that province is towards the head- 

 waters of the Waiwakaiho Eiver, among the spurs of Mount 

 Egmont and the Patua Eanges. He also describes a place 

 in the Mokau district where the work of collection was one of 

 considerable difficulty and even danger. At the north side of 

 the mouth of the river, he says, there are two or three caves 

 worn out by the action of the sea. The floors of these caves 

 are covered to a good depth by water, and away in their 

 innermost recesses the deposits of kokotvai are found. To 

 obtain this the Maoris were obliged to swim, and in one 

 place to dive under a depression of the roof, coming out in 

 an inner chamber where the deposits lie. This field has long 

 since been abandoned, and twenty years ago when Mr. Skinner 

 visited the spot only one old Maori knew the secret of diving 

 under the rock. Altogether there must have been an im- 

 mense quantity of kokowai used, and an incredible amount 

 of labour expended in the preparation of it. Most of the 

 old writers speak of the prevalence of the "red ochre," and 

 it seems to have been in universal use throughout the whole 

 of the Maori-inhabited country. 



The grinding-slab was usually a flat piece of hard coarse- 

 grained sandstone about 2 ft. long by 12 in. to 15 in. wide, 

 the same kind as that used for sharpening the stone imple- 

 ments.* All those found about the Bay of Islands appear to 

 be of the same quality as the specimen before us, which has 

 evidently been used for both purposes, as, though each surface 

 bears marks of abrasion, only one shows traces of the red 

 pigment. A favourite place for obtaining these stones is 

 situated near Waimate North, where the rock naturally 

 splits off into flags of the required thickness. 



The rubbers {autoru) were generally smooth beach- or river- 

 worn pebbles, about 6 in. long, of hard basalt or volcanic 

 stone. They were often brought long distances, especially in 

 the northern peninsula and in inland districts where no suit- 

 able stones are to be found. A favourite place for obtaining 

 them was the Little Barrier Island, but it is not improbable 

 that on their more distant excursions down the east and west 

 coasts the Maoris would keep a look-out for good specimens,, 

 which they would bring back with them on their return tO' 

 their homes. It is to be hoped that in time some of these 

 will find their way into the Museum, when geologists will, no 

 doubt, be able to locate their places of origin, and perhaps 



* Though I have inquired of many of the old natives in the distrixjt, 

 I have been unable to obtain the specific name for the grinding-slab. 

 One Maori told me that each slab had its proper name. This, I think, is 

 not improbable. — P. W. 



