Walsh. — On Maori Preserved Heads. 615 



differed in their methods of treatment in their efforts to ac- 

 quire an enviable distinction ; and it is not unlikely that in 

 the case of the more distinguished subjects extra care would 

 be taken, and a more elaborate system employed. All autho- 

 rities agree in stating that the brain, tongue, eyes, and as 

 much as possible of the flesh were carefully extracted ; the 

 various cavities of the skull, nostrils, &c, stuffed with dressed 

 flax ; and the skin of the neck drawn together like the mouth 

 of a purse, an aperture being left large enough to admit the 

 hand. The lips were sometimes stitched together, and the 

 eyes were invariably closed, as the Maoris feared they would 

 be bewitched (makutu) if they looked into the empty sockets. 

 This was done by a couple of hairs attached to the upper lids, 

 an:l tied together under the chin.* The head was then sub- 

 jected to a steaming process, which was continued until all re- 

 mains of fat and the natural juices had exuded. Rutherford 

 states that this was done by wrapping it in green leaves, and sub- 

 mitting it to the heat of the fire. Polack says it was steamed 

 in a native oven similar to that used for food. Those seen 

 by Mr. King were impaled on upright sticks set in open holes 

 in the ground, which were kept supplied with hot stones from 

 a fire close by, while the operator basted them with melted 

 fat.f Each of these processes would equally serve the purpose 

 required. The next stage was a thorough desiccation, effected 

 by alternate exposure to the rays of the sun and the fumes of 

 a wood fire, of which the pyroligneous acid helped to pre- 

 serve the tissues and protect them from the ravages of insects. 

 A finishing touch was given by anointing the head with oil, 

 and combing back the hair into a knot on the top, which was 

 ornamented with feathers, those of the albatros being usually 

 preferred. The work was then complete. The form of the 

 features was very fairly preserved ; every line of the mohn 

 (tattooing) was distinct ; and, although the likeness was suffi- 

 cient to identify the departed warrior, the heads invariably 

 bore a ghastly expression of life-in-death, which once seen 

 can never be forgotten. 



The Heads in the Auckland Museum. 



The two specimens in the Auckland Museum originally 

 formed part of the collection of Dr. Barnett Davis, of Lon- 



* Mr. W. King's account. 



t Hone Mohi Tawhai stated to Mr. J. B. Lee that he remembered 

 when a hoy seeing stone kettles among his people. These were hollowed 

 out of soft stone, and the water was heated by means of red-hot stones, a 

 constant succession of which was kept up by slaves. These kettles were 

 called kohue, perhaps from a resemblance to a section of a dried hue, a 

 gourd, which was similarly used for ordinary culinary purposes. The 

 expression " tipoko kohue " (boiled head) was the deepest iusult known to 

 the Maori language. 



