252 Transactions. 



Should any error be made in the rendering of these hauling- 

 songs, it is looked upon as an unlucky omen. 



There were certain rites performed at the launching of a new- 

 canoe, and at the opening of a new house, at which religious 

 ceremonies a human sacrifice sometimes took place. 



The idea of the indwelling spirit of the tree, as also those 

 of tree gods or forest deities, are far spread o'er the earth. In 

 Burmah, Siam, and other eastern lands this belief appears to 

 have been universal and strong. Presumably the belief in tree 

 spirits and such small deer would merge into that of a god of 

 vegetation as a people advanced in culture. The Maori looked 

 upon Tane as the origin of all trees and plants, but also believed 

 in divers breeds of forest elves, &c, and held that the ancestral 

 gods would punish persons who interfered with any forest pro- 

 ducts, tree, or bird-life, unless he performed rites of placation 

 or propitiation. In fact, a system of placatory rites and in- 

 vocations was the very essence of Maori religion. 



" Takoto kau ana te tohanau o Tane " (The offspring of Tane 

 lie low) is a saying heard when a tree has been felled, or a piece 

 of forest-ground cleared. 



In turning over a heavy log the Natives used wooden hand- 

 spikes and levers, also a contrivance termed a poipoi. A hole 

 was made in one end of the log (so as not to spoil the timber 

 in the middle of the log), and one end of a long pole inserted in 

 this hole. A long rope was fastened to the upper end of the 

 pole, and a number of men " tailed on " to this line. By means 

 of this crude windlass arrangement a considerable leverage was 

 gained. Old Tutaka, my informant, was not quite sure, how- 

 ever, that this contrivance was known to them in pre-pakeha 

 days. It may have been adapted from our " Spanish wind- 

 lass." 



Splitting Logs. 



The tools used by the Maori in splitting timber for house 

 timbers, &c, were extremely primitive, and consisted of wooden 

 wedges and a wooden club for a maul. This maul or beetle 

 was termed a ta, and was simply a heavy club of maire wood, a 

 very hard and close-grained timber. The roots were preferred, as 

 being less liable to split. 



" Mehemea ko te ta o Manunui-taraki " (It reminds one of 

 the maul of Manunui-taraki). This Manunui was an ancestor 

 who used a remarkably heavy maul with case ; hence the above 

 saying is often heard when a man performs some noteworthy 

 feat of strength, as in lifting weights. 



A splitting-wedge is called matakahi, while a wedge used for 

 tightening, as in helvin» a European axe, was termed a matia. 



