Best. — Maori Voyagers and their Vessels. 453 



gripping their long steer-oars, and facing the driving storm with courageous 

 hearts and a sublime faith in their gods, the Maori voyager calmly awaited 

 the wrath of Hine-moana — -the storm at sea. 



Prior to leaving the home-land " Takitumu " had been solemnly placed 

 under the protection of the gods Kahukura, Tama-i-waho, Tunui-a-te-ika, 

 Hine-korako, Rongomai, and Ruamano. These were the protecting deities 

 who broiight " Takitumu " safely across the Great Ocean of Kiwa. For such 

 are the beliefs of the Maori. 



In accordance with a racial custom of applying proper names in manner 

 most generous, each one of the twenty-six thwarts of this vessel had its 

 special name. These names, as also those of the principal people who 

 occupied them, have been preserved. In like manner, the outrigger timbers, 

 anchors, cables, steer-oars, masts, sails, ropes, sprits, bailers, &c. — all had 

 proper names assigned to them, to recite which would be tedious and 

 unprofitable. 



In ocean voyages of considerable length, when voyagers took their 

 families with them, each family, as a rule, occupied the space between two 

 thwarts, where the decking was covered with mats, on which the people sat 

 and slept. Paddlers occupied the ends of the thwarts, each man having his 

 appointed place ; reliefs sat on the thwarts between the paddlers. The 

 stern thwart of " Takitumu " (and its adjacent space) was occupied by the 

 three wise men, or priestly experts, Te Rongo-patahi, Tupai, and Rua- 

 wharo. Here also abode the spirit gods in whose care the vessel had been 

 placed. The next thwart was occupied by the steersmen, the next by the 

 principal chief of the party, Tamatea, father of the eponymic ancestor of 

 the Ngati-Kahiingunu Tribe of the East Coast. 



Each man was provided with two paddles, though sails were always 

 used as much as possible, hence the close study of wind-conditions by Poly- 

 nesians. Sea stores consisted of dried food products, as fish and shell-fish, 

 and some vegetable foods. Coconuts were carried in quantities, while 

 water was conserved in gourd, seaweed, and bamboo vessels, as procurable. 



" Takitumu " left the Society Isles after the' other vessels enumerated 

 above, and all seem to have called at Rarotonga. Apparently, " Takitumu " 

 did not call at Sunday Island ; but there is a curious story of certain 

 happenings at a place in mid-ocean called Te Tuahiwi o Hine-moana, where 

 rough seas were encountered and some strange ceremonies were performed, 

 ritual explaining the use of certain ceremonial stone adzes formerly pos- 

 sessed by the Maori, and in which figured Te Awhio-rangi, now preserved at 

 Wai-totara. 



Even so these old argonauts swung south from the summer isles of Eden, 

 and sailed boldly out into the Great Southern Ocean. Happily ignorant of 

 the fact that they possessed only frail canoes, and could not possibly make 

 a deep-sea voyage (as we are told by some modern writers), they relied 

 stoutly on their own sea-craft and the assistance of their gods. They 

 traversed the water roads marked out by Kupe in past times, and watched 

 the wheeling stars as they sought the land-head at Aotearoa. For these 

 were feats of which it was written : — 



The sun sags down on Tama's path, 



Across the changing sky ; 

 New stars do leap above the deep 



To meet the wondering eye ; 

 New seas are spread on every side, 



New skies are overhead ; 

 New lands await the sea-kings 



In the vast grej' seas ahead. 



