452 Transactions. 



menced. The first task was to attach the pieces to lengthen the hull. Then 

 the side boards were lashed on with the butted join of carvel-built boats 

 There were four of them on either side ; they were retained in position 

 and braced by means of lashing on the thwarts. The stem and bow pieces 

 were attached, the decking, or floor, below the thwarts laid down, the 

 horewa or outrigger was attached, the masts fitted, as also the stanchions, 

 cross-pieces, and battens of the awning. Sails, paddles, bailers, and awning- 

 mats were provided, and then, after the recital of certain ritual over her at 

 the titnima, a tapu spot, " Takitumu " was launched on the waters of 

 Pikopiko-i-whiti, at far Hawaiki. 



We here see that " Takitumu " was provided with four side boards, or 

 strakes, on either side. She was apparently one of the well-known type 

 of Polynesian canoe in which the dugout hull is a shallow trough, the 

 sides being built up by attaching several tiers of plank placed one above 

 the other, carvel fashion. The single rauaiva, or top strake, of the New 

 Zealand canoe would be due to the much greater size of our timber. Here, 

 and in most parts of Polynesia proper, these planks are lashed b}^ means 

 of passing cords through holes bored near their edges, such lashings enclosing 

 battens that cover the joints. The Tongans and Samoans, however, em- 

 ployed a different method, borrowed from Fiji, in which the lashing-cords 

 were passed through cants formed on the inside edges of all planks when 

 hewn. Thus, such lashings did not appear on the outer sides of the 

 planks. 



The horewa, or outrigger, was formed of a very light timber, and was 

 connected with the canoe by means of spars, termed hokai. 



In order to render these vessels the more snug in rough weather or 

 broken seas, a series of splashboards, called taupa kareJcare wai and pare 

 arai wai parati, were secured along the sides. Then, again, the greater 

 part of the vessel was covered with a kind of awning. Stanchions [tokotu) 

 were lashed in upright positions along the sides, and to these were lashed 

 the whiti-tu, curved rods that extended across the vessel in the form of 

 an arch. Battens (kaho) were lashed horizontally to these, and then the 

 huripoki, or cover (awning) of mats {tuivhura), was stretched over this frame- 

 work, hauled taut, and lashed down along the sides of the vessel. These 

 covering-mats were in some cases made from the bark of the ante, apparently 

 a stout form of tapa. 



When a storm was encountered at sea, where no haven was near, our 

 Maori voyager was compelled to face and ride it out, and the operations 

 entailed thereby called for the direction of the amotawa, or sea expert. All 

 ocean-going canoes carried two anchors : the punga korewa, or smaller one, 

 was used as a drift-anchor, while the big heavy punga whakawhenua was 

 the groimd-anchor. Both, however, were often used ii:i riding out a storm 

 in deep waters. The smaller one was lowered a certain depth in the ocean 

 at the prow ; the heavy one was lowered at the stern. This kept the prow 

 well up, and served to steady the vessel. In addition to this, four steers- 

 men were on duty. At the stem were two, one on either side, manipulating 

 the long steer-oars termed Jioe ivhakatere. Near the bow were stationed 

 two others, wielding two long oars known as hoe whakaara, the manipula- 

 tion of which by experts lessened swaying and pitching of the bow. Much 

 depended on these four men in times of danger, for theirs was the task of 

 keeping the vessel in a proper position. At such times, also, two men 

 were stationed at each puna wai, or bailing-weU. 



And then, with his longboat covered and splashboards rigged, his sea- 

 anchors down and outrigger braced, with stalwart, half-naked steersmen 



