78 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



When it comes to the knowledge of a person that he is 

 under the influence of magic directed by some enemy, or 

 when he is taken ill, he at once hies him to the priest, who 

 will tell him to return to him in the evening. When the sun 

 sets they go together to the icai tajm, or sacred water of the 

 village. This is a pond, spring, or stream set apart for sacred 

 purposes, and no one may interfere with such water or make 

 use of it. To take a drink of it is about equal to taking a 

 dose of poison ; it is even dangerous for an individual un- 

 accompanied by a priest to approach it. On arriving at the 

 water the priest looks at the patient and says, " You have 

 been bewitched. I see the wizard standing by your side. 

 What shall I do with him?" The answer will probably be, 

 " Slay him." The priest then repeats the spell to destroy 

 the wizard, after which he taps the patient with his sacred 

 wand and recites : — 



To ara 



Haere i tua, baere i waho 



Haere te maramatauga 



Haere i nga kapua o te rangi 



Haere rnahihi ora 



Haere i nga kapua o te rangi 



Haere ma hihi ora 



Ki te whai ao, ki te ao mararna 



Ko rou ora 



Haere i a moana nui 



Haere i a moana roa 



Haere i a moana te takiritia 



Ki te whai ao, ki te ao marama 



Ko rou ora. 



With his wand the priest sprinkles water over the body of 

 the patient. At dawn next morning the sacred umu, or 

 steam-oven, is kindled, and food cooked therein. Among the 

 food is a special piece placed. When the oven is uncovered 

 if that special article of food is thoroughly cooked, then it is- 

 known that the wizard has perished or is nigh unto death. 

 Then the patient recovers. It would appear that the above 

 may be a form of crystallomancy, and that the priest, by 

 intense will-power or other means, sees reflected in the water 

 the form of the magician — i.e., if the acting-priest's mana is 

 strong enough to overcome that of the offending wizard. 

 Such rites as the above are always performed in the evening 

 or early morn, for the simple reason that the xoairua, or spirit 

 of man, does not wander forth or roam about in the broad 

 li<mt of day, and hence is not available to be influenced by 

 the magic spells of the priest. In like manner, when such a 

 rite is being performed the people of the village or fort will 

 remain in their houses, lest their spirits roam forth and 

 approach the spot where the magic rites of the priest are 

 being performed, which would probably destroy such wander- 



