116 Transactions. 



to note that this is also the name of a mountain in Rarotonga 

 Island. It was no doubt given to this mountain-lake by the 

 " Takitimu " immigrants. 



Of the great southern lakes, Wakatipu's name is the most 

 difficult of explanation. The Maoris inform me that " Whaka- 

 tipu " (with an " h ") is the correct name, but the incident 

 which led to this being given to the lake has passed out of the 

 recollection of the Maoris whom I have consulted. " Whaka- 

 tipu " means " to nourish, to rear," from the root word tipu or 

 tupu (" to grow, to spring up as a tree "). The actual origin 

 of the great lake is, however, accounted for in Native legend 

 in a fashion thoroughly Maori. When the chief Rakaihaitu, 

 one of the very first of the Polynesian sea-rovers to explore 

 this country (long before the sailing of the " Takitimu " and 

 other historic canoes — probably about a thousand years ago), 

 arrived in the South Island he took possession of the eastern 

 seaboard and the land sloping up therefrom to the great snowy 

 mountains. As was customary, the pioneers named many 

 prominent features of the landscape after themselves, and so 

 tapdd the country for their families and descendants ; and 

 Rakaihaitu, in common with many other Polynesian explorers, 

 was in time credited with the deeds of a demi-god. The classical 

 name for the South Island lakes is " Nga-puna-wai-karikari-a- 

 Rakaihaitu" (" The water-pools dug by Rakaihaitu"). The ener- 

 getic chief is said to have begun his labours by scooping out with 

 his great ho (the wooden spade used in the humara plantations) 

 the bed of the lake known as Rotoiti, south of Nelson. Then 

 lie strode southwards, halting frequently to form a lake where 

 he thought it was needed. His crowning triumph was Whaka- 

 tipu, whose crooked channel he hollowed out between the moun- 

 tains with infinite toil and many incantations. Travelling north 

 again, he completed his herculean pilgrimage by digging out 

 Lakes Waihora (Ellesmere) and Wairewa (Lake Forsyth), near 

 Banks Peninsula — and rested from his labours. " Nga-wai- 

 karikari-a-Rakaihaitu " is a proverbial expression still used by 

 the Maoris in allusion to the lakes, as the figurative phrase 

 " Nga - whata- tu - a - Rakaihaitu " (" Rakaihaitu's lofty food- 

 stores ") is used to describe the high cliffs of the South Island 

 coast. 



At the lower end of Lake Wakatipu, not far from the Kings- 

 ton Railway-station, there is a group of craggy peaks called 

 by the Maoris " the Fairy Mountains." These heights tower 

 5,000 ft. immediately above the steamer on the left as you start 

 up the lake. They were regarded with some dread by the old 

 Maoris, who peopled them with giants and fairies (maeroero). 

 The superstitious Native of olden days, for ever hearing uncanny 



