Colekso. — Ancient Tide-lore. 419 



what the Maoris believed to be the origin and cause of the tides, 

 which, being curious, and not wholly unlike what has been 

 anciently upheld in other parts of the world, has induced me to 

 write a paper on it. ,,. ... ; ,. 



The New Zealanders believed that the ebbing and flowing of 

 the sea was occasioned by a huge ocean monster, whose home 

 was low down in the depths beyond the horizon, through its 

 powerful and regular respiration, or ingurgitation and regurgita- 

 tion of the water. Far-off foreign lands were considered to be 

 lying beyond it. This monster's name was Parata; which 

 term is commonly used figuratively and proverbially for any one 

 unexpectedly meeting with great trouble — that such a person 

 has fallen into the throat of the Parata. Indeed, in one of 

 their ancient and prized myths, which treats in popular lan- 

 guage of their first peopling New Zealand, one of their chief 

 canoes, named the " Arawa," is said to have really got into that 

 difficulty, and was carried into the enormous mouth of the 

 monster, from which fearful maelstroom it was with difficulty 

 extricated by Ngatoroirangi, the courageous and cunning tohunga 

 ( = priest, or wise man) on board, who recited his powerful 

 charm for that purpose, which proved effectual ; the words of 

 the said charm or spell being also preserved. ;;: 



Not unfrequently in former years (since the New Zealanders 

 had learned to write) a laconic epistle, etched with a nail or 

 fragment of shell on a fresh flax leaf, would be despatched from 

 those in sudden private or local trouble to their relatives or 

 friends, couched in these words: "Friends, listen! we have 

 fallen into the throat of the Parata" and that, like the fiery 

 cross of the far north, would often be sufficient to secure 

 their prompt and hearty assistance. 



As might naturally enough be supposed among a super- 

 stitious people, abounding in charms and spells, witchcraft and 

 incantations, the aid, real or imaginary, of such a powerful 

 living being, whose irresistible and regular action was daily 

 seen, was sure to be malevolently sought against their enemies : 

 so one of their solemn maledictory spells begins thus : — 



"Dreadful, big, beetling precipices, deep down in Ocean's 

 depths, listen! obey! be quick and be scattered far off to the 

 right and to the left,! that the mighty Parata may go to work. 

 Parata! hear! blow thy irresistible overwhelming tides strongly 

 to the shore!" 



This was done in order that the sea-side forts and villages 

 (always close to the beach, and sometimes built on it) might be 

 inundated, and so easily overcome, and the inhabitants scattered 

 and, with their canoes, destroyed. 



* Grey's " Mythology," p. 72. 



f Lit., " to the one side and to the other side:" " ki tetahi taha, ki Utahi 

 taha." 



