T. H. Smith. — O71 Maori Implements and Weapons. 445 



some, and it subsequently came into general use for tools and 

 weapons, those made of inferior materials being discarded. 



" The descendants of Maru-tu-ahu at Hauraki show a 

 heitiki (greenstone ornament) which they say Marutuahu 

 wore when he arrived in New Zealand. It has been handed 

 down from generation to generation, being alternately in pos- 

 session of his Taranaki and Hauraki descendants. It is quite 

 possible that traffic in greenstone between Ngatiwairangi (of 

 the West Coast, Middle Island) and the North Island tribes 

 bordering on Cook Strait may have been in existence for many 

 years before it became known to Ngaitahu." 



Mr. White says: "There are four sorts of obsidian — 

 tuhua, ivaiapu, panetao, and kahurangi, each having its ap- 

 propriate use, as for cutting the skin at tangihanga, for cutting 

 the hair, and for various other uses." 



Judge Maning tells us: "Flint and obsidian knives were 

 always used by the Maoris at the same time that they had 

 the well-polished tools and weapons of stone. The polished 

 tools were used for canoe-building, making paddles, spears, 

 clubs, agricultural instruments, &c., and were exceedingly 

 valuable. The obsidian splinters were not worth the trouble 

 of making into a regular shape. The edge was as keen 

 as a razor, but so brittle that it could not be used for cut- 

 ting wood to any advantage. These knives were used for 

 cutting flesh, flax, hair, and for surgical operations. The edge 

 soon came off, when another chip would be split off the large 

 lump of obsidian which every family that could afford it 

 would have lying by the house or concealed somewhere near 

 at hand. These blocks were usually brought from the Island 

 of Tuhua by the Ngapuhi, when returning from southern 

 expeditions, and were articles which fetched a considerable 

 price in the way of barter. When I first came to the colony, 

 in many inland villages the obsidian knife was still much used. 

 It was merely a sharp chip, but, when split off artistically, 

 exceedingly sharp." 



In Shortland's " New Zealand " the author thus describes 

 the mere-pounamu, the mode of grinding it, and the drill with 

 which it was bored : — 



" This weapon is to the natives as great a treasure as any 

 of the most precious stones are to us. It is thought worthy 

 to be distinguished by a name, as was King Arthur's sword 

 'Excalibur,' and is handed down, an heirloom, from father to 

 son. I will therefore give some description of it, and of the 

 stone from which it was fabricated. 



" In the Northern Island it is called a patu-poiinamu, 

 or mere-2:)0unamu. A very celebrated one which I saw in the 

 possession of Te Heuheu, at Taupo, was of the form here repre- 

 sented, about 20in. long, the blade about 4in. wide, and three- 



