€00 Transactions. 



situation. It was formerly collected by the Maoris and preserved in paua 

 shells. It was rubbed over the seizing of the hooks, which it not only 

 preserved, but also prevented the shank of the hook from rusting. For 

 snooding a shark-hook a four-plait is used, made of the fibre of the tua- 

 ra-whitu, or bronzed-leaved Phormium. ^ The cord is about f in. in diameter 

 and about 2 ft. 8 in. in length, and is tightly bound round with twine, except 

 € in. at each end. It is then bent in the middle, thus forming a loop ; the 

 two loose ends are placed evenly round the shank, and firmly seized, leaving 

 about 3 in. of the loose ends beyond, which are afterwards doubled back 

 over the seizing, and tightly bound round with twine to protect the inner 

 seizing from being cut by the teeth of the sharks. The seizing is continued 

 along the rest of the loop, to make it as rigid as possible, for it is by this 

 that the shark is securely held whilst being killed. Another plaited cord, 

 about 2 ft. in length, but not seized, is made with a loop worked on each 

 end. One end is slipped over the loop that carries the hook ; the other is 

 made fast to the fishing-line itself. 



Next day several canoes, with nets, were sent down the river to catch 

 mullet for bait, and also as food for the kaingn* A visitor from Popata's 

 camp arrived with the welcome news that the fishing was to be the next 

 •day, if our camp were well furnished with bait. (It was the custom to 

 postpone the fishing until all the camps were well supplied). About mid- 

 day the canoes returned with a big haul of mullet, which was at once served 

 out. The fish were quickly cleaned, split into halves, the backbone taken 

 out, and, if a large fish, cut into four parts. By this time the canoes had 

 had a final overhauling, and were pronounced ready for sea. The large 

 smooth oval stones used as anchors were now sorted out, netted over, 

 and each supplied with 10 or 12 fathoms of rope. Others of the Maoris 

 were employed in making short wooden clubs, called tirno, with which the 

 sharks are killed. The jawbone of a horse or an ox makes a most effective 

 timo, and later on I saw several of these used on our canoe. 



The report of the signal-gun fired at Okuraiti at once caused a commotion 

 in the camp, followed by a shout of ■' Tamhuna nya hangi" (Light the oven- 

 fires). The canoes were quickly launched, hooks and lines and bait put into 

 paws and poihewas (small quickly made baskets) and stowed by each thwart, 

 with the timo placed alongside. Soon after sunset the order was given to 

 go on board, and ol! we started to the refrain of " Huka ka huka " (this 

 is a light and rather quick stroke of the paddle, intended more to churn the 

 water into foam rather than to gain speed). The canoes paddled along 

 leisurely, reserving their strength for the great race and struggle later on. 

 When we arrived at the rendezvous at Te Ureroa (roughly, about half-way 

 to the Heads) we found the kaupapa (fleet) in position, facing the Puke- 

 whau River. We took up our station, and kept it, as all the rest did, by 

 aid of a toko, or long pole stuck in the mud, the stern of the canoe resting 

 against a mangrove-tree. Here we waited for high water, the Natives 

 in the meantime indulging in loud talking and laughter. The Maoris be- 

 lieved that the strong spring tides swept immense numbers of sharks into 

 the harbour and far up the rivers and creeks, and that when the tide ebbed 

 the returning sharks were intercepted by the fleet. 



As the time of high water approached, the talking ceased, and there was 

 a dead silence through the fleet. Presently our chief whispered, " Kua 



* Papua is the term used when a xvA- is stretched across a creek or inlet just before 

 high water, so that the lish are caught as tliey r.tui'n with tlic vh\). When a net is simply 

 liauled, it is called han 



