Wellington Philosophical Society. 11 



and canoeing is of greater general interest, so may be quoted in full. You will see 

 that it throws light on the construction of double canoes— a point about which 

 there is no information elsewhere— and that it raises the question of the existence 

 of rowing, as distinct from paddling, among the Maori. It may well be the case 

 that in this remote part of New Zealand old customs, long discarded by all other 

 tribes, lingered on almost into our own time. 



The natives said that the only voyage of any length ever made by the Poutini 

 Xgai-Tahu was that from Bruce Bay to Milford Sound for tangkvai. Such a 

 voyage would be made only once in a generation. It would occupy any length of 

 time from a week to a month, as they landed at the slighte.st sign of bad weather. 

 Katau said they travelled in winter; but that can hardly be correct. Natives of 

 other parts of New Zealand sometimes came round the coast in canoes. It would 

 thus seem that Poutini Ngai-Tahu were a timid folk — a supposition which is borne 

 out by the history of their wars. 



They made their canoes in their own district, two canoes of, say, 30 ft. and 

 20 ft. length by 4 ft. beam often being lashed together by cross-pieces. A canoe 

 which Kere helped to make near Martin's Bay was called Kai-Whiri. The Arahura 

 natives had come down for tamjkvai, and the Bruce Bay Maoris took them and 

 their fangiwai back in this canoe. There were five oars on each side. On being 

 cross-questioned they asserted that they used oars sometimes, and sails of woven 

 flax, before the white man came. If this statement as to rowing is true, the 

 objects figured in Hamilton's "Maori Art" and in Hawksworth's illustrations of 

 Cook's Voyage are probably oars. 



Kere said that the ancient unit of measurement was the fathom, which was 

 calculated by the span of a man's outstretched arms. He described the longer 

 single canoe of the double canoe as being seven fathoms long. The shorter one 

 would then measure five fathoms. Spars were lashed from each end of the longer 

 to the corresponding ends of the shorter canoe. A platform united them about 

 the middle. This was floored, and a mast was erected on it. They said that a big 

 canoe from the North Island was washed up at Hunt's Bay. Though it was much 

 battered, they could see by the braces and lashings that it had formed part of a 

 double canoe. Two double canoes loaded with greenstone once went from Milford 

 to Waimate. One of them was made on the Makawhio above Kitchie's by Tuarohi, 

 " our grandfather." Two other canoes are mentioned as having gone to Kaiapohia. 



Takahe (Notornis), Mua (Dinornis), and Pou-a-Hawaiki. 



It is said that the Maoris hunted an d caught the Notornis at the head-waters 

 of the Rakaia, and that the last of them were seen there. When questioned on this 

 point the natives could give no reply. They said that the takahe was large enough 

 to kick the dogs. It was caught with a forked stick, with which its legs were 

 pinned to the ground. It was not 10 ft. high, as the questioner suggested, for 

 then, said Jacob, it would have been large enough to kick a man — it would, in fact, 

 be a moa. 



Although split and charred moa-bones have been found in the middens on the 

 West Coast, the natives could tell nothing about the bird. They had, however, a 

 story about a great bird which they called Pouahawaiki. This may have been the 

 bird known to other Maoris as Pouaki. " Pouahawaiki " may perhaps be an 

 expansion of " Pouaki," arising from a mistake as to its derivation. " Pou-a- 

 Hawaiki " means " Pou from Hawaiki." Now, it will be remembered that a 

 mythological character named Pou journeyed to New Zealand from Hawaiki on 

 the back of a great bird. A confusion may thus have arisen between the two 

 stories. But, whatever the derivation of the name may be, I have little doubt 

 that the story is an old one, and has at least a kernel of truth, and that referring 

 to the great eagle [Harpogornh)^ bones of which are to be seen in the Dominion 

 Museum. 



The natives said that once, a long time ago, some of the Maoris who went 

 hunting or fishing failed to come home. Then, when their fellow-tribesmen watched, 

 they saw an immense bird take up a man and carry him away to a hill-top. A 

 Maori named Pukirehu fastened a dog's skin on a stick near a lagoon, and lay 

 beside it in the water with only his head above the surface. He had armed himself 

 with a long spear. The Pouahawaiki flew towards the skin, but when it saw 

 Pukirehu's head it swooped down and attacked him with its wings. Then 'Rehu 

 drove his spear hard at its wing. Again it came at him, and this time he made 



