FIJI-NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITION 261 
America and Europe with as good grace as any belle of either 
eountry. 
The dancing was done by both men and women in native costume 
and consisted of the ‘‘Haka’’ or war dance with some variations. 
The performance was accompanied by queer facial grimaces and 
much yelling. The graceful ‘‘Poi dance’’ was performed entirely 
by women to the accompaniment of vocal and instrumental music. 
The pois are ovate bags about three inches in diameter and 
covered with the bark of raupo, a kind of native reed or rush. 
The dancers hold a poi in each hand by a plaited raupo cord and 
tap them together or against the back or palm of the hand in 
fime to the music. Encores were freely given even though the 
theatre was very cold and we sat in blankets and overcoats. 
Our schedule called for departure from Rotorua on the after- 
noon of July 31 and, accordingly, we booked passage for Welling- 
ton, 275 miles to the south, on the New Zealand Government Rail- 
ways. 
These railroads are narrow-gauge with small but very powerful 
engines which draw express trains from Auckland to Wellington, 
a distance of 426 miles, in sixteen hours. New Zealand railroad 
crossings bear the sign, ‘‘Look out for the Engine,’’ which is, it 
seems to me, more appropriate than our own well-known warning 
legend. Both first class and second class accommodations may be 
had. First class fare is a little more than four cents per mile. 
The carriages are fairly comfortable but are cold in winter since 
they lack proper heating facilities. Accessory heating appliances 
in the form of rectangular metal containers for sodium salycilate 
which have been warmed by immersion in boiling water are dis- 
tributed in the carriages farthest from the engine. 
The names of the stations are not called and passengers know 
of their arrival at the proper destination only from the huge 
yellow-lettered signs on the station platforms. About eleven o’clock 
the train stops at some station where passengers as well as train 
hands indulge in morning tea; afternoon tea may be had at the 
proper time as well. Good food is to be obtained at certain 
stations along the line from a well organized system of restaurants. 
The sleeping carriages are divided into compartments with two 
or four berths placed crosswise in the car; mattresses are not fur- 
nished. On cold nights the porter comes through the train making 
inquiry as to the number of passengers who wish hot water-bottles 
for additional warmth. 
