TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION G. 391 



The white crane, whose flight is seen but once. (Equiva- 

 lent to " Angels' visits, few and far between.") 



The road to Hawaiki is cut off. The tide fills the Cave of 

 Death of the Hundred Sea-monsters. (Equivalent to "The 

 Eubicon is passed.") 



Black and red united can do it. (The red-ochred chief 

 and charcoal-smeared slave united can do anything.) 



Food given by another person is only a throat-tickler ; but 

 food gained by the labour of one's own hand is the food which 

 satisfies. 



A man fond of sleep and a man fond of idleness will never 

 obtain wealth. 



The passing clouds can be seen ; but passing thoughts can- 

 not be seen. 



Great is your going forth (to war) ; small your return. 

 (Equivalent to Aliab saying to Benhadad — 1 Kings, xx., 2 — 

 " Let not him that girdeth on his armour boast.") 



Deep throat ; shallow muscle. (An idle glutton.) 



He who goes before gathers treasures ; he who lags behind 

 looks for them in vain. 



Sir, bale the water out of your mouth. (Equivalent to 

 vulgar colonialism, " Dry up.") 



Dropping water wears away the soil ; so frequent slander 

 a good name. 



Perhaps thou camest hither from the village of Mr. False- 

 ways. Perhaps thou and Take-up-talk travelled hither together. 



One day's beauty, a short-lived pleasure. (Sometimes 

 used of a gn-l's countenance.) 



Show yourself a true man, never be disobedient. 



Food underdone is your own ; fully cooked goes to others. 

 (A warning to dawdlers.) 



Totara forehead. (Equivalent to "Brazen-face.") 



The following specimen of epistolary composition, which 

 came accidentally into my possession, shows how naturally 

 Maoris express their thoughts in poetical language. The 

 writer is a very commonplace-looking old man, who came 

 from the North Island to reside at Kaiapoi some years ago. 

 He is the last person any European would imagine capable of 

 expressing himself in the way he does here : " Nau mai haere 

 atu ra e taku karere aroha i runga i nga huaino nunui o nga 

 ngaru nunui o te inoana tutuki atu ki nga Eoma kino o Eau- 

 kawa. Ma 'Te Anau' koe e mau atu ki Kihipone. Ma te mera 

 koe e hari atu ki te poutapeta i Tokomaru. Ma tetahi tangata 

 koe e mau atu kia Tamara rana ko Heni, me nga tamariki 

 hoki. E hika ma, tena koutou." [Come hither, and go, my 

 messenger of love, on the great rearing crests of the mighty 

 heaving billows of the ocean, that meet the angry waves of the 

 stormy Straits of Eaukawa (Cook Strait). The "Te Anau" will 



