262 NATIVE BOAT SONG. [PART II 



parents cheering them on, or taking part in the 

 race ; and I had a good opportunity of observing 

 the healthy and symmetrical form of their bodies, 

 the graceful and vigorous play of their muscles: 

 the scene offered an excellent study for an artist, 

 or for an admirer of the human form when neither 

 impaired by an artificial state of life nor distorted 

 by the arts of fashion. The little boys dipped their 

 oars into the stream with astonishing precision, to 

 the measure of the following boat-song, which was 

 chanted by one of the party : 



HE TOIERE. 



E toia ana pehia; ana kokiri e tiaia; e rumakina, e te wawati; 

 tena, tena, tena te rae ra; e watiia, e te ihu, e waenga, e te kei, e 

 tango katoa ; e ana te kaha ko te rite, ko te rite, tena wina, tena 

 wiua, e tiaia, tiaia, tiaia, ana toia, toia, toia ; taki, taki wakarere ; 

 he ruru kou koua ; tena tangohia, e te rae ra tango mai, he piko 

 tango atu, tena kia mau ; ae koia ia ; tena kia puta ; koiri, koiri 

 watiia ; uere tai tua, kia rite, tena toia, toia, toia, e kia ngoto i, i, 

 i, i pai rawa ; kia rite, takoto wakawiria ; e ka mahue, e ki te wana 

 toia, toia, toia. 



( Translation.} 



A CANOE-SONG. 



Pull, push, launch, dip, bend, turn, 



Now, now, now. 



The point there : bend, at the head, 

 In the middle, at the stern ; 



Now pull all together. 

 Be strong all together, all together. 

 Dip quickly, now dip quickly, 



Dip, dip, dip. 

 Now pull, pull, pull, 

 Taki, taki, taki ; 

 Now fetch the point there ; 

 Now take in a reef. 

 Take out a reef ; 



