50 PIGS. [PART i. 



men think this word to be their own " pork," with 

 a native termination (porka), I am doubtful whether 

 the New Zealanders had not some knowledge of 

 this animal previous to its introduction by us. In 

 the languages of the islands in the Southern Ocean 

 the name of the pig is bua, buacca, buaha, and pua ; 

 and it was certainly known in those places before 

 the arrival of the English. The New Zealand pigs 

 are a peculiar breed, with short heads and legs and 

 compact bodies. 



Water is the common drink of the New Zea- 

 landers. They sometimes press out the juice from 

 the drupes of the tupakihi (Coriaria sarmentosa), 

 which is called tutu, and which they drink unfer- 

 mented. The seeds of these berries form a very 

 active acrid poison, and produce, when swallowed 

 by accident, violent spasmodic affections and inflam- 

 mations of the nerves. 



Food and everything connected with it being the 

 most important objects in a native's life, we cannot 

 feel astonished that they should be so intimately 

 connected with his religious ideas, and that we 

 should find traces of a sacrifice to the Supreme 

 Being of a part of the produce of the soil or of the 

 chase. To have known these customs more accu- 

 rately, before they fell into disuse, would have been 

 very interesting : now they have nearly disappeared. 



The following is an incantation which was uttered 

 at the offering of a pigeon : 



