Corzs80,—On a better Knowledge of the Maori Race, 98 
Then they diligently sought out among themselves a fearless and 
courageous man, when a chief named Pikata presented himself and was 
selected. He seized the water-trap, which was decorated on the top and 
sides and below with bunches of pigeons’ feathers; the ropes, also, were all 
fastened around the trap, to which stones were also made fast all round it, 
to make it heavy and to act as an anchor and to keep it steady; and, having 
seized it, he plunged into the water with his companions, when they boldiy 
dived down into the spring which gushed up with a roaring noise from 
beneath the earth. While these were diving below the others above were 
diligently employed in performing their several works, viz., of reciting 
powerful charms and spells,* of which they uttered all they knew of various 
kinds and powers, for the purpose of overcoming the monster. 
Now it came to pass that, when the spines and spear-like crest of the 
monster had become soft and flaccid, through the power of those spells and 
charms, for they had been all erect and alive in full expectation of a 
rare cannibal feast, Pitaka and his chosen companions descended to the 
very bottom of the chasm; there they found the monster dwelling in its 
own nice home; then the brave Pitaka went forwards, quite up to it, coax- 
ing and enticing, and bound the rope firmly around the monster ; which 
having done, lo! in a twinkling, he (Pitaka) had clean escaped behind it! 
Then his companions pulled the rope, and those at the top knew the sign, 
and hauled away, and drew up to the top their companions, together with 
the monster, so that they all came up at one time. Nevertheless, those 
above had also recited all manner of charms for the purposes of raising, 
lifting, and upbearing of heavy weights, otherwise they could not have 
hauled them all up, owing to their very great weight. 
For a while, however, they were all below; then they came upwards by 
degrees, and at last they floated all together on the surface. Ere long they 
had dragged the monster on shore on to the dry land, where it lay extended; 
then they hastened to hit and beat with their clubs the jaws of this immense 
fish. Now this monster had the nearer resemblance to a fish, because it 
had its habitation in the water. 
* Upwards of ten kinds of spells are here, and in other parts of these stories, parti- 
cularly mentioned by name ; but as we have nothing synonymous in English, their names 
cannot be well translated, and it would take as many pages of MS. to explain them. 
Among them were spells causing weariness to the foe, spells for the T g of taniwhas 
(monsters), spells for the warding off attack, and for the protection of the m 
enemy; spells for causing bravery, for returning like-for-like in attack, for np feet 
from ground, for making powerless, ete., etc., all more or less curious, but mostly very 
simple in terms. Of spells and charms, exorcisms and incantations—for good or for ill- 
luck, for blessing and cursing—the ancient New Zealander possessed hundreds, ingeniously 
contrived for almost every purpose ; few, however, if any, of them could be termed prayers, 
Such form a bulky history of themselves. 
