Cotenso.—On the Maori Races of New Zealand. 381 
to beat, kick, and strike inanimate objects, sometimes to their own greater 
hurt, and commonly to gnaw and bite, on extraction, a splinter or thorn which 
had pierced them, and which was often carefully preserved to be burnt in 
flre. An object of pity and suffering often excited feelings of disgust. Hate 
and desire of revenge were fearfully exhibited at seeing or hearing anything 
of their enemies. Superstitious dread was universally shown at going 
anywhere in the dark, or at approaching where any one had died or was 
buried, and most particularly at all kinds of lizards, living or dead, although 
harmless, as such ever reminded them of a malignant demon or atua. Their 
sense of loneliness or desertion was often expressed in mournful songs, while 
that of wounded pride was borne with extreme difficulty. Ridicule, invariably 
freely given, was most keenly felt ; so was shame, while the salutary convic- 
tion of having wronged or injured any one, even when done under a mistake, 
was generally followed with ample restitution. Sometimes their feelings 
have been so intense at being rebuked before others, though perhaps very 
slightly (as by a husband for negligence in cooking, or for want of care 
towards a child at that one time, or for breaking a calabash or a pipe, or some 
other small thing), that they have run away into the woods or attempted 
suicide. But it was mainly at the death of the loved one—husband, child, or 
brother—that the feelings of anguish of the bereaved were utterly uncon- 
trollable, and not seldom ending in self-murder, while others have gone down 
pining and lamenting to the grave. Some fathers cut off their hair close on 
one side of the head for the death of a child, and never allowed the hair on 
the other side to be cut or touched; hence it grew very long, and became 
completely matted together, while over it they would often sigh and weep. 
A chief often changed his name at the death of a beloved son or daughter, 
relative or friend, and took for a new name that of something last said or 
even eaten by the departed, or something strongly reminding of the sad 
event. Sometimes, too, tribes and sub-tribes altered their names, generally 
in order to bear some loss or insult in mind. Most New Zealanders would 
destroy or remove every article which had pertained to or had been 
touched by the departed loved one, sometimes burying them with him; a 
few, however, would keep some little thing, but always away out of sight, to 
be now and then produced and wept over. A chief’s greenstone battle-axe 
and breast and ear ornaments, though frequently buried with him, were always 
recovered for future use. Many forsook the place where the loved departed 
had died, while others left their homes and wales about unsettled for a 
long time, seeking to forget their grief. 
36. Their mysterious and intricate institution of the tapu (taboo), with all 
its many forms, rites, observances, and customs, was, on the whole, beneficial 
to the New Zealanders. However irregular, capricious, and burdensome it 
