Travers.—Thomson’s System of Survey from a Legal Point of View. 291 
the party ** plueked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour, as a testi- 
mony in Israel." But thé delivery of the symbol was always &ccompanied 
by another ceremony, that of naming and recording the bounds of the 
property alienated, for its position and boundaries were as much matters for 
proof by oral evidence as the fact of alienation itself, It will be remem- 
bered by those who have read Mr. John White's instruetive lectures on the 
manners and customs of the New Zealanders, that the boundaries of tribal 
lands were carefully handed down from father to son. And we find even 
amongst the deeds of cession to the Europeans, that the boundaries of the 
lands conveyed are described by reference to such ancient land-marks. 
Antiquarians have found it impossible to ascertain, with any degree of 
precision, when the Anglo-Saxons began to use written forms of eonveyance, 
It has been stated that the first written conveyance was one made by 
Withredus, King of Kent, in 694; and, as declared by the charter itself, 
was appointed to be kept at Canterbury, as a form for posterity to imitate. 
But, at whatever time these charters were first employed, they did not 
displace the use of symbols, which were continued long after the Norman 
Conquest, and have been partially used even to this day. 
When land was conveyed by a written instrument it was called boc-land, 
and the instrument itself corresponded to the “ libellus de terra” of the 
Continental conveyancers, and the ** possession-boke " of the ancient Jews. 
Sometimes the general body of the charter is in Latin, and the deseription 
of the land in Saxon, and sometimes the whole is in Latin. 
** The Saxon conveyances,” says Turner, “ consisted principally of these 
things: The grantor’s name and title are stated. Next, a recital of title, 
or of some circumstances leading to the gift. Then the conveying words, 
and the name of the donee. Next, the consideration for the gift. Then 
the premises are mentioned, which are usually very shortly described by 
their measured or estimated quantity of land, and the name of the place 
where they are situated. The nature of the tenure, and the services from 
which the land is liberated, and those to which it is to continue subject, 
are then stated ; after which follow the date, signature, and attestation." 
It will be seen how closely this resembles the forms still in use; but, 
to whatever age in the history of conveyancying we look, we find that the 
greatest care was taken that the property dealt with should be capable of 
strict definition. 
In former days, however, alienations were not frequent, and private 
sub-divisions of land still less so ; and, indeed, it is only of late years that the 
practice of dealing with land bes attained the enormous extent to which it 
now prevails. In this colony, the sub-division and ownership of land already 
obtain to a very great extent; and daily experience shows the importance 
