Te Ranci Hingoa.— Maori Plaited Basketry and Plaitwork. 361 
made in strips, but that of Tahiti seems to have been composed of several 
large mats sewn together 
Fortunately a Maori sail survives in the British Museum, and has been 
figured by Hamilton. (See Plate 40.) It is triangular, with the base 
upwards, and has loops for the mast and sprit. From the posterior edge 
near the top a flag-like appendage juts out. The edges of this and of the 
top of the sail are decorated with tufts of feathers. Double zigzag coloured 
lines run vertically down the sail. Hamilton says that the material is 
either flax or kiekie. From the narrow width of the wefts as shown in the 
р, 4 
play, 3 ft. 6in.; width of play, 8in. The width at the top, 6 ft. 4in., 
wider than the usual section of a floor-mat, and it is T€ that in the 
upper part there is a join. The line running down the middle looks like a 
crease due to folding. Close-up photographs of the sail should зд obtained 
from the British Museum and replicas plaited for our own museums. This 
could be done quite easily. Sails have been so long out of date that the 
possibility of obtaining such a copy of an authentic old-time sail should not 
be neglected. e only authentic copies that our museums possess of the 
kotaha (throwing-stick) were made and carved by Anaha, of Rotorua, from 
measurements and casts kindly supplied by Edge- Partington from those in 
the British Museum. The one vestige of information concerning anything 
approaching the old-time sail that I could obtain was an incident narrated 
to me by Paratene Ngata, of Waiapu. During the Hauhau war on the 
pakeha lower boom. A rope was tied to the lower pena corner. With 
mats hoisted, this curious fleet successfully sailed to Tupa 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 
To Mr. J. McDonald, of the Dominion Museum, are due most of the 
plates, and the figures of the tipare; Mr. H. Hamilton supplied photo- 
graphs of belts, MAP &c. From Mr. Best's article on “The Art of the 
Whare е " much has been learned, and free use has been made of its 
information. То many women of my own race in the east and the west I 
owe thanks for their unfailing patience and readiness to supply information 
and demonstrate techniqe. The women of my own tribe were at first loth 
to encourage me in what they considered was not man's wor 
n conclusion, this and the pete article make no pretension to 
having exhausted the art of plaiting. There are tribal differences in 
commencing, joining, and finishing Кыш. апа uie a number of 
different. varieties of baskets and minor articles yet to be described. 
h receive attention as opportunity occurs. I hope, however, 
that sufficient ip the тв technique of plaiting has been recorded to 
form a basis for comparison with the same art in Polynesia and along the 
route the Polonos басе: in the past. 
- 
ERRATUM. 
In the article on “ Maori Plaited Basketry and Plaitwork," Trans. N.Z. 
Inst., vol. 54, p. 714, under fig. 1, instead of “ Commencement of ues 
a taka mat," read, á: Commencement of plaiting a taka mat . 
