24 Transactions. — MisceUaneoUs. 



Henceforth to stand in her fertile vales and sides. 



In the times of deception^ they were first thoughtlessly (collected) , 



But thoughtful-ahility first selected them properly, 



And planted them fittingly out into little holes 



Sticking them in securely — 



So as to hecome firmly-fixed roots of the Fern.^ 



At last, the succulent crosier-like shoots 



Appeared, uprising among the habitations of men ; 



And (they were) named 



(The) Young-lady-who-showed-how-to-dig-up-her-lord.'^ 

 A piece very difficult of translation, owing to its containing such a large 

 amount of compressed aUegory, referring to their ancient mythology and 

 cosmogony. It is almost unique (as far as I know), and therefore I have 

 given a free literal translation of it, with a few notes. 



To the foregoing Maori testimony I would just add a few brief extracts 

 from the writings of their first European visitors respecting the fern-root. 



Captain Cook says : "Instead of bread they eat the root of a kind of 

 fern. Of these roots, after roasting and beating, a soft substance remains, 

 somewhat clammy and sweet, not unpleasing to the taste." — (First Voyage, 

 Vol. II., p. 312.) 



Mr. Parkinson (Sir Joseph Banks' draughtsman) says : " They have a 

 kind of fern, the roots of which roasted make a good substitute for bread, 

 especially when the'iv kumara is young and unfit for use." — (Journal, p. 99.) 

 Dr. Anderson, who was Captain Cook's surgeon on his third voj^age, 

 says : " They use a fern root, which seems to be their substitute for bread, 

 as it is dried and carried about with them in great quantities when they 

 remove their families, or go far from home. This they beat with a stick 

 till it becomes pretty soft, when they chew it, the edible part having a sweet 

 mealy taste, not at all disagreeable." — (Cook's Voyages, Third Voyage, 

 Vol. I., p. 158.) 



Eutherford also, who had to subsist in part on it, a-la-Maori, during his 

 long residence among them, speaks approvingly of it ; and a Hindoo, whom 

 Marsden and Nicholas found dwelling among the Maoris, and who refused 

 to leave them, preferred the fern-root to rice. 



Twenty-five years ago experiments were made at home in England on 

 the root of the common fern of that country — the brake, or bracken (Pteris 



5 Or Deceit ; or Imposition ; or Carelessness. 



6 Lit. Haumia; one of the sons of Sky and Earth; who, at the great separation, remained 

 with his mother, and is called the Father, Former, or Precursor, of all vegetable food spon- 

 taneously growing — particularly of the common Fern. 



7 Or, Superior, Master, or Forerunner. Tiit. The name is, Miss- (or, Daughter-Lady) dig-up- 

 thy-lord; meaning, that the young shoots of fern showed annually where the best (thickest, 

 strongest) roots, which produced them, were to be found ; and, also, in their being used as food by 

 plan, they enable him to persevere in digging them up. 



