CoLENSO. — On the Vegetable Pood of the Ancient New Zealanders. 33 



of several species of Coprosma (karamu, kakaramu, taupata, papaauma, 

 tatarahake, etc., of the Maoris) were also eaten ; so were the frnits of several 

 species of Rubits (tataramoa ) , and of the ngaio (Myoporuvi IcBtuni), especially 

 by children. While the liquid honey-like fluid abundantly supphed in the 

 perianths of the A-o/yhv', or New Zealand iiax (Phorndum sp.^ was com- 

 monly used by all, both old and young, and was very wholesome eating. 



Lastly, and in conclusion, I would briefly observe, that this estimable 

 trait in the character of the Maori, — of passionate attachment to cultivation, 

 descended and remained with him down to modern times, — to times long 

 after the foundation of the Colony. For many years, however, prior to 

 that event, the chief harbours of New Zealand (North Island) were thronged 

 with ships — whalers and others — which called in to get supplies, mainly of 

 vegetables, — potatoes, kumara (both small and large, the latter newly 

 introduced), pumpkins, onions, maize, melons, cabbages, etc. ; these were 

 all raised by Maoris, who often received but a very small return in barter, 

 especially if sold by them to the intermediate men, the storekeepers and 

 ships' husbands on shore. A writer on New Zealand in 1834 (who for 

 some years previous had been a resident in the Bay of Islands) says, — 

 " Vast numbers of whahng vessels touch at the various harbours on the 

 eastern coast, for supplies of potatoes and pork and other fresh provision, 

 the produce of the country. In the Bay of Islands there have been at 

 anchor, at one time, as many as twenty-seven vessels, most of them 

 upwards of three hundred tons burthen, all of which have been supplied, by 

 the industry of the inhabitants, with a sufficient stock of fresh provisions for 

 a long whaling cruise." And a similar testimony I can also bear for the 

 time (ten years) that I resided there. I have seen 400 seamen on shore at 

 one time from those ships ! and when the great and increasing number of 

 the shore residents, including the several mission stations, the large number 

 of their dependent natives at school, etc., and the sawyers in the neighbour- 

 ing forests, are duly considered, the quantity of potatoes, etc., raised for all 

 seems really astonishing ! and all, too, done by manual labour, together 

 with their bringing their produce many miles by land and by water — on 

 their backs and in their canoes — to the market. And it must not be 

 forgotten that the Maoris had now double labour in their cultivating,— in 

 having to fence against the incursions of the pig, everywhere abounding ; 

 and, also, through their non-using of manure, as has been already shown. 

 Such, indeed, was the strong, the passionate attachment of the young Maoris of 



of kaiva, which they have transferred to their indigenous pejDper (!) (kaicakaioa), and also 

 to a beverage (!!) [kaica) made of the fruits of the Coriaria myrtifolia, Linn., — a plant by 

 them termed tupakihi, tutu, or puhou. Kawakaiva, according to Colenso's statement in 

 J. D. Hooker's Flora Novae-Zealandife, signifies ' piquant' " [Flora Vitiensis, p. 261). 



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