CoLENSO. — 0)1 a better Knowledge of the Maori Race. 79 



on. Here I must notice a most curious plan which the old Maoris seem to 

 have had for increasing, or altering, the power of the sound of their conch 

 shell. An ancient trumpet of this kind (formerly belonging to the old 

 patriotic chief of Table Cape, Ihaka Whanga, but now the property of Mr, 

 Samuel Locke, of Napier,) has a thin piece of dark hard wood, of a broadly 

 elliptic form, and measuring 5x3 inches, most dexterously fitted in to fill 

 up a hole in the upper part of the body or large whorl of the shell ; which 

 piece of wood is also curved, and ribbed, or scraped to resemble and closely 

 match the transverse ridges of the shell ; and additionally carved, of course, 

 with one of their national devices ; besides being ornamented with strips 

 of birds' skin and feathers ; — the plumage of the kaakaajw or ground 

 parrot, (Strigops habroptilus ). At first I had supposed that the said shell, 

 having been somehow broken, had been repaired by having this piece of 

 wood set in ; but on further examination, and also comparing it with the 

 figure of a similar New Zealand shell trumpet in Cook's Voyages (Second 

 Voyage, Vol. I., plate 19,) which has, apparently, a precisely similar piece of 

 dark wood let into it ! I have concluded as above, that, in both instances, 

 such was done purposely. The old Maoris iniormed Mr. Locke that only 

 one sort of wood was used by them for such purposes, it being very 

 sonorous, viz. kaiivhiria (also, koporokaiwhiri, and porokaiwhiri) =^ Hedyccrrya 

 dentata. Of this wood they anciently made their best loud-sounding drums, 

 or gongs (pahu), which were suspended in their principal forts. They 

 also manufactured several other musical instruments from this wood, for 

 the producing of delicate sounds to accompany then* suiging ; some of 

 which processes being highly curious (and all but wholly lost) may be here 

 briefly described. — 1. Two small smooth sticks, each about 18 inches long, 

 were made, one of them was held in the mouth, while the other was used to 

 strike that one at the end ; the performer at the same time humming the 

 tune. 2. Another manner of musical performance was by two persons 

 standing about 4 feet apart, each holding a prepared rod of kaiivhiria wood, 

 of the length and size of a walking-stick ; these sticks were thrown to and 

 fro alternately, and gently and dexterously caught, but so that they should 

 while passing in the air touch each other, and give out the exact note 

 required ; the two performers at the same time chaunting their song. 

 Might this wood not be advantageously used for stethoscopes, etc., etc. 

 Their wooden trumpets were also very peculiar, made of pieces of hard 

 wood, scraped and hollowed and jointed, and very compactly put together, 

 after a highly curious fashion, so that the joinings are scarcely seen I Some 

 long ones have a large hole in the middle of the instrument, whence the 

 sound issued, which was there modified by the hand ; and others, four feet in 

 length, have a singular (if not unique) central piece, larynx, or diaphragm. 



