NEW ZEALAND. 407 



abandon his dwelling. Women alone are allowed to enter the houses 

 of chiefs. An instance of this was witnessed at the pa of Pomare, 

 and another where we attempted to purchase the prow of a canoe. 

 This prow, which was elaborately carved to represent some non- 

 descript animal, with a human head, having the tongue protruded, 

 was accidentally seen in an out-of-the-way storehouse, and was some- 

 what mutilated ; it had belonged to the late chief Kiwikiwi, and was 

 tabooed in the first degree. Overtures were made to the widow of 

 Kiwikiwi for its purchase ; it was evidently considered very sacred, 

 for none of the natives would touch it, or even enter the store-house 

 in which it was kept. Notwithstanding all its sacredness, it was 

 sold, after a little chaffering, for six dollars. The first price asked was 

 two pounds, but the widow could not resist the chance of its sale. 

 After the bargain was concluded, no native could be found willing to 

 incur the penalty of the taboo, by carrying it. When the transporta- 

 tion was accomplished, a new and unexpected difficulty arose : it 

 could not be carried across the water in a canoe, as it was against 

 taboo to do it. The threat of making them refund the money, 

 and take back the ihu or nose, so worked tipon the covetousness of 

 old Kawiti the chief, that he consented to remove it, and also pro- 

 mised to come the next day and paint it red, after the native fashion. 

 This he punctually performed, using a kind of red earth mixed with 

 water. This is represented in the tail-piece at the end of this chapter. 



The taboo is always resorted to, to protect their kumara-patches, 

 and the fear of breaking it was strongly shown by the intrusion of 

 Mr. Tibbey's goats into the kumara-patch of Pomare, near his pa. 

 No one could be induced to go in to drive them out, for fear of 

 punishment, and a message was sent to the chief to allow them to be 

 expelled. After the permission was given, the natives could not be 

 induced to enter by any other place but that where the goats had 

 broken through. 



The natives, for the most part, have their permanent residence in 

 towns, or what are here termed "pas," which are generally built on 

 high promontories, or insiilated hills, and fortified in a rude fashion, 

 with a palisade of upright stakes, about ten feet high ; the houses or 

 huts are all built closely together. 



Pomare's pa being near our anchorage, was frequently visited. It 

 contained about three hundred huts. There was a main entrance 

 through the palisade, near which are two posts, the tops of which are 

 carved into distorted representations of the human figure. 



