409 



NEW ZEALAND. 





DRAWINGS OF NEW ZEALAND CARVING. 



Within the main enclosure are other enclosures, each containing 

 five or six houses, with alleys of two feet wide, that traverse the town. 

 Their houses are very simply constructed : four corner-posts are 

 driven into the ground, and left from two to five feet above the 

 surface ; in the centre line two or three strong posts are firmly set in 

 the ground, to support the ridge-pole of the roof; on the posts is 

 placed and lashed a horizontal beam for the rafters to rest upon, and 

 smaller poles are lashed to the posts, at one foot apart, from the 

 ground up ; on these the roofing is worked : the material used in 

 thatching is the rush (Typha latifolia), or our common cattail. The 

 manner of making the roof is to tie the materials on the horizontal 

 strips or poles, setting the larger ends on the ground, and driving 

 them close against each other, generally with the fist, and so on until 

 all is closed in, leaving doorways under the eaves, at the gable-ends ; 

 the rappooing is then cut square off at the upper horizontal beam, or 

 plate-piece, and the roof is put on, made of the same material, 

 and generally thatched with it or fern. The roofs have usually but 

 little pitch, which gives a squat look to the houses. Mats are 

 generally hung up at the doorways, but some have doors made of 

 pine ; they are low, obliging one to stoop or creep in entering. 

 Around their houses they have usually peach trees growing, but 

 nothing else is cultivated about them. 



The furniture consists of mats, a few baskets and trinkets, an old 

 chest to lock them up in, an iron pot, and a double-barrelled gun, 

 generally of the best maker. 



