N R W ZEALAND. 



385 



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 sur- 

 face ; 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. 



VOL. II. 2H 49 



