360 
BARTER. 
given when the return visit was paid ; then they in like 
manner would have anything which they might wish for, and 
they always took care to obtain the full value of the presents 
they had previously given ; this being done, it was under- 
stood that they were rite , which meant the account between 
them was balanced. 
Hori Patene, before he engaged in war with the Euro- 
peans, knew that the Rotorua natives had a large quantity 
of powder. He and his people set to and worked half-a- 
dozen green stone meres, which are highly prized ; these 
required the incessant labor of the entire population of Pipi- 
riki for nearly a year, when finished the Rotoruas were 
invited to a hakari , or feast, on their arrival they were 
presented with these green stone meres ; after some time a 
return visit was paid, and they demanded a large supply of 
powder, which was given, that the account might be settled. 
In the early days, when everything which the European 
possessed was new to the Maori, he often set a most extra- 
ordinary value on things, which to Europeans were of very 
little importance, and would offer many times more than an 
equivalent for any object which he coveted ; thus the early 
traders reaped enormous profits, until the value of articles 
became better understood, and now they are as capable of 
making a good bargain as the Europeans themselves. 
HE KO, OR NATIVE SPADE. 
