Chap. IV. .Ci,.^.. NICKNAMES. /^.. .f 91 
the coat and shoes made him very uneasy. Both these 
chiefs had been to Sydney, and were exceedingly desir- 
ous of becoming like an English gentleman. 
During the time taken up in discussions, I had ac- 
quired a great many words of Maori, and began to 
understand a good deal and make myself understood a 
little. I had become very good friends with the natives 
in various excursions ashore, and was designated by a 
nickname while here, which remained from this time my 
only name among them till I left the country. Some 
of the young people had made many attempts to pro- 
nounce " Edward Wakefield," on receiving an answer 
-to their question as to my name. The nearest approach 
they could make to it was JEra weke, and some wag 
immediately suggested " Tiraweke',^ the name of a 
small bird which is very common in the woods, and 
known for its chattering propensities. As I had made 
it a point to chatter as much as possible with them, 
whether according to Maori grammar or not, they 
agreed that the sobriquet would do, and reported their 
invention at the pa. The old men and chiefs were not 
a bit behind their juniors in their hilarity and fondness 
for a joke, and never called me otherwise afterwards. 
They also christened Colonel Wakefield " TVide-awake^ 
after some chief who had been so called by the flax- 
traders in former times ; and this name also has clung 
to him ever since. 
Dr.Dieffenbach and Mr. Heaphy engaged some native 
guides one day to go and look for some birds called 
huia, which were said to abound in this part of the 
country. 
The huia is a black bird about as large as a thrush, 
with long thin legs, and a slender semicircular beak, 
which he uses for seeking in holes of trees for the in- 
sects on which he feeds. In the tail are four long 
