1921.J 
Best.—Huru, or Ngahuru. 
255 
At Rennell Island, a little way east of Bellona, we find the names for the 
digits are almost exactly the same, but ten is expressed by katoa (all) and 
twenty by katoa hakangua (Maori whakarua). The word ngima means 
“five” and “hand.” Nima in Tongan; rima in Tahitian, Rarotongan, 
and at Aniwa; lima at Samoa, Hawaii, Futuna, Sikayana, &c., all carry 
this double meaning of “hand” and “five,” which is easily followed 
to Indonesia, Formosa, and the Philippines. In some cases a difference 
is observed, as in Maori rima — five, and ringa — hand ; also in Fijian 
lima = five, and linga — hand; but it seems clear that the art of counting 
throughout the Pacific area has been based on the use of the fingers as 
counters, hence the employment of the word katoa (meaning “ all, the 
whole ”) to denote ten. The word tekau (twenty) may have originated 
in the use of both fingers and toes for the above purpose. In this survey 
we are reminded of the origin of our term “ digit,” as applied to numerals. 
At Pukapuka, or Danger Island, east of the Union Group, katoa denotes 
ten, while at Niutao and throughout the Ellice Group the term atoa is 
employed. 
Unusual Forms of Paumotu. 
We have seen that the dialects of the Maori or Polynesian language are 
spoken by certain small communities far away in Melanesia and Micronesia, 
also that the Polynesian numerals have a still wider range. In like manner 
we find a foreign or intrusive element in the dialect of the Paumotu Group 
of Eastern Polynesia. Here we encounter some strange forms among the 
numerals, such as rari (one), ite (two), keka (five), hene (six), hava (eight), 
nipa (nine). Mika also denotes five, whilst horihori replaces our ngahuru, 
and rari takau (one takau) = twenty. But fifty is rendered as e ite takau ma 
rauhura , wherein rauhura stands for ten, though it does not appear under 
R in the vocabulary (see Journal of the Polynesian Society, vol. 4). Again, 
we are told that fourteen is expressed by ohuohu ma ope ( ope = four), wherein 
ohuohu represents ten, but is not given in the vocabulary. Numeration in 
the Paumotu Group appears to be somewhat mixed. 
The Boot Form of Ngahuru. 
Mr. Fraser, in his paper on the Polynesian numerals (see above-mentioned 
journal, vol. 11, p. 108), states that the Polynesian fulu (Maori hum) means 
“ the whole ” ( i.e ., of the fingers), but does not show what dialects he refers 
it to. Certainly the Maori, Fijian, Easter Island, Mangareva, Samoan, 
Nukuoro, and Niue forms of the word do not bear such a meaning. The 
meaning of the root word has certainly not been made clear. Fraser also 
states his belief that sangafulu is the correct form of this far-spread term, 
and it may be so far as Melanesia is concerned, but who may say what the 
original form of so widespread an expression may have been ? Fornander 
held the view that the root word is the Polynesian uru, hum, hulu, fulu , 
meaning “ hair,” and evolved the theory that hair was formerly employed 
as an agent in counting. This is ridiculed by Fraser, and with some reason, 
inasmuch as evidence points to the use of the fingers, or fingers and toes, 
as the agents employed, even as our word “ calculate ” points to the use 
of pebbles in counting. 
Differing Forms of Numeration. 
A perusal of the various vocabularies of the island system, and of such 
papers as have been written on the systems of numeration of various groups 
and isles, can only convince the reader that in a number of cases a certain 
