90 
WITCHCRAFT. 
lost his tinder-box in one of his journies, it was picked up by 
some natives, who afterwards went by the same way ; they 
made use of it to light their pipes. On reaching Taunui’s 
place, he asked them whether they had seen his tinder-box; 
they were so dreadfully alarmed at the idea of using anything 
belonging to so sacred a character, that three of them actually 
died, and more would have done so, had not Taunui immedi¬ 
ately removed the tapu from his box. 
The power of bewitching was not confined to the priests, but 
was supposed to be possessed by every one, a simple wish often 
being sufficient. Many remarkable instances have fallen under 
the notice of the Missionaries, where those bewitched have died, 
although unaware of their being so. In the early days of the 
Mission, those who opposed the Gospel, tried by witchcraft to 
destroy the preachers of it; this has been frequently practised 
upon several of our members, and it is remarkable, that the 
individuals who attempted it, died themselves very shortly after, 
and their deaths were attributed solely to their having failed in 
injuring the parties they sought to destroy. This was the 
case twice with individuals who endeavoured to makutu the 
Missionaries of Otaki and Wanganui. At the latter place, 
the man who sought his death was a head chief, and he was 
the very first person who was killed in the war, which imme¬ 
diately afterwards broke out; two others attempted the same, 
and they also shortly after died. The fact that they have been 
unable to injure us in this way, has caused many to embrace 
the Gospel, as they have ascribed our safety to the greater 
power of our God.* I once heard a story of an Irish sailor, 
who fancied he had been bewitched by a native. Poor Paddy 
became alarmed, and anxiously demanded what he should 
do to get free from the curse; he was recommended to 
go to the tohunga, who had bewitched him, with a handsome 
* The relatives of Maketu, a chief who had openly cursed me, came after 
his death, and demanded whether I had not also cursed him, and thus been the 
cause of his being killed, thinking my curse had proved the most powerful. 1 
replied, Ministers never cursed even their enemies, as Scripture bid us bless 
and curse not. They went away with the conviction that he had caused his 
own death, by cursing a minister. 
