86 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
their methods of computing time as their northern 
neighbours, if not more so. One mode of reckon¬ 
ing time was by uis , or generations ; but the most 
general calculation was by the year, which they call 
matahiti, and which consisted of twelve or thirteen 
lunar months, by the tau or matarii, season or half- 
year, by the month of thirty days, and by the day 
or night. They had distinct names for each month; 
and though they all agreed about the length of the 
year, they were not unanimous as to the beginning 
of it, or the names of the months, each island hav¬ 
ing a computation peculiar to itself. 
The following is a statement of their divisions of 
time, copied from a small book on arithmetic, &c. 
prepared by Mr. Davies, which I printed at Hua- 
hine in 1819. It is the method of computation 
adopted by the late Pomare and the reigning 
family. 
1. Avarehu 
2. Faaahu . 
3. Pipiri . . 
4. Taaoa . . 
, 5. Aununu . 
6. Apaapa . 
7 . Paroro mua 
8. Paroro muri 
9. Muriaha , 
10. Hiaia . . 
11. Tema . . 
12. Te-eri . , 
The new moon that appears about the 
summer solstice of Tahiti, and 
generally answers to the last ten 
days of December or the begin- 
ning of January. 
January, and part of February— 
The season of plenty. 
February, and part of March. 
March, and part of April—The sea¬ 
son of scarcity. 
April, and part of May. 
May, and a part of June. 
June, and a part of July. 
July, and a part of August. 
August, and a part of September. 
September, and part of October. 
October, and part of November— 
The season of scarcity. 
The whole, or a part of, November 
—The uru, or young bread-fruit, 
begins to flower. 
