DIVISION OF TIME. 
87 
13. Te-tai .... The whole, or a part of, December 
—The uru, or bread-fruit, nearly 
ripe. 
Their calculations, however, were not very exact. 
Thirteen moons exceed the duration of the solar year. 
But, in order to adapt the same moons to the same seasons, 
as they successively occur, the moon generally answering 
to March, or the one occurring about July, is omitted; and, 
in some years, only twelve moons are enumerated. 
Another computation commenced the year at 
the month Apaapa, about the middle of May, and 
gave different names to several of the months. 
They divided the year into two seasons, of the 
Matarii , or Pleiades, The first they called 
Matarii i nia , Pleiades above. It commenced 
when, in the evening, these stars appeared on or 
near the horizon; and the half year, during which, 
immediately after sunset, they were seen above the 
horizon, was called Matarii i nia . The other sea¬ 
son commenced when, at sunset, the stars were 
invisible, and continued until at that hour they 
appeared again above the horizon. This season was 
called Matarii i raro , Pleiades below. 
The islanders had three seasons besides these. 
The first they called Tetau v autumn, or season of 
plenty, the harvest of bread-fruit. It commenced 
with the month Tetai , December, and continued 
till Faahu. This is not only the harvest, but the 
summer of the South Sea Islands. It is also the 
season of most frequent rain. The next is Te taxi 
miti rahi, the season of high sea. This commences 
with Tieri , November, and continues until January. 
The third is the longest, and is called the Te tau 
Poai , the winter, or season of drought and scarcity. 
It generally commences in Paroromua , July, and 
continues till Tema , October. 
The natives have distinct names for each day 
