E—No. 7

LECTURES ON the same. On the third day at a litt 1 c distance from this pit they build a hut, and make a mat, and lay it on the pit. They then make an effigy of Raupo, putting within it a stone to represent the heart, and laying it on the mat, this is called Whiro. They then address the figure:— Sleep, oh son, sleep! Sleep thou on the pit of these sons of evil. They are gone to the long night, The night of manifold darkness; They are gone to the end, To the thousands below. The mat and the effigy are lastly taken up and deposited in the hut, and the priest, standing at a little distance, asks:—" Are you asleep, Whiro? Awake, awake! Are you awake, Whiro?" The priest answering lor Whiro, says: " Oh yes, lam awake." He again asks, " Are you in your own house?" Again answering, he says, " Yes." "No you are not: 0 Whiro, you are in the world ! It is not your place of abode. Arise, arise, go thou to the gods in the depth of " Nuku," to the worm, to the depths, to the dark world, to the evil, to the gods of power, to the end of evil." This concluding ceremony is called " Whakaoho," and the curse is finally removed from them, and transferred to him or them who uttered it. Yet all this is not enough if the original imprecation have derived additional power from having been uttered by a priest. In such a case the ceremonies above related are followed till the " Marae," or consecrated area has been swept, but then the priest makes a little mat, and while working it he says:— Weave, weave my mat, A mat for the gods to sleep on: Weave, weave my mat for this evil, Por this darkness, for this curse ! Weave to the boisterous sea, To the dark sea To the sacred sea of Tv, Of Te Nganahau, and Te Whiro; And to the heavens above, And the many above, and to death. This, resembling in all but size a common sleeping mat, is laid upon the ground, and upon it is placed a piece of stick with leaves tied round it for head, arms and clothing: this stick stands for the representative of Raukataura ; then again he says:— Here is thy apron of war, Even the apron of Tu. Then he builds over it, as it thus lies ; a small house, and adds:— Sleep, Raukataura, sleep,— Sleepest thou? The priest answers for the goddess as though she were speaking : — No! Go then to the depths below, To the thousands below. Here he listens as though expecting an answer ; there being no answer, he says :— Will you not go? No. Do you wish for companions? Yes. Will you take them with you? Yes. Then take with you these persons. He then mentions the name of each one whom be intends should die by his witchcraft. The% taking in his hands a stick, he sets another against the end of thejiouse to represent the door, anijtouching it with the one he holds in his hand, ho proceeds :— Shut in, shut in! Art thou shut in? (Answer) No. Then striking it a second time, he says : — Shut to the door! Shut it to. Go ye to the gods below, And to the thousands below. And if they ask thee Again addressing the goddess Raukataura :— Who are in the world above? Tell them these. And here he repeats by name the principal relations of those whom he is bewitching: And if they ask thee Who are thy companions ? Tell them these. Repeating here the names of the men themselves against whom his sorceries are directed. This Jone, he turns the little effigy on its face and says.— Sleep on, my son, sleep on, Look to the world below, To the darkness below, To thy power below. Look not to the first heaven, Nor to the second heaven, Nor to the tenth heaven. Tawhaki (the thunder god) is above,