INTRODUCTION.

demand, and their influence was unbounded in their respective tribes.

The office of the priesthood was hereditary; but birth and intellect alone would not qualify—the evidence of undaunted courage and unlimited hospitality was essential also. The priests were the educators of the people. Their schools of astronomy, mythology, pharmacy, and history were open to the eldest sons of the high priests only. Sometimes the second sons were admitted if they exhibited remarkable promise of excellence.

To the schools of agriculture, manufacture, fishing, and hunting, all classes were admitted. A symbol of its presiding god was kept in each school. These symbols were sticks of equal length, with a knob at one end of each; but there the resemblance ceased. That of Tu-mata-uenga was perfectly straight, and stood erect, as Tu did at the deluge. That of Ta-whiri-ma-tea was in form not unlike a corkscrew, to represent the whirling of the winds and clouds when Rangi attacked Tu at the time of the deluge. That of Tane had a semicircular bend at half its length, on either side of which it was straight. This bend represented the swelling and growth of bulbs, shrubs, and trees. The toko staff/symbol of Tanga-roa was of a zigzag form, not unlike the teeth of a saw, to represent the waves of the sea. That of Rongo was in rounded wave-lines along its whole length, to represent the growth of the tuberous kumara sweet potato as it raised the earth in little mounds. The toko of Hau-mia had three half-circles bending in one direction, equi-distant from each other. These were to represent the irregular and twisted form of the fern-root when newly dug up.