1872 - Ward, R. Life among the Maories of New Zealand - CHAPTER III. NATURAL PRODUCTIONS.

       
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  1872 - Ward, R. Life among the Maories of New Zealand - CHAPTER III. NATURAL PRODUCTIONS.
 
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CHAPTER III. NATURAL PRODUCTIONS.

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CHAPTER III.

NATURAL PRODUCTIONS.

"Verdurous glooms, and winding, mossy ways--
Glory in the grass, and splendour in the flower."

THE Rev. R. Taylor states that this prolific and lovely region has a botanic centre of its own; that the number of plants already known is six hundred and thirty-two, and of these three hundred and fourteen are dicotyledonous or exogenous plants, while the other three hundred and eighteen are monocotyledonous and cellular plants; that while England does not produce more than thirty-five native trees out of one thousand four hundred species, New Zealand produces trees and shrubs, above twenty feet high, to the number of one hundred and thirteen, besides one hundred and fifty-six shrubs and plants having woody stems.

The botanical researches of Mr. Banks--afterwards Sir Joseph Banks--who accompanied Captain Cook on his first voyage to these shores, were rewarded by a number of new specimens. Several gentlemen, acquainted with this branch of knowledge, have added others; and all agree that both the forest and open lands are deeply interesting fields for study. The only object contemplated is, to give the reader an intelligent account of the natural productions of this country, not for scientific examination, but to enable him to form a general estimate of the subject.

Some parts of the country present extensive plains, covered naturally with coarse kinds of grass, on which both sheep and cattle thrive well. Other portions of the

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open country, and these the most extensive, are covered with fern, or a small shrub which the natives call ti. The species of fern are very numerous. Some are trees, with clean straight stems, twenty feet high, and from six to twelve inches in diameter, headed with a beautiful tuft of long branching leaves, bending gracefully down on all sides. The trunks are often used by the settlers as posts for their rural houses, on account of their durability. Other kinds of fern are so fragile and beautiful, being finer than the finest muslin, that they are always admired. Some of the ferns are creeping plants, and find their way up to the top of the trees, their beautiful fronds, of various shape, hanging from their thread-like stems, fluttering in the breeze. A common kind yields an edible root, on which the Maories used to subsist largely in seasons of scarcity. The root was roasted on hot stones, and then beaten till its fibres became soft. It is said to be nutritious; many of the natives' pigs feed principally upon it. In fertile ground the common fern grows eight or ten feet high, but in poor soil it does not much exceed eighteen inches; and the same remark may be made in reference to the ti plant.

The grasses and rushes, including the large coarse kinds which the natives use to thatch their houses, and others which grow up into a kind of tree, are numerous. Of these the Raupo--Typha Augustifolia--is commonly met with in swamps, and forms the principal material used by the natives in constructing the walls of their houses.

There are some plants which remind the Englishman of the wild flowers of his native land. It is true that he does not see the banks covered with primroses and violets, nor the hedges white with flowering hawthorn,

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except in select spots where these imported treasures have been planted; but he looks with pleasure upon a little modest flower, not much unlike the far-famed daisy, and the butter-cup, with its yellow head, challenges his observation. The common sow-thistle abounds, and affords food for cattle and other animals. The natives also eat its tender shoots when boiled. Water-cress is often seen growing on the margin of streams. The farmer complains of the Bur of his sheep-runs, on account of the injury which it does to the wool. Dandelion has spread so rapidly, that many of the meadows are covered with it, causing the quantity of grass which they produce to be much reduced. Care is needed to prevent the dock from spreading widely. Sorrel is one of the plagues of which the farmer and the gardener loudly complain; but the large prickly thistle, known among the settlers as the Scotch thistle, causes the most trouble. In some places it has been suffered to shed its seeds so abundantly, and these seeds have been wafted by the winds to distant spots, that large tracts of ground have been covered with them. It is difficult to decide, in some cases, whether the plants which are so familiar to an English eye be indigenous or not, as they are not only found growing wild in the neighbourhood of the colonial settlements, but are found also in places whither it seems unlikely that seeds should be carried.

But it is in the forest that vegetation is most luxuriant and interesting. A scramble into the dense shade of the bush is peculiarly exciting. It cannot be called a walk, unless a pathway has been cut; for the tangled undergrowth arrests the progress of the traveller at almost every step. There are trees of various ages and sizes, from

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the tender seedling, rising only a few inches from the surface, to the giant parent tree, lifting its proud and noble head a hundred and fifty feet above the ground. Parasites grow upon the lofty and spreading branches, and climbing plants--some with a stem so fine that it is used by the natives to make the meshes of their fishing nets, and others so thick that it resembles a ship's cable--cling to the massive trunks and spread themselves among the topmost branches. The atmosphere is always humid, for the sun's rays cannot pierce through the thick shade. The flap of the wood pigeon's wings is perhaps the only sound which is heard, or, possibly, a few other birds may strike up the note of wonder at the intrusion which has been made upon their quiet domain. It is a suggestive situation, favourable for devout meditation. "Lo, God is here!" The noble intertwining forms of life and beauty which display the forest splendour, proclaim His wisdom, goodness, and glory. He who has clothed the solitary places with so much varied beauty, will not be unmindful of the souls which He has redeemed by the precious blood of Christ; and as He lavishes His riches upon places scarcely ever trodden by the foot of man, may it not be inferred that the everlasting dwelling place of His people is garnished with indescribable glory?

The climbing plants meet the traveller in every direction, and so obstruct his way that the application of a small axe is often necessary. The supple-jack--Ripogonum parviflorum--the Kareau of the natives--is the most common. It is a useful article in all kinds of coarse basket work, in thatching, and in hurdle making. Some kinds, with a very small strong stem, and others several inches in diameter, reach the tops of the trees,

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and when cut through near the ground, are often seen hanging from them, like so many cords of different sizes. They furnish berries on which the wood pigeon and other birds fatten.

The largest tree of the forest is the Kauri--Dammara Australis. Its trunk is sometimes found without a limb to the height of nearly one hundred feet, and often measures thirty feet in circumference. Kauri spars have for many years been shipped to England, for the use of the Royal Navy. In the province of Auckland, it forms the timber which is in general use for carpenters' work. Posts cut from the heart of the tree resist the influences of the soil and weather for a long time, and they are consequently much used in fencing, and as piles on which wooden houses are built. It is also split into shingles, with which the houses are generally covered, instead of tiles or slates. Ship carpenters use it in constructing coasting vessels, and cabinetmakers work it up into useful furniture. One kind, having a mottled appearance, caused, perhaps, by some disease in the tree, looks very beautiful when well finished and polished. But the Kauri timber is not in such repute in the southern parts of the colony, each province being partial to the kinds of wood which are found in its own locality; and the Kauri is not found growing south of Kawhia, while further north it is one of the most common of the forest trees. The Kauri belongs to a family of pines, which constitute a large portion of the New Zealand bush, and it is the only one which produces a cone. A resin exudes from this tree in considerable quantities, and is exported from Auckland under the name of Kauri Gum. Many of the natives are employed in searching for it in plains which were once covered with bush, with

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pointed iron rods. It is dug up in lumps, washed, and brought to market in flat baskets.

The Rimu--Dacrydium Cupressimum--is an elegant and beautiful tree, and in some parts of the colony it supplies timber for general purposes. It is more durable than the Kauri, but is wrought with more difficulty. As a material for elegant cabinet-work, the following description of Rimu may be accepted:--"It varies in colour and shade from a bright rich light brown, tinged with yellow, and thickly marked or veined with dark reddish brown, shaded with a still darker and deeper colour, and marked with chocolate colour, or reddish black. It is very close grained, rather hard and brittle, inclined to split, and difficult to work. The Rimu takes polish very quickly, and leaves a good face."

The Totara--Podocarpus totara--is a noble tree, and grows to the height of one hundred feet. It is a very durable wood. The Maories sometimes make canoes, seventy feet long and five feet wide, of a single tree. "The lower parts of the tree near the roots, and the top parts near and in the forks, are beautifully grained, varying in shade and depth of colour so suitable for the cabinet-maker." A very handsome sideboard was made of this wood for the King of Prussia. "It is of a peculiar knotted grain, of singular beauty, and varied in its character in a manner that is truly remarkable. The colour is not less rich and effective than the grain, and the texture of the wood is such as to ensure its durability. The new wood requires but to be known to come into great demand, and to ensure that practical recognition shown by the King of Prussia."

The Kahikatea--Podocarpus dacrydioides--called by the settlers white pine--grows to the height of nearly

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one hundred and fifty feet, with a trunk seventy or eighty feet without a limb. The timber is not of much value, at least in the Northern part of the colony, except for inside work.

Several species of the laurel family are found here. Of these the most prized is Korinocarpus, called by the natives the Karaka, which, according to their tradition, they brought with them when they first came to New Zealand. The timber is useless, but the beautiful leaves, of a rich green colour, are excellent food for cattle. It produces a berry, the stone of which is as large as an acorn. The pulpy substance which surrounds the stone was palatable to the early settlers, before European fruit could be produced. If proper pains were taken with it, the Karaka fruit might probably be improved, and in the course of time might form a wholesome and well-favoured desert.

One of the most hard and durable kinds of wood is the Puriri--Vitex littoralis--generally called by the settlers Ironwood. It grows about fifty feet high, and five or six feet in diameter. As piles for bridges, the foundation of wooden houses, posts for fencing, or for any other purpose in which there is much exposure to the weather, the Puriri is in great repute. But it is prized chiefly in the northern part of the colony, as it does not grow in the south.

The Rata--Metrosideros robusta--is a singular tree. It is first a climbing plant, and clings to a tree for support. This course is continued till the Rata becomes so large and strong, that the arms by which it clung to the tree grasp it so tightly as to kill it. The Rata then continues to grow till it becomes a large tree, and may sometimes be seen holding in its giant arms the dead trunk on

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which it hung in the days of its helplessness; and at other times it may be seen hollow, the crushed tree which had supported it having rotted away. This singular tree reminds us of persons who, after being the chief support of the young and helpless, fall a prey to their withering influence. The Rata furnishes very useful wood for shipbuilding.

Some of the smaller kinds of trees are deserving our attention. The Nikau--Areca Sapida--often called the New Zealand palm, is a very handsome object. It has a straight trunk, from twenty to thirty feet high, and is headed with a tuft of leaves, six feet long, hanging gracefully down on all sides. This is the only representative of tropical vegetation. A species of fuschia grows to the height of thirty feet, and looks beautiful when it is covered with blossoms. It produces a fruit which is eaten by children. The fuschia is almost the only tree which sheds its leaves, and looks bare during winter. The Tutu--Coriaria sarmentosa--is a dangerous shrub, and is very common in some districts. It bears fruit in large bunches, which are black when they are ripe. The berry contains a stone which is poisonous; but if the stones be carefully removed, the fruit may be safely eaten, and is eaten in large quantities by the natives. Several accidents have occurred among the children of the settlers through eating Tutu berries. The leaves and young shoots are good food for cattle, when they become accustomed to it--care being taken that they do not eat them when they are very hungry. Many head of cattle have been poisoned by eating the young vigorous shoots of the Tutu bush; and other animals 1 also are

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endangered by it, notwithstanding the efforts which the settlers make to prevent it.

The most useful plant growing in the open lands is the New Zealand flax--Phormium Tenax. It grows in almost every kind of soil--on hills and in swamps, on the sand hills by the sea-shore and on the rich soil of the interior parts of the country. It grows in large tufts, and in the centre a stalk rises eight or ten feet high, and is crowned with flowers and seeds. The leaves of the flax are from three to six feet long, thick, and of a dark green colour. They are very strong, but may be divided lengthways into fine threads. This plant was in general use before the country was visited by Europeans. Mats were made of it, some of which were very beautiful; others were coarse, and served for general purposes. In the early days of the colony, these mats were commonly used by the settlers instead of carpets, and the finer kinds were bought for table covers. The Maori baskets, still in general use among both races, are made of flax, and are called Kets. Some of the finer kinds are very pretty and marked with different colours, and the larger kinds often supply the place of sacks. The Phormium Tenax is indigenous also in Norfolk Island and the Chatham Islands; but it is not found, as a native plant, anywhere else. The value of it is acknowledged for all kinds of cordage, a considerable quantity having been used for these purposes both in the colonies and in Europe, and efforts have repeatedly been made, both by individuals and by companies, to bring it fairly into the market, but, from various causes, without complete success. As there is not a little differ-

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ence between the fibre in different kinds of flax, not only in its length, but particularly in the silky gloss and extreme fineness which are sometimes met with, the time will probably come when plantations of flax will be carefully made, the different kinds assorted, and in addition to cordage, the superior material will be wrought into elegant fabrics. While we write, the flax trade is receiving much more attention than it did in former years. Steam mills are engaged in different parts of the country, and the amount of fibre prepared for the American and the European markets has given it an important place among our principal exports.

A species of gourd, called by the natives Hue--Lagenaria Vulgaris--is cultivated by the Maories. It is said that they introduced it on their arrival in New Zealand. The fruit, if it be eaten young, is esteemed as a delicacy; but it is in the form of the calabash that its usefulness chiefly appears. The calabash is made by scooping out the inside of the ripe fruit, through a small hole which is cut at the top, and which afterwards forms the mouth of the vessel. The calabash was almost the only vessel for carrying and holding water among the natives before their acquaintance with the white race. It was also used as a common drinking cup, and for containing oil, or any other liquid, and was occasionally marked with approved forms of the tattoo. The Taro---Arum esculentum--a species of yam, is highly prized by the Maories. Their tradition states that this plant was introduced on their first coming to New Zealand. Much care, a sandy soil, and a warm situation, are necessary in its cultivation. The Kumara--Convolvulus Batatus--often called the sweet potato, was widely cultivated some years ago by the natives, and formed a wholesome article of food.

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The Bulrush-Caterpillar--Sphoeria Robertsia--is a very remarkable little plant. It grows from the nape of the neck of a caterpillar, rising from six to ten inches above the ground; and if the stem be broken off, a fresh one grows from the same spot. The growth of the plant commences during the life of the insect, probably from seeds which adhere to the latter. When taken out of the ground entire, it presents a singular appearance--a living plant, with its stem and branches, and a dead caterpillar forming its root.

New Zealand was singularly free from quadrupeds, before the ships from Europe visited its shores, the only three kinds being the Kiori, a small rat, and the Kuri, a poor degenerate kind of dog, besides the pig. It is said that the two former animals are now become extinct; the Kiori having been destroyed by the common rat, brought to different parts of the country in our ships; and the Kuri has been superseded by several breeds of the English dog. The colonists of New Zealand are favoured above those of many other countries in their freedom from wild animals. Insects are numerous, some of them are troublesome, but none which we have met with are dangerous. The most troublesome kinds are the mosquito, and the namu, or sand fly. The former is very annoying by night in "clearings" which are made in the bush, and the latter is a savage little creature, found in countless numbers in the hot days of summer.

Among the birds found in the country, the most extraordinary was the Moa, which is now nearly, if not entirely, extinct. Dr. Hochstetter, who belonged to the Austrian Scientific Expedition which visited New Zealand in 1859, obtained a considerable quantity of fossil remains of this remarkable bird. He observes,--"These

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gigantic birds belong to an era prior to the human race, to a post-tertiary period, and it is a remarkably incomprehensible fact of the creation that, whilst at the very same period in the old world, elephants, rhinoceroses, hippotami; in South America, gigantic sloths and armadilloes; in Australia, gigantic kangaroos, wombats, and dasyurus were living; the colossal forms of animal life were represented in New Zealand by gigantic birds, which walked the shores then untrod by the foot of any quadruped."

A writer in the New Zealand Magazine states, concerning the Moa, that "the remains of eight species have been found, all of which have had a very recent existence:--1. The Dinornis Gyganteus, in size and height rivalling the camelopard, and probably resembling it in its habits, feeding on the tops of the young cabbage palms. 2. The Dinornis Elephantopus, whose thick frame nearly approached in size that of the elephant. 3. The Dinornis Robustus. 4. The Dinornis Crassus. 5. The Dinornis Ingeus, which must have been fairly nine feet high. 6. The Dinornis Didifornis, a bird four feet high. 7. The Patapteria Ingeus; and the Aptornis." Moa bones are often found in caves, and generally small heaps of pebbles are found near them; it is supposed that the small stones were swallowed to assist the bird in digesting its food. Bones and egg-shells of the Moa are also found occasionally in old Maori ovens. An egg has been seen measuring nine inches in diameter, twenty-seven inches in circumference, and twelve inches long; but of course the egg varied in size according to the species of the bird.

The Nelson Examiner, June 21, 1861, reported that some gentlemen belonging to the survey department,

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between the Riwaka and Takaka valleys, observed the foot-prints of a very large bird. The size of the foot-prints was fourteen inches in length, with a spread of eleven inches, the distance between them being about thirty inches. Supposing this report to be correct, and allowing these foot-prints to correspond with those of the Moa, it is probable that a remnant may be left in the unfrequented parts of the Middle Island; and if it be so, the Moa is undoubtedly the largest bird now in existence on the earth.

An interesting Moa relic has just been discovered. A workman engaged at the Kaikoras in excavating for the foundation of a house, came into contact with a Maori burial place. On carefully removing the earth, a human skeleton was found, in a sitting posture, with the elbows resting on the knees and the hands grasping a Moa's egg. The egg is described as being of a dirty white colour, slightly pencilled, and resembling that of a goose; it is about ten inches in length and seven inches in diameter, and the shell is about one-sixteenth of an inch thick.

The Kiwi, Apterix Australis--another singular bird allied to the Moa though much smaller--was recently common in some parts of the country; but it is now rarely seen, and within a short time it will probably become extinct. Having only the rudiments of wings, it cannot fly. It has a long beak, with the nostrils at the end; enabling the bird to find its food in the earth by the sense of smell, which is supposed to be very strong. The legs and claws are formed for strength, to enable it to tear open the ground in search of worms. Its colour is a dark brown, and the head and eye have a savage expression. The egg of the Kiwi is remarkably

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large, and the feathers resemble coarse hair. It is rarely seen in its wild state by day, the construction of its form and the peculiarity of its senses leading it to seek its food by night, and it is not easily caught as it runs very fast. The Kiwi is not a handsome bird, but its appearance is so singular, and it is met with so rarely, that it is always esteemed as an interesting creature.

Birds of passage visit New Zealand, but not in large numbers. There is a small species of Owl, and numbers of small Bats make their graceful evolutions in the summer evening twilight. Several kinds of sea-shore birds frequent every part of the coast. It is amusing to see some standing on the top of a rock upon one leg, undisturbed by the surf which dashes against the rocks around them. Others are seen in flocks, flying from one fishing place to another. A species of Hawk is the terror of the domestic fowls, having their chickens around them. Several kinds of small birds are very pretty, especially the Fan-tailed Fly Catcher. In the open land a bird not much unlike the English Lark, but without its song, is common; and at the edge of the forest, the beautiful little green Parrot is found in large numbers, and is a serious enemy to the bush farmer, when his crops of corn are nearly ripe. The Tui is most noted as a singing bird, and is often caged, on account of its melodious notes, in the cottages of the settlers. Its colour is black, with a few long white feathers hanging from its breast, which causes it to be often called the Parson bird; its size is about that of the Thrush. A species of Pigeon is found in the forest, and at the autumn season it becomes very fat, and is good for food. Water Fowls, of several kinds, are

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common in large swamps, and along unfrequented parts of rivers.

Many of the insects which are very destructive to the field crops and the gardens, have been unhappily introduced by the colonists, but of course unintentionally, and other kinds belong naturally to the country. The number of grasshoppers is immense; and the destruction which they cause is sometimes very great; some are small, and others are large and winged.

The New Zealand waters produce an abundance of fish which are good for food; but we have not met with any of so rich a flavour as the salmon, mackerel, and some other kinds, which are so well known in Great Britain. The Kawai is something like the English mackerel in appearance, and is often described, but improperly, as being equal to it. The fisheries of New Zealand were in a more flourishing state some years ago than they are now. Seals were numerous, especially on the coast of the Middle Island, and many of the white men who came to the country forty years ago were engaged as sealers. Several whaling companies were established in different parts of both the islands, and whalebone and oil formed important articles of export. The sperm, the hump-back, the fin-back, the pike-headed, the large-lipped, and the black whale, were found around the coast. From May to October was the whaling season, this being the time when the cow whales visit the coasts with their young calves. It was very interesting to see the whale throw up the water, with all the gracefulness of a fountain, in the act of breathing; and more interesting still to witness from the shore, as was sometimes done, the capture of this noble fish. Not many kinds of employment require more caution, more

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energy, more skill of a certain character, nor more perfect command of the nerves than whaling. We have stood upon the beach watching with intense anxiety this dangerous work, and have seen the ponderous black mass, a little while before so instinct with life, and threatening destruction to any boat which might have the temerity to approach it, succumb to the harpoon, and then towed ashore to be cut up secundum artem. The whalebone of commerce was taken from its monstrous jaws, its flesh, resembling beef in appearance, was hung up by the natives to dry as food for future use, and its fat or blubber was "tried down" for oil; a whaling station at such a time was a busy scene, but it is seldom witnessed in the present day.

Several species of Sharks are common, not only along the coast, but also in the harbours, which makes sea bathing sometimes a hazardous exercise; and in more than one instance persons have been drawn down by these savage creatures. A species, called by the natives Mako, and which is said to be found nowhere but in the latitude of New Zealand, is much prized by them on account of its teeth, which are used by the Maories as ear ornaments.

Shell fish of different kinds are abundant. Craw fish are large and good, cockles and mussels abound. A small kind of crab is plentiful, but is of little or no use. Oysters are good, and adhere to the rocks in some places in immense quantities. Shrimps are numerous, and eels are caught in large numbers both in the swamps and in the streams. No kind of reptile is found but the lizard, and that is harmless.

From the brief and imperfect account which we have given of the country and its natural productions, it will

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be readily admitted that, as a field for British enterprise, New Zealand possesses important advantages. Not locked up by the frosts of a Canadian winter, nor sweltering under the heat of a tropical sun, but supplied by abundant rain from heaven, falling upon a generous soil, and fanned by the bracing breezes of the vast Pacific; and instead of breathing a deadly malaria, which no expense and caution could prevent, a salubrious atmosphere being graciously provided for their health and happiness, the people of such a country have more than common cause for gratitude to Him, who giveth them all things richly to enjoy.

1   An elephant was imported not long since for exhibition, but was killed through eating freely of the Tutu as it was led along the coast of the Middle Island. Its skeleton may be seen in the Wellington Museum.

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