ard and seen.
"Surely," thought I, "if one half of the world does not know how the
other half live, neither do they know how they die."

Some days after this a deputation arrived to deliver up my old friend's
_mere_. It was a weapon of great _mana_, and was delivered with some
little ceremony. I perceive now that I have written this word _mana_
several times, and think I may as well explain what it means. This is
the more necessary, as the word has been bandied about a good deal of
late years, and meanings have been often attached to it by Europeans
which are incorrect, but which the natives sometimes accept because it
suits their purpose. This same word _mana_ has several different
meanings; the difference between these diverse meanings is sometimes
very great, and sometimes only a mere shade of meaning, though one very
necessary to observe; and it is, therefore, quite impossible to find
any one single word in English, or in any other language that I have
any acquaintance with, which will give the full and precise meaning of
_mana_. Moreover, though I myself do know all the meanings and
different shades of meaning, properly belonging to the word, I find a
great difficulty in explaining them; but as I have begun, the thing
must be done. It will also be a tough word disposed of to my hand, when
I come to write my Maori dictionary, in a hundred volumes; which, if I
begin soon, I hope to have finished before the Maori is a dead
language.

Now then for _mana_. _Virtus_, _prestige_, authority, good fortune,
influence, sanctity, luck, are all words which, under certain
conditions, give something near the meaning of _mana_, though not one
of them gives it exactly: but before I have done, the reader shall have
a reasonable notion (for a pakeha) of what it is.

_Mana_ sometimes means a more than natural virtue or power attaching to
some person or thing, different from and independent of the ordinary
natural conditions of either, and capable of either increase or
diminution, both from known and unknown causes. The _mana_ of a priest
or _tohunga_ is proved by the truth of his predictions, as well as the
success of his incantations; _which same incantations, performed by
another person of inferior mana, would have no effect_. Consequently,
this description of _mana_ is a virtue, or more than natural or
ordinary condition attaching to the priest himself; and which he may
become possessed of and also lose without any volition of h