to, and a war cry of encouragement or defiance; like
the _slogan_ of the ancient Highlanders in Scotland.

A spear, a club, or a _mere_, may have a _mana_; which in most cases
means that it is a lucky weapon which good fortune attends, if the
bearer minds what he is about: but some weapons of the old times had a
stronger _mana_ than this, like the _mana_ of the enchanted weapons we
read of in old romances or fairy tales. Let any one who likes give an
English word for this kind of _mana_. I have done with it.

I had once a tame pig, which, before heavy rain, would always cut
extraordinary capers and squeak like mad. Every pakeha said he was
"weather-wise;" but all the Maori said it was a "_poaka whai mana_," a
pig possessed of _mana_; _for it had more than natural powers_, and
could foretell rain.

If ever this talk about the good old times be printed and published,
and every one should buy it, and read it, and quote it, and believe
every word in it--as they ought, seeing that every word is true--then
it will be a _puka puka whai mana_, a book of _mana_; and I shall have
a high opinion of the good sense and good taste of the New Zealand
public.

When the law of England is the law of New Zealand, and the Queen's writ
will run, then both the Queen and the law will have great _mana_: but I
don't think either will ever happen, and so neither will have any
_mana_ of consequence.

If the reader has not some faint notion of _mana_ by this time, I can't
help it: I can't do any better for him. I must confess I have not
pleased myself. Any European language can be translated easily enough
into any other; but to translate Maori into English is much harder to
do than is supposed by those who do it every day with ease; but who do
not know their own language, or any other but Maori, perfectly.

I am always blowing up "Young New Zealand," and calling them "reading,
riting, rethmatiking" vagabonds, who will never equal their fathers;
but I mean it all for their good--(poor things!)--like a father
scolding his children. But one _does_ get vexed sometimes. Their
grandfathers, if they had "no backs," had at least good legs; but the
grandsons can't walk a day's journey to save their lives: _they_ must
_ride_. The other day I saw a young Maori chap on a good horse; he wore
a black hat and polished Wellingtons, his hat was cocked knowingly to
one side, and he was jogging along with one hand jingling the money in
his pocket; and may I n