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THE

MAGAZINE;

OR,

ANGELICAL MISCELLANY.

APRIL, 1848.

NEW ZEALAND PAH.

"THE New Zealander has a fixed and settled habitation: he resides either in his pah, which is a fortified stockade; or in a kainga maori, or native settlement, which is not enclosed, where the houses are scattered about as in a village. In times of warfare the whole tribe seeks refuge within the pah, which is often erected on the summit of a steep hill, or on an island, or along the bank of a river. The pah is surrounded with a strong, high fence, or stockade; and the interior is divided, by lower fencings, into numerous court-yards, which communicate with each other by means of stiles; in each court stands the house and cook-house of one or more families, and also the patuka, or store-house for food. The dwelling-house, and frequently the store-house, are ornamented with grotesque carving, and colored with kokowai, or red ochre. The cook-house is merely a shed, built of posts or slabs of wood placed several inches apart, so as to admit the air and win 1. and roofed with beams, over which is a thatchwork of

in these houses the domestic operations of cook

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ing food, corn, &c., take place during wet

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"THE New Zealander has a fixed and settled habitation: he resides either in his pah, which is a fortified stockade; or in a kainga maori, or native settlement, which is not enclosed, where the houses are scattered about as in a village. In times of warfare the whole tribe seeks refuge within the pah, which is often erected on the summit of a steep hill, or on an island, or along the bank of a river. The pah is surrounded with a strong, high fence, or stockade; and the interior is divided, by lower fencings, into numerous court-yards, which communicate with each other by means of stiles; in each court stands the house and cook-house of one or more families, and also the patuka, or store-house for food. The dwelling-house, and frequently the store-house, are ornamented with grotesque carving, and colored with kokowai, or red ochre. The cook-house is merely a shed, built of posts or slabs of wood placed several inches apart, so as to admit the air and wind, and roofed with beams, over which is a thatchwork of raupo: in these houses the domestic operations of cooking and preparing food, corn, &c., take place during wet weather; at other times they are carried on in the open air. The

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houses are partly sunk in the ground, and a true native house is always built with a gable roof and a portico or verandah, where the occupants generally sit. The inner chamber, which extends a long way back, serves as a sleeping apartment, and towards evening is heated by means of a fire; after the family enters for the night, the door and window are tightly closed, and in this almost suffocating atmosphere they pass the night: when day comes, they creep out of the low door into the sharp morning air, dripping with perspiration.

"Within the enclosure of the pah also stand the wahi tapu, or burial places of the chiefs, which, being colored red, and ornamented with rich carving and a profusion of feathers, are attractive objects to a stranger. As the natives at certain seasons of the year are constantly in their plantations and potatoe grounds, they erect in them temporary sheds, and long thatched buildings, beneath which to repose in wet weather, and also for the purpose of cooking their food. In the plantations, patukas or store-houses are also frequent, in which they deposit the seed during the winter; these patukas are always raised upon a pole, or placed between the forked branches of a tree, to preserve them from the attacks of the rats which overrun both islands.

"Some of their pahs are very extensive, and contain a population of 1000 to 2000 people; others are much smaller, and are inhabited merely by one chief, with his family and dependants. Since the introduction of Christianity amongst the New Zealanders, the use of these fortifications is become less constant, and in whole districts the natives may be seen dwelling at peace in their scattered houses, without either wall or fence to protect them from an enemy."-Angas's Savage Life.

THE LIVING RILL.

THE last number of our narrative left Horace Langford still in a fainting state in the coach and four of Mr. Barwell, or as the gentleman was generally called, "Justice Barwell." This youth engaged for once and for ever, the warmest regards of the old gentleman from the noble manner in which he had defended his son at the risk of his own life; for though the justice may have hitherto seemed to have been somewhat hard on his poor son, yet after-years made it plain that when he had yielded to the persuasions of his daughter and son-in-law to send the child to school, he had so done with kind motives.

A few minutes' rapid travelling was sufficient to bring the coach through the great gates and into the long avenue which led from them to the front door of Barwell Hall, where, on a platform at the summit of the double flight of steps in front of the hall door, already stood Mrs. Rokeby, having been called thither by first hearing, and then seeing, that the coach was returning. The figure of the lady, arrayed in the highest fashion of those days, stood out more prominently on account of the elevated pedestal on which it appeared; and though naturally tall, the heels of her satin shoes added some inches to her height. She wore a petticoat and train of silk, highly trimmed with puffs and bows of ribbon, with an enormous elevation of powdered hair, on the very summit of which was pinned a fly cap of gauze, whilst huge plaistered and powdered curls hung by each ear. There was more state than grace in her appearance, which was not improved by a betrayal in her manner of more than usual ill humour; for before the coach had stopped, she had exclaimed, in a high key, “It is as I thought: my father's returned." At the same time she called to her husband, some where near, to come out. But the justice, paying his daughter no attention, was at first only anxious to get Horace lifted easily out of the carriage, and to give such directions as were needful respecting him to the servants, who by that time were running towards the carriage. "Take the poor youth," he said, "and lay him on a bed in the quietest and most airy room in the house, loosen his dress, and call the housekeeper to come with any restoratives she can lay her hands first upon." Having given these orders, he was hurry

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