Greenstone Treasure.

There was, however, one heitiki that all Compton's coaxings and all his tricks of the trade could not add to his collection. It was the largest worked Greenstone of that kind that he had seen. It was a kahurangi, of deep green, and flawless. The carved grotesque was fashioned in the customary pattern; the contorted little figure with its head cocked on one side, its feet drawn in under it. To the Maori it represents the origin of mankind. The first human being was Tiki; and the figure is the unborn child. This precious kahurangi page 18 page 19 was held highly sacred, for it had rested on the bosom of many a chieftainess cold in death, and had been buried with her and disinterred again, cleansed and ceremoniously freed from tapu; and worn again by the next of the line. Now it was Harata's; she wore it on a cord of twisted flax about her neck. It had a name, embodying a tradition; it was Panirau, which means “Many Orphans.”

Compton proceeded to acquire that tiki. He began by offering Harata £5 for it. She refused with scornful and contemptuous words, as Compton had anticipated.

“You are quite right,” he said. “It would be very wrong to sell your most sacred possession for money. Indeed, it would be selling your ancestors. I only offered you money in order to try you; I know £50, or £500, would not tempt you to part with it.”

“Money! Money—everything is money with you pakehas,” said Harata, with increasing indignation. “What is money to me? You must not speak of my tiki and your filthy money in the same breath. It is tapu beyond expression; it has a wonderful mana, as you surely know. When I die it will lie on my breast; and it will go to my granddaughter after me, for her mother is dead, and to her children after her.”