Large-sized Canoes

A number of early writers have recorded notes on the larger canoes seen by them on these coasts, some of which are here reproduced.

Sir Joseph Banks, who accompanied Captain Cook on his first voyage, writes as follows of a canoe seen on the east coast in 1769: "On an island called Jubolai [?] we saw the largest canoe which we had met with; the length was 68½ feet, her breadth 5 feet, and her height 3 feet 6 inches. She was built with sharp bottom, made in three pieces of trunks of trees hollowed out, the middlemost of which was much longer than either of the other two; their gunnel planks were in one piece 62 feet 2 inches in length, carved prettily page 169enough in bas-relief; the head also was richly carved in their fashion."

This was a canoe with a haumi at each end. The sharp bottom is an uncommon feature of the Maori canoe as known to us, save at the two ends.

When in the eastern part of the Bay of Plenty, on the 31st October, 1769, Cook saw a larger canoe: "No less than five canoes came off, in which were more than forty men…. Another, of an immense size, the largest we had yet seen, crowded with people, who were also armed, put off from the shore, and came up at a great rate … we could see that it had sixteen paddles on a side, besides people that sat, and others that stood in a row from stem to stern, being in all about sixty men."

At a point on the eastern coast of the northern peninsula seven large canoes, containing about two hundred men, went off to Cook's vessel. Again, at the Bay of Islands, "several very large canoes came off to us, full of people."

Parkinson speaks of a canoe seen at the Bay of Islands that "had eighty people in her, most of whom paddled."

A canoe seen at the Bay of Islands by Marion's crew in, 1772, contained from eighty to one hundred natives. It was ornamented with fine carvings. Another seen was 67 ft. in length and 6 ft. 4 in. wide, made out of a single log. It was handsomely carved, and went at a fine speed. Another is mentioned as being a superb canoe, 70 ft. in length, and made all in one piece. In Du Clesmeur's journal of Marion's voyage, published in volume 2 of McNab's Historical Records of New Zealand, occur the following remarks: "These people are by no means ignorant of the art of seamanship. They have indeed carried it to perfection, relatively to their needs. Their pirogues, or canoes, are of great beauty. I have measured some that were 70 ft. in length by 8 ft. in width, and made out of a single piece of timber. They are sharp at each end, and the keel is hewn out in such a way as to insure a good speed. They travel at a very rapid rate. We have seen no sails in any of them, very light paddles being used. There are usually about forty men in each canoe. The stern and the prow are ornamented with two pieces of carving; that on the stern is about 12 ft. in height and 2½ in. in width [thickness]. It is openworked, and painted red like the canoe itself. Above this board is a sort of plume of black feathers. The ornament of the prow is not more than 2 ft. in height, and on the top also are feathers. The tools they use for building are made in the same style as those of the natives of Tahiti. It is a sort of adze made of touchstone, fitted on to a bent piece of wood. Others of their tools are made of a page 170green stone which is transparent, and of which they make tools for their carvers."

An interesting feature of these measurements is the fact of variation in the width of canoes in proportion to their length. A craft 68 ft. long was 5 ft. wide; another 67 ft. long was 6? ft. wide; another 70 ft. long and 8 ft. wide; another 60 ft. long and 4½ ft. wide; another 84 ft. long and 6 ft. wide. The big canoe in the Auckland Museum is 83 ft. long and 5 ft. 8 in. wide between the top-strakes. Another in the Dominion Museum is 42 ft. long and 4 ft. wide between top-strakes. These width-measurements are those of the widest part.

Nicholas, writing in 1815, remarks: "Hongi… came in a very handsome war-canoe, tastefully ornamented with rich carving at the head and stern… This canoe was by much the largest of any I had yet been in, measuring sixty feet in length by four feet six inches in breadth: and at about the distance of a foot from the bottom was fixed some wickerwork, which, running along the whole length of the canoe, served for an easy and commodious seat."

In 1815 Kendall saw at the Bay of Islands a canoe 87 ft. long that was manned by sixty-seven men. It was one of a fleet of fourteen.

In his journal of 1819 Marsden mentions seeing one of the Bay of Islands canoes used in raids on Hauraki and the east coast. Natives informed him that it held sixty men and all necessary stores for them on such voyages, but that it would carry eighty on bay trips or on any smooth water. He also states that he saw canoes 80 ft. to 90 ft. in length, and remarks, "These canoes go very quick through the water."

In Breton's New South Wales, published in 1834, we note the following: "Their canoes are the largest I have seen, some of them being 100 feet in length, by 12 or 15 in breadth; the body is formed of a single tree, but the ends are added, and highly carved or ornamented."

This unusual length may possibly have been seen, but the width given is doubtful; only a double canoe would be so wide.

In describing the return of an expedition to the Bay of Islands in 1820, Cruise says: "The fleet was composed of about fifty canoes, many of them seventy or eighty feet long, and few less than sixty. Their prows, sides, and stern-posts were handsomely carved, and ornamented with a profusion of feathers; and they generally carried two sails made of straw matting. They were filled with warriors, who stood up and shouted as they passed our boat, and held up several human heads as trophies of their success."

Again, this writer remarks: "The largest canoe we saw was eighty-four feet long, six feet wide, and five feet deep… It was made of a single kauri tree hollowed out, and raised about two feet with planks firmly tied together and to the main trunk, with pieces of the flax-plant inserted through them. The crevices were filled with reeds to make the canoe watertight. A post fifteen feet high rose from the stem and stern, which together with the sides was carved in openwork, painted red, and fringed with a profusion of black feathers. The chief sat at the stern, and steered the canoe, which was impelled by the united force of ninety naked men, who were painted and ornamented with feathers. Three others, standing upon the thwart-sticks, regulated the strokes of the paddles by repeating, with violent gestures, a song in which they were joined by every one in the vessel. The canoe moved with astonishing rapidity, causing the water to foam on either side of it; and we have observed other war-canoes cross the Bay of Islands in perfect safety when it was thought imprudent to lower the ship's boats."

Polack speaks of travelling in a finely finished canoe 72 ft. in length that had two triangular sails made of raupo, while the ropes thereof were made of "common flax", which may mean undressed Phormium. He also writes as follows of Maori canoes: "Some canoes are fully eighty feet in length, upwards of six feet beam, four feet in depth; the bottom being worked to the sharpness of a wedge, the sides are consequently well projected… A variety of hieroglyphics, resembling tattooing, adorns the hull, painted in white or black on a red ground… The canoes made in the vicinity of Hawke's Bay will carry easily one hundred men, and are paddled double-banked."

When Polack visited Uawa in 1835 he remarks that "about thirty canoes, each of a very large size, and filled with people," came off to meet his vessel. Again, he writes: "I purchased a canoe at Uawa that was seventy-six feet long, six feet wide, and four feet deep, the bottom being as sharp as a wedge. The sides were well projected, and about two inches thick, and near the bottom full three inches. On each side was raised a plank, to the making of which a whole tree had been used; these were sixty-six feet in length, fifteen inches wide, and two inches thick, fitting to the hull by a piece of lath painted black and placed outside the vessel, which, when lashed, bound the gunwale board to the hull exceedingly firm, by holes being bored above and below the band [lath], fastened by flax well scraped. The small spaces of the holes were closed up with the down of bulrushes, which answered the purpose of caulking. A considerable number of thwarts were laid across the gunwales, and page 172strengthened the compactness of the vessel by being securely lashed. The figurehead at the bow projected six feet beyond the hull, and was about three feet in height. The rapa, or stern-piece, was about twelve feet high, two inches thick, and eighteen inches in breadth."

The bottom "sharp as a wedge" does not recommend itself as a feature of the Maori canoe; possibly its sharpness near the prow was referred to.

Of a canoe seen at the Bay of Islands in 1835 Darwin wrote: "In examining one of their larger canoes, seventy feet in length, from three to four feet in width, and about three in depth, I was much interested by observing what trouble and pains had been taken in building and trying to ornament this (to them) first-rate vessel of war. Her lower body was formed out of the trunk of a single tree, the kauri, the upper works by planks of the same wood; the stem and stern, raised and projecting, like those of the galleys of old, were carved and hideously disfigured, rather than ornamented, by red distorted faces with protruding tongues and glaring mother-of-pearl eyes. Much carving of an entirely different and rather tasteful design (arabesque, like the ornaments at Tahiti) decorated the sides; Beneath the thwarts a wickerwork platform, extending from end to end, served to confine the ballast to its proper position, and to afford a place upon which the warriors could stand to use their weapons. From forty to eighty men can embark in such canoes… Judging only from description, the largest canoes ever seen by the oldest of the present generation must have been nearly ninety feet in length, formed out of one tree, with planks attached to the sides, about six or seven feet wide, and nearly as much in depth."

When traversing a forest near Matamata, Dieffenbach states that he saw (about 1840) "many large but unfinished canoes, hewn out of huge stems of totara"

In another place he says that he had seen canoes 80 ft. long. "The sails are triangular, and made of the light raupo rushes. They can sail very close to the wind, and are steered by a paddle."

The late Judge Fenton stated that, long years ago, he saw at Wai-heke a canoe over 90 ft. in length. Again, he remarks: "The Maoris of New Zealand build, or used lately to build, very beautiful and powerful canoes, capable of carrying one hundred men and more, with which, even in our time, they were accustomed to make voyages round the coast."

Bidwill mentions a canoe seen at the Thames that was 80 ft. long, and highly finished. It seems to have been captured from a party from the Bay of Islands.

Jameson speaks of having seen a war-canoe "of enormous size" at Waihou, that had been captured by the natives of that part from a party of Ngapuhi under Moko, that was almost annihilated on Great Barrier Island. Unfortunately, he does not give any dimensions.

Angas remarks that he saw a canoe 70 ft. long on the Waikato. The Rev. R. Taylor tells us in Te Ika a Maui that "The wood of the totara is preferred for canoes, and it is not unusual to see them more than seventy feet long, with a width of five or six feet, formed from a single log."

Colonel Mundy, in Our Antipodes, wrote: "Some of the larger war-canoes are from eighty to ninety feet in length, six feet wide and five feet deep, with high topsides and deck … capable of containing a hundred men, and propelled by ninety paddlers."

C. O. Davis states that Te Haupa, of Ngati-Paoa, felled a very large tree, which he intended to make into a war-canoe, but which was not finished. "Its length is said to be 118 feet, and its width about ten feet, and will carry, it is supposed, upwards of 700 men." This "700" is evidently a misprint, being much too high an estimate. The following note on an old unfinished canoe probably refers to the above. It was 90 ft. long, but 10 ft. or more of one end had rotted off. Even that was not its original length, for one end had been broken off in hauling it from the forest: the huge hull took charge and plunged into a gully. Its greatest beam was 10 ft.

In Out in the Open (1882) Mr. Potts tells of some canoes seen by him at Alexandra, the largest of which was 78 ft. long and 6 ft. wide.

The canoe known as "Te Mata o Turoa," at Whanganui, is 71 ft. long and 4 ft. 8 in. wide at the broadest part. The dugout hull is of one piece, except a short haumi a few feet in length at one end. Several patches have been put on near the fore end, and a few small pieces let in on the sides. It has no rauawa attached, and no prow or stern pieces: all have disappeared. Several bullet-holes and embedded musket-balls are seen in the canoe, which natives say date from fights early in last century. The prow end is long and sharp. Its name is marked on it as "Te Mata Hoturoa," which is probably intended for "Te Mata o Turoa," for Turoa was a chief of renown in those parts. Te Mata o Hoturoa, which possibly may be the correct form, is an expression denoting the crescent moon, or the cusps thereof.

The big war-canoe "Te Toki-a-tapiri," in the Auckland Museum, seems to be the only first-class Maori canoe that has been well preserved. (See fig. 77, p. 174.) It is a fine specimen, and its lines are admirable. The length of the hull is 83 ft. At the stern end is a haumi about 10 ft. in length; the rest is in one piece, hewn out of one huge page 174

W. R. Reynolds, photo

trunk. Its greatest beam is about 7 ft., outside measurement, but only about 5 ft. 8 in. inside measurement, between the sides of the hull, showing that the top-strakes have a very pronounced flare. Depth of hold under thwarts, 2 ft. 8 in. On the under-side of the prow is carved a human figure looking downwards, such as is termed a toiere, or parata, and the design termed puhoro is painted on the same part. (See fig. 13, p. 61.) The deck or flooring of the canoe has not been correctly fixed, as it rests on the inner battens covering the join of the top-strake, which is not permissible. Also, the floor is badly laid, and lacks the puna wai, or bailing-places.

Mr. Featon, in his work on the Waikato war, speaks of a large canoe having been seized during the Waikato war. "The canoe was over seventy feet in length, was elaborately carved, and would carry 150 men. This celebrated specimen of Maori marine architecture was afterwards conveyed to England by one of the men-of-war. The canoe having been launched, it was taken in tow by the 'Lady Barkly' to Waiuku."

We believe that the above remarks apply to the "Toki-a-tapiri" canoe, now in the Auckland Museum. It was not taken to England, though its carved figurehead was.

The "Toki-a-tapiri" was made by natives of Hawke's Bay. Tuta-kangahau, of Tuhoe, informed the writer that he saw this canoe at Turanga about the year 1850. Mr. Barstow states that the Hawke's Bay natives gave her to Hone Ropiha in Governor Browne's time. He sold her to Ahipene Kaihau and others of Ngati-te-ata, at Wai-uku, for £700. She was there seized by the military during the Wai-kato war and brought to Onehunga, whence she was taken across the isthmus to Auckland Harbour for the purpose of landing H.R.H. Prince Alfred.

The most interesting local canoe of which we have heard is one that was made at Whanga-nui fifteen generations ago for a chief named Rua-matatoa, concerning which Mr. T. W. Downes contributes the following notes: The canoe known as "Tauwhare-puru" was famed all over New Zealand as being the largest ever made by the Maori. It was hewn from a huge totara tree named "Nga Mahanga," and its two haumi were formed from two other trees having the special name of "Tauwhare-puru," which trees grow close together. This name was given to the canoe. (Probably the name "Nga Mahanga" was that of the double trunks.) The supervisors of the task of making this vessel, the tohunga whaihanga, or industrial experts, were Te Kowhiro and Pataua of Whanga-nui, also Taka-wairangi of Ngati-Tama, who came to assist them. The numerous workmen were local men. The various pieces having been roughed out, they were then buried in trenches, where they laid for months, after which they were taken up and laid on platforms exposed to air and wind, the same being a seasoning process.

Each haumi of this canoe was over 20 ft. in length, and on each side of the hull were lashed six rauawa, or top boards.

This form of vessel carries us to Polynesia; the Tahitian canoes were so built up. "Tauwhare-puru" is said to have accommodated 400 persons, including 144 paddlers. This seems very unusual, but the tradition is about four hundred years old, and may have grown as it passed down the centuries. The width of the canoe was half an arm more than a tall man could stretch. It is not explained as to whether the maro or takato mode of measuring was meant; if the latter, then the width would be about 9 ft.

This great canoe was taken to the South Island and there given to local natives in exchange for manufactured greenstone (nephrite) objects, including three mere (weapons), six mau kaki (neck-pendants), and two heitiki.

Banks speaks of seeing a canoe carrying eighty-two people at a place north of Hauraki.