Page:Pounamu, notes on New Zealand greenstone (IA pounamunotesonne00robl).djvu/38

34 caused by the last fatal blow struck at a hard skull. Another renowned greenstone weapon, known as Hau Kapua, was surrendered to the Government of New Zealand at the end of the late war.

Enormous care was taken to preserve famous mere from loss or accidental damage. Hamilton, in his Maori Art, gives illustrations of two wooden boxes, 22 and 25 inches in length respectively, covered with carving of the most elaborate and intricate designs of mythological figures and distorted monsters, which he pronounced to have been used as receptacles for noble weapons.

If by chance a mere should be broken the precious fragments were carefully preserved in order that they might be made into tools, implements or ornaments according to their size. Figure 12 shews an adze-head made from a broken mere.

Much might be written about famous mere and the mark that they made in Maori history; and books on New Zealand and the native race will be found to contain many tales about these weapons and their owners.

The famous chief Te Heuheu was overwhelmed with all his people, save one man, on 7th May, 1846. His mere was one of the most celebrated in New Zealand. Years afterwards a hundred men were employed to dig at the place of the catastrophe, and they worked with such diligence and care that the mere was eventually found, and is still in the possession of the tribe.