Projectile Weapons.

(1.) Bow and arrow. The bow and arrow was not known in battle. There is no definite account of it in the old historical narratives. It has been used lately by the children in play. The bow was made of orange or guava and the arrows of teka cane. The bow was called tokini.

(2.) The Sling. The sling was used in Aitutaki, as throughout the Cook Group. My informants were not too clear about the name. They held that maka applied to the sling stones, and the sling itself was probably titiri, as the word of command to sling was "Tiria," "throw."

The sling was made of hibiscus bast, in exactly the same manner as the cocoanut oil wringer, taka hakari. The two examples shown in Fig. 298 are from Rarotonga. The plaiting started one one side of the band that was to enclose

Figure 298.
Slings, Sling Stone, and Carrying Net. (Auckland Museum.)

the stone. When the opposite side was reached the wefts were bent back to form an edge, as in the taka. The plaiting proceeded towards one end, until half the length of the band was completed. The width was narrowed by incorporating two wefts as one. When narrowed down sufficiently, the wefts were plaited, either as a three-ply braid or a four-ply round plait, as in the taura puna. The other end was finished off in the same way.

In the small sling on the left of Fig. 298 the pouch, or band, is 5 inches long and 1 inch wide. The cords are plaited in the four-ply round plait, and are 2 feet 3 inches and 2 feet 4 inches long. The end of one cord has been doubled over and tied with an overhand knot. This leaves a loop big enough to fit over the thumb.

In the longer sling in Fig. 298 the band is 7 inches long and 2½ inches wide. The wefts are somewhat narrow, being page 3536 to 1 inch. The cords are three-ply braid, with the ends finished off by binding with a fine cord. The cords are fairly thick. In one the wefts at the end have been divided into two lots, and two smaller cords plaited on for about 7 inches. These two small cords were for tying round the wrist. The cord with the bifurcated end is 3 feet 2 inches in length to the bifurcation, and the other is 3 feet 5 inches.

The sling stones, maka, are seen in position on the two slings. They are of the dark pohatu maori stone, and have been worked, hakaonu. They are shaped into the round.

On the right of Fig. 298 is a netted bag for holding sling stones. The netting material is sinnet braid, and the netting cord is the weaver's knot. A cord runs through the circumferential meshes, so as to close the bag. The ends are long for tying round the waist or suspending over the shoulder. It is said that in battle the women carried up fresh supplies of stones.

In using the sling, the loop of one cord was slipped over the thumb. In the larger sling, the cords at the bifurcated end were tied round the waist. The stone was placed in position in the pouch and the other cord held in the hand. The sling was swung round and round the head and the held cord let go. The stone flew with great velocity, and much accuracy was attained in ancient times. The sling was much used in pursuit of a disorganised enemy.

In battle, an incantation called nuku was used by the priest to promote good marksmanship on his own side and cause the stones of the enemy to miss the mark.

Nuku Incantation.
E Rongo, e Tane, e—
Moria to tangata ki te rima.
Kavea tahau pohaki
Ki te mata i katau.
Kia hinga tiraha.
Tiria tana pohaki
Kia ava i te one.

O Rongo! O Tane!
Support thy man in thy hand!
Direct your stone
To the eye on the right,
That he (the enemy) fall face upwards.
Direct his (the enemy's) stone
That it may furrow the earth.

It will be noted that the priest ingratiates himself by saying that the stones on his side are the gods'.