that ancient tribe of mountaineers, even from the dim, mistladen epoch when Te Maunga (the mountain) descended from on high, lured to earth by the fleecy charms of Hine-pukohu-rangi (the Goddess of the Mist), and unto them was born Potiki (the child), from whom sprang Nga-potiki (the children), a tribe now known as Tuhoe and Te Ure-wera. Frowned upon by Dame Nature were these Children of the Mist, for, look you! so inhospitable are those savage ranges of Tuhoe Land that, save for the abundance of birds in their great forests, no man might dwell therein. For the kumara and taro could not be cultivated; and, as for clothing, no flax grew in the realm of Potiki save the inferior kinds found on cliffs, which were useless. Thus, when the snow and sleet of the whaturua (midwinter) drifted down from giant Huiarau, the only salvation for these bushmen were the wharepuni and the toi cloaks. It is only in recent times that the better lands of flax have been introduced and cultivated here. It is said that Taitua first introduced the better flax, from Waikato, some six generations ago. The kiekie fibre was formerly used by the people of the lower Whakatane and Tauranga Rivers, but it does not grow far inland, the nearest to Rua-tahnna being at Hana-mahihi. In ancient times the leaves of the mauku (Asplenium bulbiferum) were woven into a sort of rude mat, and a very poor and perishable one it must have been. Hence the old-time sayings for this district: “Rua-tahuna kakahu mauku,” and “Rua-tahuna paku kore.” These mauku mats were worn at night only, being warmed at a fire and used as a covering. They were too perishable to be worn outside. It is thus a fact that in ancient times these mountaineers wore scarcely any covering, and in winter they remained in their semi-subter-ranean houses.

The toi capes are made in the same style as a timu. The fibre is much coarser than that of flax, and much resembles in colour and appearance the cocoanut-fibre seen in floor-matting. In making these capes only enough leaves are cut for one day's weaving, for if left longer they cannot be prepared; they become dry, and the vegetable matter cannot be disengaged from the fibre (ko te para kaore e pahuhu). The midrib (tuaka) is taken out of the toi leaves, it being too hard to work, after which the leaves are beaten to soften them and disengage the para or vegetable matter. These fine leaves are often seen 8 in. wide. The hukahuka of this cape are strips of the toi leaf, not bruised or beaten, or they would not lie close and flat, but curl up. (Kaore e pai kia marū a waho, engari kia tupa tonu, kia kaua e kopa.) The toi capes are dyed black when finished, and will remain waterproof for many years. The old dried leaves of the toi are termed