Then came the _tapu tohunga_, or priest's _tapu_, a quite different kind or form of _tapu_ from those which I have spoken of. These _tohunga_ presided over all those ceremonies and customs which had something approaching to a religious character. They also pretended to the power--by means of certain familiar spirits--to foretell future events, and even in some cases to control them. The belief in the power of these _tohunga_ to foretell events was very strong, and the incredulous pakeha who laughed at them was thought a person quite incapable of understanding plain evidence. I must allow that some of their predictions were of a most daring nature, and, happening to turn out perfectly successful, there may be some excuse for an ignorant people believing in them. Most of these predictions were, however, given--like the oracles of old--in terms which would admit a double meaning and secure the character of the soothsayer, no matter how the event turned out. It is also remarkable that these _tohunga_ did not pretend to divine future events by any knowledge or power existing in themselves; they pretended to be for the time inspired by the familiar spirit, and passive in his hands. This spirit "entered into" them, and, on being questioned, gave a response in a sort of half-whistling half-articulate voice, supposed to be the proper language of spirits; and I have known a _tohunga_ who, having made a false prediction, laid the blame on the "tricksy spirit," who he said had purposely spoken false, for certain good and sufficient spiritual reasons which he then explained. Amongst the fading customs and beliefs of the good old times the _tohunga_ still holds his ground, and the oracle is as often consulted (though not so openly) as it was a hundred years ago, and is as firmly believed in; and this by natives who are professed Christians: the inquiries are often on subjects of the most vital importance to the welfare of the colony. A certain _tohunga_ has even quite lately, to my certain knowledge, been paid a large sum of money to do a miracle! I saw the money paid, and I saw the miracle. And the miracle was a good enough sort of miracle, as miracles go in these times. The natives know we laugh at their belief in these things, and they would much rather we were angry, for then they would defy us; but as we simply laugh at their credulity, they do all they can to conceal it from us: but nevertheless the chiefs, on all matters of importance, continue to consult the Maori oracle. I shall give two instances of predictions which came under my own observation, and which will show how much the same priestcraft has been in all times.