De Quateefages. — On Moas and Moa-hunters. 33 



had, when the first Europeans arrived in New Zealand, already- 

 reached a high state of civilisation in manufacturing fine 

 polished-stone implements and weapons. 



" 7th. The moa-hunters, who cooked their food in the same 

 manner as the Maoris of the present day do, were not canni- 

 bals. 



"8th. The moa-hunters had means to reach the Northern 

 Island, whence they procured obsidian. ( c3 ) 



" 9th. They also travelled far into the interior of this Island 

 to obtain flint for the manufacture of their primitive stone im- 

 plements. 



" 10th. They did not possess implements of nephrite (green- 

 stone).^) 



" 11th. The polishing process of stone implements is of 

 considerable age in New Zealand, as more-finished tools have 

 been found in such positions that their great antiquity cannot 

 be doubted, and which is an additional proof of the long ex- 

 tinction of the moa." 



It would appear here that Dr. Haast claims to be abso- 

 lutely certain on every point, and it is with an air of perfect 

 confidence that he affirms or denies the several facts. But 

 we shall see that he ought to have reconsidered his proposi- 

 tions, and acknowledged that some of them, at any rate, were 

 wrongly founded. Nevertheless, the general convictions of 

 the learned geologist have not been shaken, and we shall have 

 now to ascertain whether this obstinacj' is justifiable. 



IV. 



While making a distinct difference between the moa- 

 hunters and the Maoris, Dr. Haast affirmed that the former 

 limited themselves to rudely shaping their stone implements, 

 whilst the latter knew how to give them a polish of which we 

 can judge by numerous specimens. ( C5 ) He added that the 

 moa-hunters did not possess greenstone implements — that is to 

 say, implements formed out of a stone often confounded with 

 jade, and which the natives, when discovered by the early 

 navigators, were found to value very highly. ( GC ) 



These two propositions had a very great importance from 



(G3.) Dr. Haast's researches were made principally in the Province of 

 Canterbury, situated in the South Island. 



(G-A.) It was with this stone, often called " jade," that the Maoris mado 

 their tomahawks, their axes, and different ornaments. They were of 

 great value in their eyes, and play a prominent part in their legends. I 

 have given on this point a few details, borrowed from Sir George Grey, in 

 the book entitled " Les Polynesiens et leurs Migrations." 



(G5.) Sixth proposition. -Ty^N*. 



(GG.) Second proposition. /\ 



