Kingsley. — On Tombs of a Prehistoric Race. 609 



excessively rare, and during a residence in the country of 

 twenty-five years not more than half a dozen have been seen 

 by Mr. White. 



Some tribes cremated their dead, and placed the ashes, with 

 leg-bones and skull, in a large jar about 2ft. high, and of 

 elegant shape. Other tribes dried the bodies of their dead by 

 the aid of the sun and smoke. Others again fenced their 

 graves with bamboos in which slots were cut like organ-pipes, 

 so that when the wind was blowing they gave out a howling 

 noise, which, no doubt, was intended to frighten away evil 

 spirits. Some Indians, Mr. White states, forced their stone 

 axes into the branches of certain tough trees, and when the 

 fibre and bark had securely grown around them they, by 

 cutting off the branch, secured a natural handle to their axe. 

 This style of burial of the dead does not appear to be similar 

 to that of the North American races, but is more after the 

 manner of the ancient Egyptians and old Etruscans and 

 Scythians, whose remains are found in Egypt, Italy, and the 

 Crimea. 



The total absence of iron is remarkable, as we find it to 

 have been used by the Egyptians fully four thousand years 

 ago ; and it was also known to the early inhabitants of Asia 

 and Europe. In their reliance upon stone implements, and 

 the apparent absence of the knowledge of the use of metal for 

 that purpose, they greatly resemble the Maoris. I notice that 

 Sir George Grey, in a recent speech at the Colonial Institute, 

 stated his opinion that the Polynesians were of Mexican origin. 

 I would suggest, Why not of South American? and in that 

 light it is interesting for us in New Zealand to learn as much 

 as possible of the probable habits and customs of the people 

 formerly inhabiting that continent, in order to throw light 

 upon the probable source whence the Maori race sprang, as 

 I for one cannot with any satisfaction accept the reasons 

 hitherto advanced (especially those of a philological nature) 

 for the theory of an Asiatic source. Be this as it may, it is at 

 least interesting to preserve any details illustrating the eth- 

 nology of extinct races of man. 



39 



