Best. — Maori Voyagers and their Vessels. 457 



canoe, with haumi and top strake, and covered with a roof or awning, as 

 already described. She crossed over to D'Urville Island, and there stayed 

 some time ; doubtless her crew were awaiting favourable weather-condi- 

 tions. And then, on the Omutu night of the month of Akaaka-nui, these 

 harassed folk launched their vessel, and, passing through the Strait, sailed 

 forth upon the sullen seas in search of a new home. 



The Peopling of the Pacific. 



Cook speaks of finding the Polynesian Maori located over an area 

 extending twelve hundred leagues north and south by sixteen hundred 

 leagues east and west, and even then he cut off some Maori communities 

 to the westward. We will now inquire into the manner in which these 

 far-spread isles were settled by the ancestors of our Maori folk, and quote 

 a few more of their voyages. 



The earliest voyagers of whom the Maori has preserved tradition were 

 those who left the fatherland of the race. That home-land was known 

 as Irihia ; an extremely hot land, wherein grew the prized food called 

 ari — a land inhabited by many dark-skinned peoples, a land of great extent. 

 Here was situated the sacred place known as Hawaiki-nui, and on the 

 summit of a mountain in that land, the ascent of which occupied two 

 days, were performed all ritual performances connected with lo, the 

 Supreme Being. After a long sojourn among the slim-built thin-shanked 

 dark peoples, wars with them became numerous, and vast numbers of men 

 were slain. Thus many left Irihia in order to seek new homes across the 

 ocean. 



These explorers steered toward the rising sun ; by night their guides 

 were the stars, moon, and the sea-breeze. In the tradition of this voyage 

 it is distinctly said that outriggers were fixed and the vessel covered in 

 on the approach of rough weather, hence, presumably, the outrigger timbers 

 must have been carried inboard during calm weather. Also the vessels 

 must have been of wide beam. The double outrigger also seems to be 

 alluded to. These voyagers settled in a land far across the ocean, from 

 which they, or their descendants, moved on to other lands, ever sailing 

 toward the rising sun, until we find them located in Polynesia. How long 

 this eastward movement lasted it is impossible to say. 



As to voyages throughout Polynesia we have only time to give a few 

 illustrations. About the seventh century, as recorded in Mr. Percy Smith's 

 "' Hawaiki," one Hui-te-rangiora sailed southward until he encountered 

 icebergs and a frozen sea, marvellous sights to Polynesians. Traditions 

 state that about that time many voyages were made, and many isles were 

 visited by Polynesians, who were occupied in exploring the oceanic area, 

 and in peopling its far-spread islands, or possibly in repeopling them. New 

 Zealand, known to the natives of south central Polynesia as " Hawaiki- 

 tahutahu," is said to have been first visited about the seventh century. 

 The Society Isles were inhabited forty generations ago, and probably 

 long before. It is fairly clear, as shown by many traditions of many 

 isles, that for a period of at least eight centuries the Pohoiesians must 

 have made many voyages in the Pacific, some of great length, travers- 

 ing vast areas, peopling and repeopling many lands. In later times 

 long sea. voyages of set purpose to outlying lands were of much rarer 

 occurrence, those to New Zealand and the Hawaiian Isles apparently ceasing ' 

 altogether. 



