146 Transactions. — Botany. 



away, but they decided not to leave their homes. I have been 

 unable to obtain the date of Tom Bowline's departure, but he 

 eventually left the island, and took up his residence in a little 

 bay to the west of the North Cape, which still bears on our 

 charts the name of Tom Bowline's Bay. Since his time, I 

 believe that no one has lived on the islands, and casual visitors 

 have been very few indeed. 



A short time ago the title to the Three Kings became the 

 subject of an investigation by the Native Lands Court. Judge 

 Monro, who presided when the case was heard, has very kindly 

 furnished me with notes of the evidence that was taken. 

 According to "Wiremu Kurukuru, who claimed the islands as 

 the representative of Tame Porena (Tom Bowline), the Three 

 Kings were originally inhabited by a race of people differing 

 in some respects from the Maoris. The tribe numbered about 

 a hundred, and its priucipal chief was called Toumaramara. 

 A chief of the Aopuri called Taiakiaki invaded the islands, and 

 a battle was fought, which resulted in the death of Toumaramara 

 and all his people, with the exception of one woman called Te 

 Poinga. Taiakiaki did not remain on the islands ; but one of 

 his sons called Tongahake very frequently crossed over from the 

 mainland. He died on the Great King, and was buried there. 

 His daughter, called Turangakahu, married Tom Bowline, and 

 accompanied him when he crossed over to reside on the islands. 

 She had four daughters born there, and they were all adults 

 when Tom Bowline returned to the mainland. Another witness, 

 called Herepeti Kingi, who claimed to be a lineal descendant of 

 Toumaramara, denied that that chief and his people were 

 destroyed by Taiakiaki, but the balance of the evidence appears 

 to be against him. Kewiri Kaiwaka, a Ngapuhi native, stated 

 that his father conveyed Tom Bowline to the islands. He did 

 not remain with him, but returned, after obtaining some birds 

 and some goat-skins. The goats had been placed there a little 

 while before by some Europeans. He used the skins to make 

 sails for his canoes. 



Mr. Percy Smith informs me that some Aopuri natives state 

 that the original owner of the Three Kings was a chief called 

 Bauru. This Rauru, in ages long past, swam across to the 

 islands from the mainland, and, being much exhausted and out 

 of breath when he landed, called the place " Manawa-tawhi," 

 which, boing translated, means " panting breath." This name 

 it has retained up to the present time. It seems very desirable 

 that the Maori traditions respecting the islands should be 

 collected by some qualified person before they disappear. 



The Three Kings may some day be occupied as a fishing- 

 station, but it is difficult to imagine what other use could be 

 made of them. They are quite unsuited for cultivation, very 

 difficult of access, and landing is more often dangerous than 



