INDEX TO THE PACIEIC ISLANDS. 



117 



NEW ZEALAND 



possession for King George III. Cook spent nearlj' a year (327 days) in the 

 group and his surveys gave the first definite knowledge of the islands. 



As early as 1814 a Church mission was started and later other denominations 

 followed. In 1S40 both Wellington and Auckland were founded and colonists 

 gathered until the natives were driven to exasperation and wars followed for many 

 years. At present all is 

 peace and by the wise 

 system of the British the 

 Maoris are segregated as 

 much as possible, so that 

 the traveller who nierel}- 

 visits the principal cities 

 rarely sees a Maori. 

 The census of 1881 gave 

 44,099, a slight increase 

 over the previous one. 

 Yet, as the estimate in 

 1840 was 107,000, the 

 race is dying as all other 

 inferior people must in 

 the presence of the white 

 intruders. 



The Maori race is 

 supposed, mainly on the 

 basis of their own tradi- 

 tions, to have come to 

 New Zealand in the 

 fifteenth century f ron: 

 Hawaiki to the eastward. 

 Their language closely 

 resembles the Hawaiian, 

 but these, whose tradi- 

 tions go far beyond that 

 date, have no remem- 

 brance of such an emi- 

 gration as told in the 

 Maori traditions. When 

 first discovered they were 

 cannibals and particu- 

 larly fierce, but like other cannibals they showed remarkable talent for fine work ; 

 and to their intelligence is due the fact of their rapid conversion to Christianity 

 and their comprehension of the advantages of civilization, which while removing 

 them speedily from a world of trouble promised them a pleasanter one beyond the 



MISTCHURCH 



Dl'NF.DlN 



Stewart J^ 



FIG. 8. 



grave. 



'where the wicked cease from troubling." 



[201] 



Maoris are a fine race of Polv- 



