TEANSACTIONS OF SECTION E. 287 



the directions given by the natives that he discovered the 

 latter island. 



In the Sandwich Islands, on the little island of Kahoolaive, 

 is a place called to this day Ke-ala-i-kahiki, "the road to 

 Tahiti," from which the ancient voyagers started on their 

 long journeys of 2,380 miles to the latter island. 



It is well known that in ancient times the teaching of 

 astronomy was an important part of the education of the 

 young men. This knowledge was taught, together with that 

 of other things, in a building set apart, called by the Maoris 

 wharekura, which may be looked on as a Polynesian college, 

 where the learned priests acted the parts of professors.^'' 

 Nor was this cultivation of the knowledge of astronomy 

 confined to New Zealand. I have quite recently come 

 across a short paper written by S. M. Kamakau, a learned 

 native historian of the Sandwich Islands, the translation of 

 which we owe to Professor W. D. Alexander, the Surveyor- 

 General of Hawaii. The paper is a code of instructions for 

 the study of the stars, from w^hich I quote the following 

 extract, as showing the extent to which these people were 

 acquainted with the subject : "If you sail for Kahiki you will 

 discover new constellations and strange stars over the deep 

 ocean. When you arrive at the Piko-o-ivakea (equator) you will 

 lose sight of Hoku-paa (the North Star), and then Ncicc will be 

 the southern guiding-star, and the constellation of Humu will 

 stand as a guide above you."t 



The provisioning of the canoes for these long voyages must 

 have been a matter of difficulty, and especially, perhaps, in the 

 matter of water : indeed, this has been considered by some 

 so serious an objection to the theory of extended voyages as 

 to cause many to doubt, for instance, that the Maoris came 

 to New Zealand in the manner so precisely related in their 

 traditions. But the Polynesians were acquainted with many 

 methods of preserving provisions ; and the cocoanut itself 

 would prove an invaluable article of sea-stores on these occa- 

 sions, inasmuch as it contains both meat and drink. Water 

 was stored in large calabashes, or in specially-made kumetes, or 

 wooden bowls, by which means considerable quantities could 

 be carried. Excellent fishermen as all Polynesians are, the 

 sea itself would provide considerable stores on these expedi- 

 tions, and serve to eke out those the people brought with 

 them from their homes. 



From the known length of voyages made, then, there is 

 nothing unreasonable in granting the fact that some genera- 

 tions ago the Polynesians had navigated tiie greater part of 



* See " Ancient History of the ]Maori," by John White. Five vols. 

 Wellington, N.Z., 1887-88. 



't " Hawaiian Annual" for 1891. 



