TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION G. 377 



of several voyages made by Maori explorers to New Zealand 

 before the final migration of the present inhabitants took 

 place. 



Of these navigators the most celebrated were Ngahue, the 

 original discoverer of New Zealand, Kupe, and Tamateapokai- 

 whenua. Ngahue is said to have discovered greenstone on the 

 west coast of the South Island, and to have taken a quantity 

 •of it back with him to Hawaiki. Kupe afterwards circum- 

 navigated the North Island, and Tamatea the South. The 

 principal migration to these shores took place about the year 

 A.D. 1400, or about the time when Henry V. of England 

 gained the Battle of Agincourt. 



The causes which led to the present inhabitants abandon- 

 ing their former home and coming here are variously related ; 

 but the most probable tale is that, a civil war having broken 

 out, the weaker party determined to seek refuge in the new 

 country about which such favourable reports had been brought 

 back to them by Ngahue, Kupe, and others. The chief body 

 of emigrants embarked in a fleet of six or seven canoes, each 

 capable of containing 140 men. One of these vessels, the 

 *' Arawa," is described as being formed of two canoes lashed 

 together, a deckhouse occupying the platform which joined 

 them. They appear to have been similar in all respects to 

 the canoes seen by Captain Cook in the Pacific, and said to be 

 very suitable for long voyages. 



The traditions furnish internal evidence of their general 

 correctness. For one thing, we learn from them the season of 

 the year when the canoes reached this couirtry. The rata 

 was then in bloom, and one of the crew was so struck with the 

 brilliant colour of the flowers that he threw his soiled red- 

 feather head-dress overboard, intending to get a fresh one from 

 the woods on landing. This tradition shows that the migration 

 took place at the only season of the year when the prevailing 

 winds were fair for voyagers from the north-west to the south- 

 east. Many other details might in like manner be cited to 

 prove the correctness of the narrative. 



Besides the first fleet, other canoes appear from time to 

 time to have arrived from Hawaiki, bringing fresh settlers to 

 the country. And there are accounts of return-voyages being 

 made in search of sweet-potato seed, and the secret of its 

 successful culture and storage. 



Some idea may be formed of the mass of traditions which 

 had accumulated in the course of centuries (and the mental 

 effort it must have cost the people to hand down to our time 

 even such portions as we have been able to rescue from oblivion) 

 when we consider the voluminous nature of one class alone — 

 namely, those relating to tribal history, and biographical 

 records of notable men and women. 



