940 Transactions.— Miscellaneous. 
Is it probable that the arrival of these seven canoes was simultaneous, 
or nearly so? Is it probable that their point of departure for New Zealand 
was the same? I should answer each question in the negative. 
Captain Cook learned through Tupia, his Tahitian, that canoes from an 
island called by them Ulimaroa, to the north-west, had reached New Zea- 
land subsequent to its settlement by themselves. 
Some years ago, while travelling afoot through the north of this island, 
in company with an old chief well known for his store of Maori legends, I put 
the question to him as to whether cannibalism was a habit of the race before 
their arrival in New Zealand, or a custom having its origin amongst them- 
selves subsequently to their arrival here? The reply was, that it began in 
this island. Iasked, what was the beginning? This is the story :—“ A chief 
at Hokianga had a pet kaka, of which he was extremely fond, as the bird 
was the best decoy ever known. One day a young man, playing with it, 
loosened it from its perch, and the bird flew away with the string attached 
by aring to its leg. It flew some distance and alighted, the youth following 
it; and it repeated the process, attempting to get rid of the string with its 
beak, Whilst going on after the kaka the youth fell in with a friend on 
some outlying cultivation, and persuaded him to join him in the chase. It 
is enough to say that they followed the bird all day, as it stopped re- 
peatedly ; they hoping that the string might become entangled in the bush, 
and they might then secure it. Towards night the bird alighted in the 
forest, and the men, tired out, lay themselves down to sleep. Next day 
they found that while keeping their eyes on the kaka they had neglected to 
notice the route by which they had travelled, and had lost themselves in 
the dense bush. They walked all day, without food, still entangled in the 
forest, and passed a second night in it. On the evening of the third day 
they came to a small clearing, utterly strange to them, and found in ita 
pataka with some kumera. Of these they took some, and after eating them 
they fell asleep, worn out, but first resolving that at dawn they would pro- 
vision themselves for their return. They slept toolate, and saw on waking a 
strange man near the pataka. Afraid to show themselves, they retreated into 
the bush, and after a while they perceived that they were followed. Conceal- 
ing themselves, they rushed upon the stranger as he was passing, and killed 
him, and, impelled by hunger, eat part of him then, and took more of the 
flesh to eat on the road. Ultimately they found their way back, bringing a 
hand of the man whom they had killed, and saying that a strange man had 
stolen away the kaka, and that they had chased and killed him. This was 
to conceal the negligence of the youth. It was then first that the people of 
Hokianga knew that there were other people on the island besides them- 
selves.” It was afterwards discovered that the person slain belonged to 
