Shortland. — SIcetcIi of tJw Maori Races. 335 



in vain for a more remarkable instance of tlie bold and adventurous spirit of 

 tbis people. // 



Erom tbe genealogies of cbiefs wbich we bave noted down, it would 

 appear tbat only about eigbteen generations bave passed away since New 

 Zealand was first colonized ; tbat is to say, a space of time probably not 

 mucb exceeding five bundred years. To test tbe probability of tbis conclusion, 

 tbe genealogies of cbiefs of different tribes were carefully collected and com- 

 pared, and it was found tbat tbey all nearly agreed in reckoning the same 

 number of generations from tbe time wben tbeir forefatbers first landed in 

 New Zealand. Tbe remarkable uniformity, being undesigned, is tbe best 

 proof we can bave of tbeir correctness. 



Tbe idea tbat tbese islands were not peopled at a very remote date is 

 supported by tbe scantiness of tbe population very generally wben first 

 discovered by Cook, tbe more particularly so of tbe Soutb and Stewart 

 Islands, wbicb, according to tbe accounts given by tbe JSTew Zealanders, 

 were colonized from tbe Nortb Island. 



About ten generations ago all tbat part of tbe Soutb Island wbicb 

 extends from Waipapa, a point about twenty miles soutb of Cape Campbell, 

 to Rakiura or Stewart Island, including Toveaus Strait, and a great part of 

 the "West Coast as far as tbe Buller (Kawatiri), appears to bave been in 

 possession of one tribe, wbo were called Ngatimamoe, and are said to bave 

 come from Wanganui or its neigbbourbood. Bordering on tbem to tbe 

 nortb was a tribe called Te Huataki, wbose ancestors also came from tbe 

 Nortb Island and settled at Wairau. To tbe westward of tbem the country 

 about Totaranui and Arapaoa, Queen Cbarlotte Sound, was in possession of 

 tbe tribe Ngaitara, wbose ancestors also came from tbe Nortb Island, under 

 a cbief named Te Pabirere. Tbe fame of tbe pounamu stone, wbicb was 

 found on several streams or rivers on tbe west coast and in tbe interior of 

 tbe Soutb Island, stimulated large bodies of tbe Ngatikabubunu, tbe 

 powerful East Coast tribe we bave before spoken of, to make war on 

 Ngatimamoe, and after many years, by dint of a constant supply of fresb 

 forces, tbey completely subdued and took possession of all tbeir territory. 

 At present tbere are only a few broken bapus remaining, wbo were allowed 

 to live on a small portion of tbe land once tbeir own. 



Subsequently Te Eauparaba, witb an army composed of Ngatitoa and 

 several otber septs of nortbern tribes, overran tbe soutbern shores of Cook 

 Strait, and baving nearly exterminated tbe natives be found tbere, attacked 

 Ngatikabubunu, and carried the war soutb to Banks Peninsula. Tbe rapid 

 spread of Christianity put a stop to bis wars, so that tbe tribe Kaitabu 

 retained still the greater part of the lands tbey had conquered from 

 Ngatimamoe. But tbe soutb sbores of Cook Strait are now cbiefly 



