70 G. Elliot Smith on 



adventurous mariners continued to push east until they reached 

 the coast of America, where they found in abundance the pearls, 

 the gold and silver, and the other treasures they had kept 

 constantly before their gaze as the goal of their desires. 



Perhaps when first they made their way into Polynesia and 

 discovered the multitudes of luxuriant islands without inhabitants 

 a certain number of seamen may have succumbed to the tempta- 

 tion of settling down to a life of ease and luxury in these 

 attractive places. But what we have learned of their doings 

 elsewhere suggests the possibility that the more energetic and 

 enterprising of the wanderers did not sojourn in this way, but 

 pushed on until they got their reward as the pioneers of the 

 civilization of the Old World in America (see map, C). 



From time to time no doubt boats were swept from the 

 Japanese coast directly on to the shores of America by the 

 "Black Current" (see map, D), and canoes travelling in the 

 Pacific in the area intermediate between these great migration 

 routes (C and D) were also carried across the Pacific.^ 



Much has been written concerning the wanderings of the 

 Polynesians, which are of crucial importance in the discussion of 

 the exploits of ancient mariners in every part of the world. 

 The enormous expanse of ocean traversed by these simple sailors, 

 and the accuracy of the means by which they were able to make 

 their way to a given destination hundreds or even thousands of 

 miles distant, are impressive and highly significant facts which 

 give a sense of reality to the theory of diffusion of culture. 



The story of the achievements of these Polynesian mariners 

 has just been told again by Mr. Elsdon Best,^ who perhaps writes 

 with greater authority upon Maori beliefs and legends than any 

 other scholar. In his graphic narrative he describes the boats 



^See on this subject, Sittig's " Compulsory Migrations." — Smithsonian 

 Report, 1895. 



^ " Maori Voyagers and their Vessels ; How the Maori explored the 

 Pacific Ocean and laid down the Sea Roads for all Time." — Transactions 

 and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute for the year 1915, Vol. 

 XLVIII., published 1916, p. 44? 



