WEKA PASS ROCK-PAINTINGS. 57 
the main part of his theory, namely—that the paintings are the 
work of Cingalese sailors, cast away in New Zealand long ages 
ago. It is by no means my wish to impute to this idea any of 
that absurdity which distinguishes that of Mr. Cameron, because, 
undoubtedly, considering that we have known this country only 
for a little over a century, sailors might have been wrecked on 
its shores a thousand times over, coming from every conceivable 
country, in past times. And ifthe Maoris themselves came here 
over the sea from other lands, I see no reason why Cingalese 
or any other sailors might not have done so likewise. But, of 
course, before accepting any such idea it would be necessary to 
settle a few preliminary questions. First, are, or were, the 
Cingalese given to long voyages? Next, what sort of vessels 
had they to stand a journey as far as New Zealand? Again, 
what are the prevailing winds between Ceylon and here? And 
soon. Without desiring to settle any of these questions now, I 
think that they, and others, ought to be a little considered before 
. we yield ourselves up to the Cingalee theory. And then, also, a 
troublesome question would still remain: why on earth should 
these shipwrecked mariners employ themselves in daubing the 
Weka Pass Rock (and that rock alone) with characters so 
peculiarly meaningless ? 
But Dr. von Haast appeals to the Tamil bell found in the 
North Island. There is, of course, no reason why, because this 
bell is in the north, the rock paintings should have been done by 
Tamil sailors in the south ; at least I fail to see the connection. 
Still, undoubtedly, the bell is a “ crux” to some extent ; that is, 
it is evidence that it came to New Zealand from Ceylon; but it 
yet remains to be shown how it came. Where was it found? 
How deep was it buried? Whodug it up? Is there absolutely 
no evidence whatever of its arrival? I cannot answer these 
questions; but whatever their answer, I see no connection 
between the bell and the paintings. Dr. von Haast, p. 47, says, 
“in comparing the peculiar figures with the writing on that bell, 
I was at once struck by the marked resemblance between both.” 
Certainly, people do see remarkable resemblances sometimes ; 
but I would defy any unprejudiced person to compare the plate 
given by Dr. von Haast of the rock paintings, or the originals 
themselves, or Mr. Cousins’ copies of them (in the Canterbury 
Museum), with the inscription on Mr. Colenso’s bell, and say 
that there is the faintest likeness observable. 
That, somehow or other, various objects have at different 
times anterior to English occupation reached New Zealand from 
other lands is, I suppose, indubitable. There is this bell for 
example; there is the curious stone bird obtained by Major 
Wilson ; and there are probably others. But need we go back 
to the depths of antiquity to account for them, or hunt up 
Buddhist missionaries, Cingalese castaways, or Kahui Tipua, to 
father them on? Setting aside chances of gales driving canoes 
or proas hundreds of miles, do we know how many European 
ships touched at New Zealand since Vasco doubled the Cape of 
