1921.] Beattie.—Mystery of Fiordland : Vanished Maori Trtbe, 89 
killed the unfortunate woman, and Hurou, who came too late on the scene 
to save her, gave him a thorough scolding. 
A Stewart Island native mentioned that Harry West (who was later 
well known at the Bluff) was with the celebrated “ Paddy ” Gilroy when the 
latter’s crew saw smoke at Bligh’s Sound [in 1842] and fruitlessly chased 
the wild residents. A Maori called Tutoko and another called Kohatu, 
their wives, and other Maoris were then living at Martin’s Bay, and these 
people said that the reports of the existence of wild natives were true. 
They could see flax that had been cut with the pipi (mussel), and not with 
the European knife, come floating down the Whakatipu Biver [Hollyford], 
and so they left the locality. The sealers also said that above Caswell Lake 
they saw smoke issuing, and they went over and saw some very long foot¬ 
prints. A “ wizard ” at Ruapuke had a ££ vision ” in which he could see 
the wild natives. He described their doings in detail, and said that their 
chief was lying with his back to the fire. Now, all these things excited the 
imagination of the southern Maoris, and they talked of arranging an 
expedition to go and secure some of the wild natives (whether for curiosity 
or scientific purposes is not stated). John Topi applied to the New Zealand 
Government for food and guns for the trip. The Government, my informant 
added, were willing to supply provisions, but would not countenance the 
use of firearms. The Maoris would not go unless properly armed, so the 
projected expedition came to naught. 
The writer has a further note that an old Maori, named Kapiti, and his 
sister, Popokore, who lived up the Aparima River (which is in bush country) 
had frequent visits from the refugees. The lonely situation of their home 
and their kindliness of nature led the forest-dwellers to call on them, so 
it is said, and these visits are stated to have continued until the death 
of the aged pair, some time in the “ fifties.” The writer would like some 
corroboration of this statement before finally accepting it as correct. 
Who were the Wild Natives ? 
A pakeha opinion that the Fiordlanders were the descendants of the 
Moriori who inhabited the South Island long ago is now no longer held. 
Canon Stack assumes them to be the remnant of Kati-Mamoe who were 
driven by their Kai-Tahu conquerors into the western forests. Another 
historian considers they were the Kati-Mamoe escapees from the fight on 
the western side of Lake Te Anau. 
The Maoris have no clear-cut views as to the identity of the wild natives, 
and they advance differing opinions as to the particular events which 
drove those unfortunate refugees into the solitudes of the west. One old 
man surmised that they were Waitaha people who became alarmed when 
the Kai-Tahu and Kati-Mamoe amalgamated into one tribe, and who there¬ 
fore fled to the west for safety. Most of my Southland informants, however, 
considered that the wild natives were the descendants of the survivors, 
both Kai-Tahu and Kati-Mamoe, of the fight at Te Whara, Matauira Island, 
Preservation Inlet. The participants in that historic encounter went round 
from Otago Peninsula and Foveaux Strait, and, although word of the out¬ 
come drifted back in some manner or other, none of the prominent actors 
in the affair are known to have returned to their old homes. The Kati- 
Mamoe were worsted by a ruse, but cleared out with the Kai-Tahu canoes, 
the victors of the fight being thus marooned, it is stated, although it seems 
strange that they could not have returned overland if they had been very 
anxious. It is conjectured that it was these surviving participants of the 
Te Whara fight who were seen by Captain Cook in Dusky Sound. 
