at least of the Maoris on finally leaving their Pacific home. It is not intended to enter into this question here, further than to state that the more it is studied in all its bearings, the more certain is the conclusion that Rarotonga, and perhaps the neighbouring islands, were the homes of some of our Maoris, from whence they came here to New Zealand, though they were well acquainted with most of the islands forming the Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and Tahitian groups as well.

Penrhyn Island, or group, situated in 9° of south latitude and 157° 10 west longitude, is a true atoll, thirty-five miles in circuit. It is composed of a ring of small islands, fourteen in number, surrounding a lagoon, which is some twelve miles long and eight broad. At two places there are deep entrances leading into the lagoon, which, according to Sterndale, forms a splendid harbour, suitable for ships of any draught. The islands are all formed of coral and sand, and nowhere rise more than 50ft. above the sea. They are generally covered with cocoanunt, pandanus, and a few other trees, one of which, called to, is used for building canoes; and underneath them is found a tall rank grass, called by the natives hara. The lagoon was at one time noted for its pearl-fishery; but the quantity of shell has been much diminished of late years, and little is now said to be found there.

The island was first made known to Europeans by Lieutenant Watts, of H.M. transport “Lady Penrhyn,” who discovered it in August, 1788, on his way from Tahiti to China.

The United States surveying-vessel “Porpoise,” forming one of Commodore Wilkes's fleet, visited the island in February, 1841. From the account of the expedition given by Wilkes I abstract the following notes, principally to show how thickly populated the island was at that time: “The ‘Porpoise’ stood off and on all night, and on the morning of the 15th February, at sunrise, canoes were discovered approaching the brig in great numbers, many of them large. At seven o'clock two came alongside, and others soon followed them. As the number of the visitors increased they became more bold, and clambered up the sides, uttering loud and savage cries. They were the wildest and most savage-looking beings we had ever seen, vociferating in a frightful manner, and accompanying their exclamations with the most violent contortions and gesticulations: they seemed frantic with excitement. These natives were quite naked, except a few, who had a small maro of cocoanut-leaves…. On the north-west side of the island there appears to be a continuous village, with cocoanut groves throughout its whole extent, and the island is evidently thickly populated. The ferocity of the savages prevented the possibility of landing.”

This brief account reminds us of many similar scenes in other Polynesian islands in their first intercourse with Europeans. The fearless ferocity and daring, so often noticed, and so characteristic of the race, and which was frequently exemplified in the intercourse of the Maori with Cook on our own shores, is well shown here. It required no small amount of courage to board a vessel which was entirely new to their ideas of maritime craft, manned by those whom they looked upon as gods. It is no wonder that, amidst scenes to them so new, their actions should have been looked on by their visitors as violent and vociferous.

The island was evangelized in 1854 by native teachers from Rarotonga, who found not the least difficulty in making themselves understood. In 1864 the island was almost depopulated by Peruvian slavers: Sterndale states that at least one thousand men, women, and children were at that time taken away to South America.

The native name of the island, as stated above, is Tongarewa, which may be translated as “Floating Tonga,” or “Tonga floating in Space;” but its ancient name was Fararanga, which is translated by the Rev. W. Wyatt Gill as “Land.” A local name for the group was also furnished to Lamont—Te Pitaka, or “The Ring,” no doubt in reference to the disposition of the islands on the reef. The nearest land to the island is Rakahanga, distant about 230 miles in a south-south-west direction; and twenty-five miles further off is Manihiki, both of which islands are inhabited by the same race of people, and from whence the first inhabitants of Tongarewa came. A man, named in their traditions as Mahuta, with his wife Okura, were expelled from Rakahanga for some misdeeds, and found their way to this solitary island. From this pair the present inhabitants trace their descent. Tradition says that they brought with them cocoanuts, fish, the hara plant, and the birds of the island. The people of Rakahanga trace their origin to Rarotonga, as related in the following tradition, which the Rev. William Gill gives in his “Gems of the Pacific,” page 280:—

“There is every reason to believe that these tribes, both on Manihiki and Tongarewa, separated by six hundred miles of latitude from Rarotonga, came originally from that island. Their appearance, their manners and customs, their language, and their traditions alike lead to this conclusion. As a specimen of their traditions on this subject, we will give one preserved by the people of Manihiki and confirmed by the old people of Rarotonga: ‘The first man who came to these lands was Iku. He came from Rarotonga, and landed on Manihiki. On his first visit from Rarotonga this land was scarcely above the level of the sea. He only saw the white surf breaking

over the reef. He then returned to Rarotonga. Afterwards three brothers came in their large canoe; their names were Maui the elder, Maui the second, and Maui the third. These brothers were fishermen. The elder brother let down his hook—his large hook—and caught a fish called urua; the second let down his hook—his large hook—and caught a kakai; then the third came near the reef and let down his hook—his large hook—and, behold! he drew up the land. In drawing it up, Maui the elder and Maui the second were drowned, and then the third was alone. He landed, and thus the land became his own; but he was alone. At this time it was made known to Iku at Rarotonga that the island had been raised, and that Maui dwelt on it. Iku then came to the island, and, behold! it was even so. The island was high up above the sea. Iku went on shore. Maui and Iku fought. Iku designed to kill Maui; but Maui was great and powerful. In the battle Maui stamped with his foot on the ground. The large island was by this stamp of Maui's foot broken up into many parts, and this is the origin of the many islands in this part of the sea. Immediately on stamping Maui was caught up into the air, and ascended into the heavens, for he was a god. Iku the Rarotongan was then left alone on the land, and he planted the first cocoanut there—his was the parent cocoanut. Iku then returned to Rarotonga. He told to his sister and her husband all he had seen and done in this land. Her husband was a great warrior—his name was Toa; but he was vanquished on Rarotonga. He and his wife put to sea in a canoe. They remembered what Iku had said about Manihiki and all the lands broken by Maui. Toa came with his wife to this land, and, behold! they found it just as Iku had said. The land was here, so were the cocoanuts, even the parent cocoanut from Rarotonga.^* Four children were born unto Toa: they were all daughters. These were their names: Vai, Navenave, Pae, and Nanau. This Nanau became Toa's wife, and Te Poriakaivai, a son, was born. Two other sons were born, whose names were Makatangaro and Ikutau. The daughter of Navenave became the wife of Ikutau, and their children were—Te Mokopu-ongoro-tonga, Te Mokopu-ama, Te Mokopu-o-ngaroepe, and also Meau and Vaititiri. This is true. Toa and his wife, from Rarotonga, were the parents of all the people on these lands, and the lands were divided to their children. This is true. The saying is ended.'”

We observe in this tradition that the old story of Maui, so well known in New Zealand and many of the Pacific islands,

has here again found a local habitation, mixed up with the relation of what, no doubt, is the true history of the first population of the island of Manihiki. This is, no doubt, evidence of the antiquity of the myth, and shows that it was common to all the Polynesians before the great dispersion of the race which appears to have taken place from twenty-two to twenty-eight generations ago. It will be noticed that Iku—or Hiku, as it would be with our Maoris—returned to Rarotonga after his struggle with Maui—a voyage of over six hundred miles—reminding us of the voyages of Kupe and of Ngahue to New Zealand when they rediscovered this country, and who on their return informed the subsequent immigrants of its existence and suitability as a home for them. To those who have not given much consideration to the question it would almost seem impossible that the Polynesians should have been able to make such extensive voyages as they evidently were in the habit of doing. But the double canoe, or amatiatia, which was commonly used, was a craft capable of withstanding very rough weather, and with a considerable capacity of stowage for provisions.^* The number of voyages of over a thousand miles in length, now on record, are so numerous and so well authenticated that there is no room left for doubt as to the sea-going qualities of their canoes. Want of water would be one of the great difficulties they would have to contend with on these extended voyages; but with a large supply of cocoanuts they would be able to overcome this difficulty and traverse a considerable breadth of ocean. I believe there was a time in the history of the race when they constantly traversed the central parts of the Pacific Ocean, guiding themselves by the regular roll of the waves driven before the trade-winds in the day-time, and by the stars at night. Judging by the traditions of the race in various islands, the active period of these voyages closed some twenty-two to twenty-eight generations ago, at which time there appears to have been some cause at work tending to a general dispersion of the people; but what this cause was we have not the means of knowing, beyond the traditionary accounts which assign wars as the origin of the movement. We can only account for the fact of nearly every little island in the Pacific either having, or having had, a population, by the ability of the people to traverse great breadths of sea. The knowledge that the Maori has of so many of the islands shattered far and wide across the wide expanse of the Pacific can only be understood in this manner. It is generally known that the Maori traces his origin to Hawaiki, which has been identified with various groups of