[31] According to Dr. Thomson ("The story of New Zealand past and present, savage and civilized." London. John Murray, 1859), who lived eleven years at Auckland prosecuting his duties as a surgeon in the army, the Maori came to New Zealand, passing by Rarotonga, from Sawaii, the largest of the Navigators' Islands, about the year 1419. This opinion, which is not devoid of probability, is not however incompatible with the Sandwich Islands being the original cradle of the New Zealanders, and Sawaii only a sort of intermediate station. (See United States Exploring Expedition 1838-42. Ethnography or Philology, vol. vii., by Horatio Hale, Philadelphia. Lea and Blanchard, 1846.—The Traditionary Migrations of the New Zealanders and the Maori Legends (Die Wundersagen der Neu-Seeländer und der Maori Mythos), by C. Schirren. Riga. N. Kymmel, 1856.)
[32] The sick were formerly made to drink the fluid contained in the shells of fresh and salt-water Conchyliæ.
[33] Of these the most important are:—"Polynesian Mythology, and ancient traditional History of the New Zealand Race, as furnished by their Priests and Chiefs. London, 1855." "Proverbial and Popular Sayings of the Ancestors of the New Zealand Race. Capetown, 1857."
[34] New Zealand: being a Narrative of Travels and Adventures during a Residence in that Country, between the years 1831 and 1837. By J. S. Polack, Esq., member of the Colonial Society of London. In two volumes. London, Rich. Bentley, 1838.—Travels in New Zealand, with contributions to the Geography, Geology, and Natural History of that Country. By Ernest Dieffenbach, M.D., late Naturalist to the New Zealand Company. 2 vols. London, J. Murray, 1843.—The Southern Districts of New Zealand; a Journal with passing Notices of the Customs of the Aborigines.—By Edward Shortland, M.A., London, Longman and Co. 1851.—A Dictionary of the New Zealand Language and a concise Grammar; to which is added a Collection of Colloquial Sentences. By W. Williams, D.C.L., Archdeacon of Waiapú. London, 1852.—The Ika-a-Mauí, or New Zealand and its Inhabitants. By R. Taylor. London, 1855.—A Leaf from the Natural History of New Zealand. By R. Taylor. Wellington, New Zealand, 1848.—New Zealand, the "Britain of the South." By Charles Hursthouse. London, E. Stanford, 1861. Of purely scientific works relating to botany, Dr. Hooker's "Flora of New Zealand" may be mentioned as the most comprehensive.
[35] Rona is a Maori maiden of whom a legend relates that the moon, irritated at her petulant disposition, carried her off to the upper regions.
[36] The dead is here spoken of as the evening star, which is supposed to rise in another world, where on its arrival it is welcomed with great rejoicings by the thousands that have preceded it.
[37] Main is the same as the Kumera, or sweet potato.
[38] Tikoro is the name of a race or tribe of the Hokianga district.
[39] A Maori, who maintained his neutrality, though he evidently views the victories of his countrymen with partial eyes, wrote us only a few months ago, "that in the combats which marked the first outbreak of hostilities, the English lost 2000 and the Maories only 1000!"
[40] Maori Mementos, being a series of Addresses presented by the Native People to H.E. Sir George Grey, Governor and High Commissioner of the Cape of Good Hope, and late Governor of New Zealand, with introductory remarks and explanatory notes; to which is added a small Collection of Laments, &c., by Charles Olivier B. Davis, translator and interpreter to the General Government. Auckland, 1855. Also, "The New Zealand chief Kawiti, and other New Zealand warriors." Auckland, 1855.