The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1930 A LOST TRIBE.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 November 1930, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1930 A LOST TRIBE.

The story of a lost tribe of Maoris somewnere in Fiordland, beyond the eon tines of .South Westland, has been, revived, but Hoani Mutiu, a fullblooded Maori ciaet 76 years of age, who is a walking encyclopaedia 01 Maori lore and Ins tony, was asued at iXiuiedin last week, if he believed there was any truth in the suggestion of Mr John Topi that a remnant of the Ngatimamoe' tribe still lived in the remote fastness of the fiordland of the West’ Coast. The chief did not hesitate in saying that he did not believe there was the slightest truth in the suggestion. About 1600, Mr Matin’s tribe, the Ng]i.) ahu, \uad ifought and defeated the Ngatimamoe at .Five River Plain. The Ngatimamqes (led to T’e Anau, where they were again attacked by tlie Ngatahus and again: defeated, Are Other small battle took place at Colae Bay, and once more the Ngatimamoes suffered defeat, The remnants of the Ngatimamoe tribe were then absorbed by the Ngatahus and were intermarried with their conquerors. Nearly all the full-blooded Ngatimamoes left now resided at Otago Heads, But the story is not to be disposed of ns easily ms that. A Christchurch business man, alluding to the present discussion about a lost Maori tribe on the West Coast, says that when he was on the steamer H.inemoa at Dusky Sound last summer Captain Roberts, master of the ship, told the passengers not to laugh at a story that he would tell them. They would scarcely fbelieve it, he safe!, but it was novertluiless /true. On sta 'previous trip of the steamer to Dusky Sound some time before, lie said, she was anchored in the same (spot. Suddenly a Maori appeared over tjie side of the ship and climbed aboard. He was in native dresu. Standing on the deck he gesticulated fiercely, protesting apparently against the visit of the ship. He was obviously very angry. Then he dived over again and swam ashore, disappearing into the bush that came down to the water’s edge. Captain Roberta said that- he wrote an account of the amazing incident, and sent it to one of the newspapers. Apparently it was too strange a story for the paper to believe and it was not published, a fact which Captain Roberts, who was emphatic aliout the truth of it, bitterly resented. It is likely that the position will he probed to some extent. Meantime old records are being looked up. Regarding the Ngatimamoe, tlie lost Maori tribe of Dusky Bay, further interesting facts have boon found by a reader of a Wellington paper, in the ‘‘Now Zealand Trail” of 1878, lb appears fairly certain that the south of the .South Island was occupied by several successive tribes. The earliest of these are only known by vague tradition. They wero called the Ngatikura tribe, and wore thought to he an offshoot of the Ngapulii that, still live to tlie north of Auckland. In 1177 this/ tribe was exterminat'-d by another tribe from the North Island. One hundred years later the Ngatimamoe exterminated the newcomers. Roughly, three-quartern of a century later, the Ngatimamoe themselves were almost annihilated by the Ngaitaliu. Remnants of the Ngatiniamoe managed to make their way to the bush-clad mountains in the interior opposite Dusky Sound. A few iamides of this lost tribe were known to exist in 1848 in the dense forests of thefce south-west mountains. What, then, has happened to them? That

there is a definite tradition of the remnant of a tril>e in the far south is well established. Curious tales of fresh footprints .and camping signs have been told by explorers. Even- 1. the bust of this remnant perished years ago. exploration of this iiiuteiland might lead to ethnological discoveries of particular and general importance. Geography and other sciences would also be served hy exploration of these regions. There is territory in fiordland that is not yet accurately mapped; only the othei day an expedition spent nine weeks there, and traversed new country. If seems to be considered possible that that very interesting bird the notornis may still inhabit some of the remote valleys. A good deal of exploring work remains to be done in this part of Now Zealand, and as the territory : s about the most difficult in. the whole country, it should appeal to young and adventurous spirits.