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Preface.

Lake Waikare-moana is situated not far from the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand, to the north-west of that great indentation named by Captain Cook Hawke Bay. The completion of the main road—in the near future—that leads from Rotorua to Gisborue will allow of a visit to this beautiful lake with something like ease. At the present time it must be approached from Napier as a starting-point. Small steamers cross Hawke Bay from Napier with tolerable regularity to the Wairoa River—a short trip of four hours—near the mouth of which is situated the pretty Town of Clyde. From Clyde a ride I or drive of thirty-one miles along the road leading up the Wairoa ami Waikare-taheke Rivers will bring the traveller to the outlet of the lake at Onepoto. From this point a road is in process of I construction northward along the shores of the lake, to Aniwaniwa, the north-east extremity of the lake, and at which point a junction will be effected with the main road from Rotorua to Gisborne.

Of all the New Zealand lakes, Waikare-moana probably stands second for beauty, Mana-pouri taking the first place. It is often called the "Star Lake," from the number of arms which run far away into the hills, offering a series of most beautiful views of great variety. Everywhere the forest comes right down to the water's edge, whilst on the east side cliffs rise almost perpendicularly to close upon 2,000ft. above its surface. The lake offers delightful places for camping on the many beaches. Its height above sea-level is 2,050ft.

The following account has been printed by direction of the Hon. John McKenzie, Minister of Lands, with a view of furnishing information to tourists as to the various scenes of beauty on page vi the lake: and at the same time an attempt has been made to invest the different places with a human interest by preserving the old Maori history relating thereto.

Young countries like New Zealand are often wanting in the historic interest associated with so many of the sights of Europe. This is not because New Zealand has no history, but because the guide-books fail to touch upon it. In the case of Waikare moana, the isolation of the Maori inhabitants, until quite recently has tended to preserve in the breasts of its people much more detail of the doings of the early occupiers than is usual, and this has been gathered together in the following pages. The whole of it is new matter, now for the first time collected from the Maori people themselves, and principally from the "Kaumatua," so frequently alluded to. This old man, whose name is Tutaka-ngahau, is the hereditary chief of the Tama-kai-moana section of the Tuhoe Tribe, who by birth and education has the right to speak authoritatively on the history of his country The Tuhoe tribes pride themselves on being the direct descend ants of the aborigines whom the Maoris found here on the arrival of the fleet from Hawaiki in about the year 1350.

Thanks are due to T. Humphries, Esq., for most of the illustrations in this book.

S.P.S.

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