Page:Old Westland (1939).pdf/17



history begins, according to Maori mythology, in the dawn days of the world when the Chief Ngahue landed there and discovered deposits of pounamu (greenstone) in the waters of its rivers. Ngahue, a great and daring navigator, like unto our own Captain Cook, was (so the legend runs) driven from the cradle lands of his people—from Hawaiki—by a woman (Hinetu-a-hoanga) who invoked the aid of a great green sea-monster—Poutini—to capture him. He, however, boldly put out to sea in his fast sailing canoe, and though hotly pursued, held ever onward until on the far horizon he saw a long white cloud which proved to be land—thus did he “find in the sea,” these islands of Aotea-roa. As he drew still nearer he saw a stupendous mountain beckoning to him, and this he made out to be Aorangi, the mighty monarch of the Southern Alps. Aorangi commanded