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NOTES TO LECTURE II 93 The ancestors of the Maoris were Polynesians, who, coming originally from Indonesia, voyaged to the westernmost islands of the Pacific, and thence spread to the Fijis and Central Polynesia. Legend says that they conquered the prinsitive Melanesian inhabitants and absorbed them. The ancient Indonesians and Polynesians developed great constructional and navigational skill. One may note the recorded long voyages even of average Pacific canoes within comparatively recent times. (J. Holland Rose, Man and the Sea, pp. 168 and 173-174). 17. W. J. Perry op. cit., p. 24. The theory that Egypt was the country first to discover irrigation or agriculture cannot stand. From the earliest times known to archaeology and history, the Kaveri delta in Southen India specialized in rice cultivation while the Indus region specialized in wheat. Page 42, 1. 30. The Chalcolithic, people of the Indus in the third, and fourth millennia B.C. cultivated wheat and barley as well as the date-palm. They had domesticated the humped zebu, buffalo and short horned bull, besides the sheep, pig, dog, elephant and camel ; but the cat and probably the horse are unknown to them. For transport they had wheeled vehicles, to which oxen doubtless were yoked. They were skilled metal workers, and had a plentiful supply of gold, silver, and copper. Lead too, and tin were in use, but the latter only as an alloy in the making of bronze. With spinning and weaving they were thoroughly conversant. Their weapons of war and of the chase were the bow and arrow, spear, axe, dagger and mace. The sword is not to be seen; nor is there any evidence of defensive body armour. Among their other implenients, hatchets, sickles, saws, chisels, and razors are made of both