But the truth is, their fortunes before their race settled in Polynesia are a pure matter of guess-work.

Some centuries ago, driven out by feuds or shortness of food, they left their isles of reef and palm, and found their way to Ao-tea-roa, as they called New Zealand.
On the map their new home seems at first sight so isolated and remote from the other groups of Oceania as to make it incredible that even the most daring canoe-men could have deliberately made their way thither.

But this difficulty disappears upon a study of the ascertained voyages of the Polynesians.

Among the bravest and most venturesome navigators of the ocean, the brown mariners studied and named the stars, winds and currents.

As allies they had those friends of the sailor, the trade-winds.