DISCOVERIES IN CAVE

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1934, Page 5

DISCOVERIES IN CAVE

SKELETONS OF VERY GREAT SIZE. MEN OVER SEVEN FEET IN HEIGHT. Whangaroa, Oct. 11. An interesting discovery was made at Whangaroa of a huge cavern, obviously of ancient human habitation, by Mr, G. Fleming and Mr. L. Frear,. two local residents. The two men first came upon the entrance of a narrow. crevice in a rock wall hidden by a large pohutukawa trunk during a search of the coastline following a boating fatality in August. After taking bearings, the searchers left, with the intention of exploring the locality at a more suitable opportunity. Last week-end they had no difficulty in re-discovering the entrance.' They then advanced through a rapidly-grow-ing passage into a huge main cavern, approximately 40ft high and over 50ft. wide. The floor of the cavern was covered with a thick layer of dust, from which the gruesome remains of the past inhabitants protruded. Mr. Fleming states positively that the place was not a burial cave. Cooking, eating and sleeping places were fairly intact, and there were signs of feasting everywhere. The bones of fish, birds and human beings were intermingled with strange bones, possibly of moas. Several skeletons, with reddish, fuzzy hair still adhering to the skulls, were found, which led Mr. Fleming to doubt whether they were Maori remains. The explorers were amazed at the huge dimensions of. the skeletons. One skeleton, reposing on a ledge, was of a man estimated in life to have stood nearly 7ft. In the opinion of the discoverers the inhabitants had been compelled to live in captivity in the cave. • Valuable finds were made of wood fishhooks tipped with shell, and mats.