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G.B. Stevenson, a local historian of Oamaru, discusses the history of North Otago, including early exploration, bushrangers, and the finding of a moa bone fish hook.
He begins by talking about two local bushrangers John Everest and Alfred Davis. They stole horses in 1865 from the Clyde Stables in Hampden, followed by cash and rifles, and imprisoned some local residents.
Everest and Davis carried out robberies at Duntroon (then known as Maerewhenua) and robbed more people they met on the road up the Waitaki river. Oamaru police officers were alerted and headed up the river as far as Omarama without finding the men. At Otematata, they caught Everest at a boarding house and he lead them to the stolen goods. They later caught Davis also at Otematata.
Mr Stevenson then tells a story about the possible history of a Māori moa-bone fish hook, which was found in a cave near Kakanui. It was excavated by a Mr Uttley of Oamaru, along with tools probably used to make it.
Walter Mantell took shelter in this same cave during his survey of the region in 1848. Mantell was accompanied by Alfred Wills, a surveyor, and two Māori men, Raketewini and Solomon Pohio of Waitaki.