a a ee 
ON ANCIENT CAMPS AND EARTH-WORKS. 117 
vallo atque fossa munierunt, quo incursionis hostium vi- 
tand» causa convenire consuerunt.” Again, he says that 
when he had approached this stronghold with his soldiers, 
“Locum repperit egregie natura atque opere munitum.” 
He attacks it on two sides ; the enemy defend it for a short 
time, and not being able to sustain the assault of his sol- 
diers, retire in haste from the other part of the camp, and 
he finds in the camp “ magnus numerus pecoris.” 
Looking now at the modern settlements or pahs of the 
New Zealanders, we find them very irregular in shape, 
but angular like a modern fortification. They are pro- 
tected with a double palisade, the outer one short, the 
inner tall, and both composed of very stout palings, the 
angles having the strongest stakes; next comes a deep 
ditch, and then a mound of earth ; within this mound is 
the habitable part, formed into smaller fortified portions by 
means of palisades, and each appropriated to a different 
clan or family. The huts are within these enclosures, 
lying in long ranges, and no doubt each including many 
inhabitants. The approaches are well protected, and the 
ditches or mounds are drawn so as to overlap, and the 
palisades in the same manner, add to which there are 
several blinds or simulated entrances so as to deceive an 
enemy. The whole shows considerable strength and skill ; 
when we compare, then, the depth of some of our existing 
ditches and the height of the mounds, the platforms for 
slingers, and consider the palisades in most instances pro- 
bably double, we shall see that in ancient times these 
camps were no insignificant places of defence, and justify 
Uxsar’s expression “locum egregie natura atque opere 
munitum.” They give us no mean idea of the intelli- 
gence, skill and bravery of the primitive inhabitants of 
this island. 
