DESCRIPTION OF THE MAUUIIS. 163 



"biscuit, which to them is a rarity — they only 

 usino; their flour baked into soft bread. All lived 

 alike, fore and aft. Little discipline prevailed ; 

 the captain was called Tom, and the mate Bill. 

 The shipkeeper and steward were men interested in 

 the vessel, both old English men-of-war's men, who 

 had early settled on the island, and reared families — 

 having married native women. From these men I 

 learned that a marriage between two of the half-caste 

 was always barren, never begetting offspring ; but a 

 half-caste man or woman intermarrying with the 

 whites or native New Zealanders, were remarkable 

 for their number of children. I was much pleased 

 with these Mauriis ; they were intelligent, courageous, 

 and sprightly. Their songs, delivered with all the 

 gusto of a half-civilized nature, possessed great 

 interest. In their war songs they become imbued 

 with the spirit of their music, and perform most 

 curious antics, attended by horrid contortions of 

 features. Their love songs, too, were accompanied by 

 immerous gestures, one of them taking the lead, and 

 the others joining in the chorus. These love songs 

 were said, by those acquainted with their language, 

 to consist of all that was licentious and diso:ustin«-: 

 but to us who did not understand a word of them, it 

 made very little difference. They also performed a 

 pantomime, which, from its ridiculousness, excited 

 our risibilities to prolonged laughter, to their great 

 satisfaction. 



The half-caste consider themselves a peg above the 

 native, and take 2:ood care to let stransrers know the 

 distinction. They are a large, well-built race, and 



