304 NEW ZEALAND. [CHAP. xvm. 



sea extending from the bay. The surface appears from a distance 

 as if clothed with coarse pasture, but this in truth is nothing but fern. 

 On the more distant hills, as well as in parts of the valleys, there is a 

 good deal of woodland. The general tint of the landscape is not a 

 bright green ; and it resembles the country a short distance to the 

 r.nuth of Concepcion in Chile. In several parts of the bay, little 

 villages of square tidy-looking houses are scattered close down to the 

 water's edge. Three whaling-ships were lying at anchor, and a canoe 

 every now and then crossed from shore to shore ; with these excep- 

 tions, an air of extreme quietness reigned over the whole district. 

 Only a single canoe came alongside. This, and the aspect of the 

 whole scene, afforded a remarkable, and not very pleasing contrast, 

 with our joyful and boisterous welcome at Tahiti. 



In the afternoon we went on shore to one of the larger groups of 

 houses, which yet hardly deserves the title of a village. Its name is 

 Pahia: it is the residence of the missionaries; and there are no 

 native residents except servants and labourers. In the vicinity of the 

 Bay of Islands, the number of Englishmen, including their families, 

 amounts to between two and three hundred. All the cottages, many 

 of which are whitewashed and look very neat, are the property of the 

 English. The hovels of the natives are so diminutive and paltry, that 

 they can scarcely be perceived from a distance. At Pahia, it was quite 

 pleasing to behold the English flowers in the gardens before the 

 houses ; there were roses of several kinds, honeysuckle, jasmine, 

 stocks, and whole hedges of sweetbriar. 



December 22nd. In the morning I went out walking ; but I soon 

 found that the country was very impracticable. All the hills are 

 thickly covered with tall fern, together with a low bush which grows 

 like a cypress ; and very little ground has been cleared or cultivated. 

 I then tried the sea-beach; but proceeding towards either hand, my 

 walk was soon stopped by salt water creeks and deep brooks. The 

 communication between the inhabitants of the different parts of the 

 bay, is (as in Chiloe) almost entirely kept up by boats. I was surprised 

 to find that almost every hill which I ascended, had been at some 

 former time more or less fortified. The summits were cut into steps 

 or successive terraces, and frequently they had been protected by deep 

 trenches. I afterwards observed that the principal hills inland in like 

 manner showed an artificial outline. These are the Pahs, so frequently 

 mentioned by Captain Cook under the name of " hippah ; " the differ- 

 ence of sound being owing to the prefixed article. 



That the Pahs had formerly been much used, was evident from the 

 piles of shells, and the pits in which, as I was informed, sweet pota- 

 toes used to be kept as a reserve. As there was no water on these 

 hills, the defenders could never have anticipated a long siege, but only 

 a hurried attack for plunder, against which the successive terraces 

 would have afforded good protection. The general introduction of 

 firearms has changed the whole system of warfare ; and an exposed 

 situation on the top of a hill is now worse than useless. The Pahs in 

 consequence are, at the present day, always built on a level piece of 



