108 NEW ZEALAND. 



Deccmhvr 22d. — In the morning I went out walk- 

 ing, but I soon found that tlie country was very 

 impracticasle. 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 

 ti-enches. I afterwards observed that the princi- 

 pal hills inland in like manner showed an aitificial 

 outline. These are the Pas, so frequently mention- 

 ed by Captain Cook under the name of " hippah;" 

 the difference of sound being owing to the prefix- 

 ed article. 



That the Pas had fonnerly been much used, 

 was evident from the piles of shells, and the pits 

 in which, as I was informed, sweet potatoes used 

 to be kept as a reserve. As there was no water 

 on these hills, the defenders could never have an- 

 ticipated a long siege, but only a humed attack for 

 plunder, against which the successive teiTaces 

 would have afforded good protection. The gener- 

 al introduction of fire-arms has changed the whole 

 system of warfare ; and an exposed situation on 

 the top of a hill is now worse than useless. The 

 Pas in consequence are, at the present day, always 

 built on a level piece of ground. They consist of 

 a double stockade of thick and tall posts, placed in 

 a zigzag line, so that every part can be flanked. 

 Within the stockade a mound of earth is thrown 



