CHAP. III.] CHILDREN. 31 



They early acquire those arts which are necessary 

 for their maintenance and preservation. Near the 

 sea or the lakes they acquire the art of swim- 

 ming almost before they are able to stand upright. 

 They are not deficient in obedience to their parents, 

 although the latter do not exercise their authority 

 very strictly, but allow their children to do what 

 they do themselves. Where there is no occasion 

 for burthening them with restrictions which they 

 do not understand, as is the case in civilised nations, 

 there are fewer occasions for correction. They are 

 a cheerful, affectionate set of little urchins, inde- 

 fatigable in annoying the visitor from distant Eu- 

 rope by their curiosity, which extends to his person, 

 clothes, all the things he may have with him, and 

 even to his sayings and doings, which are faithfully 

 reported to the elders : nothing escapes the atten- 

 tion of these youngsters. From their continual 

 contact with the adults all their mental faculties 

 are early developed, although they pass their youth 

 in doing nothing, or in innocent games. Their 

 kite (manu, or pakau pakaukau) is of a triangular 

 form, and is very neatly made of the light leaves 

 of a sedge ; it is held by a string made of strips of 

 flax tied together, and its ascent is accompanied 

 with some saying or song, such as the " He karakia 

 pakau," 1 which I here give in a note. It is a sign 



1 Piki mai piki mai kake mai ke mai ki te te hi ta hao te haii 

 imi ka tu te rupe rupe katu kawa te kawa te kawa i numi e koe 

 ki te kawa tua tapi ki te kawa tua rua kawaka ki ki kawaka kaka 

 ahumai ahumai. 



