CHAP. IX.] FOR THE NATIVES? 141 



in their food and mode of living, every succeeding 

 step is a gain to them ; every advance in the know- 

 ledge of our system of husbandry and of our manu- 

 factures increases their bodily welfare ; every mental 

 acquirement gratifies their ardent desire for informa- 

 tion. The division into separate castes, which we 

 find more or less in the Polynesian nations, as de- 

 rived from Asia, is very indistinct in New Zealand, 

 where there is more of the shadow of it than of the 

 reality ; and this circumstance will facilitate their 

 amalgamation with Europeans upon the broad prin- 

 ciple of equality. Their family connexions that 

 first foundation of social life that first and strongest 

 link in the chain which binds men into a community 

 have with them a powerful influence. Among 

 them also woman is on an equality with man, 

 and enjoys the influence due to her position. The 

 New Zealander has excellent reasoning powers ; he 

 has no deeply-rooted prejudices nor superstitions, 

 although fond of contemplation. Formerly these 

 people were very warlike, but they are now inclined 

 to peace, and the greater part of them are Christians ; 

 they are friends of the Europeans, and particularly 

 of the English, and have become reconciled to their 

 taking possession of the country. 



In consequence of the interest which the natives 

 excited, Her Majesty's Government, in making New 

 Zealand a British colony, acknowledged it as a pro- 

 minent object to protect the native population in 



