Gum. Pine trees. Quadrupeds. NEW ZEALAND. 



Birds. Commerce. 



177 



inch in width. The outer green fibres are then 

 scraped off with a piece of glass, or a sharp shell. 

 The inner fibres being thus exposed are easily 

 separated, and the greatest care is taken to keep 

 all the fibres as straight as possible, both in this 

 and the following operations. To this precaution 

 the great strength of the cordage the natives make 

 of it, is owing. After the fibres are separated, 

 they are washed, rubbed, and laid in the sun to 

 bleach. 



The vegetation of New Zealand is of a fresher 

 and deeper green than that of New Holland, and 

 has some resemblance to that of Terra del Fuego. 

 According to the missionaries, the ridges, and 

 indeed the greater part of the northern island, are 

 destitute of trees; and the woods, which are con- 

 fined to the valleys, are for the most part in de- 

 tached spots. The western part of this island 

 contains more actual forests than the eastern. 



It was remarked by our botanists that trees of 

 genera which in other countries grow in the more 

 barren soils, are found in New Zealand in those 

 which are fertile. This is in particular the case 

 with the pine tribe. It also appeared to them, 

 from the position of isolated trees, and the quan- 

 tity of Kaurie-gum found imbedded in the soil, 

 that forests had formerly been more generally 

 spread over the face of the country, than they are 

 at present. 



The gum which has just been spoken of is still 

 produced by the Kaurie pine, which is the finest of 

 the timber-trees of New Zealand. The greatest 

 portion of that which is shipped from the island is 

 dug from the ground. Small quantities of the 

 latter description have been purchased by our 

 countrymen, and shipped to the United States, 

 where it was manufactured into a varnish. This 

 was of a good quality, and was afterwards sent to 

 New South Wales and New Zealand, where it is 

 sold for copal varnish. 



The Kaurie and Kaikotia pines yield spars which 

 for large ships are not surpassed by any in the 

 world. The trees are generally large, and are 

 easily brought to the coast by means of the nume- 

 rous streams. 



The natives use these trees in building their 

 canoes, which are dug out of a single log. They 

 have no out-rigger, and are in consequence liable 

 to accident from want of stability. Great inge- 

 nuity is shown in repairing them. We saw a war- 

 canoe which was sufficiently large to be manned 

 by fifty men; it had a prow extended ten feet 

 upwards, which was elaborately carved and decked 

 with tufts of feathers. The paddles have spoon- 

 shaped blades, by which the canoes are propelled 

 with great swiftness. 



No native quadrupeds were found wild in New 

 Zealand. Cattle have been introduced, and thrive. 

 Those which are imported require to be fed, but 



those raised in the country can provide for them- 

 selves, and grow fat by browsing. 



Among the birds are the native nightingale and 

 the tui, also known under the sobriquet of the 

 parson-bird. The latter is a great favourite with 

 the natives. 



I saw it only in a cage, and its note did not 

 strike me as pleasing, but several of our gentle- 

 men saw and heard it in the woods; they describe 

 its note as rather louder than that of the bird 

 called by the Samoans " poe," and it is at times 

 said to utter a cry resembling the sound of a 

 trumpet. 



The domestic fowl does not appear to have been 

 known before this island was visited by white 

 men. 



I made inquiries in relation to the mode in which 

 birds were taken in this country before the intro- 

 duction of fire-arms, but could not obtain any satis- 

 factory information. I was inclined to think that 

 the natives had no method of doing this in former 

 times. 



The great staple articles of trade are flax, spars, 

 and wheat; potatoes and gum are also exported; 

 but the whale-fishery is of more value at present to 

 foreigners than all the productions of the soil. 

 This is carried on from the shores by parties of 

 New Zealanders and foreigners; but they are 

 rapidly destroying this source of wealth, for, as has 

 been stated, their eagerness for present gain leads 

 them to destroy the animals whether old or young, 

 without discrimination, 



The whaling establishments of British subjects 

 on the coast are numerous, and the most disgrace- 

 ful acts are perpetrated by their occupants and by 

 the crews of the whale-ships, who not only use 

 violence against the natives, but against each other. 

 As New Zealand is in the immediate vicinity of 

 the whaling-ground, it is a desirable rendezvous 

 for our whalers; and the American whaling fleet, 

 actively employed on the coast in the spring of 

 1840, amounted to one hundred sail. 



Many spars are now exported to England, where, 

 however, the smaller sticks are not as much 

 esteemed in proportion as the larger ones. Several 

 government vessels have recently obtained spars 

 for the royal navy at the trifling cost of a few 

 blankets and muskets. The latter, in particular, 

 are a great inducement to the chiefs, who are 

 willing to devote much labour for the purpose of 

 acquiring the means of rendering themselves 

 powerful. Besides guns and blankets, gunpowder, 

 lead, coarse blue and white cottons, whiskey, rice, 

 sugar, and molasses are the articles most in re- 

 quest. These now bring enormous prices, in con- 

 sequence of the demand caused by the number of 

 immigrants; but the effect of these prices is to 

 render labour proportionably dear. 





