246 GENERAL ACCOUNT OF NEW ZEALAND CHAP, x 



These are all that can be properly called arms, but 

 besides these the chiefs when they came to attack us carried 

 in their hands a kind of ensign of distinction in the same 

 manner as ours do spontoons : these were either the rib of a 

 whale, as white as snow, carved very much, and ornamented 

 with dogs' hair and feathers, or a stick about six feet long, 

 carved and ornamented in the same manner, and generally 

 inlaid with shell like mother-of-pearl. Of these chiefs there 

 were in their war canoes one, two, or three, according to the 

 size of the canoes. When within about a cable's length of 

 the ship, they generally rose up, dressed themselves in a 

 distinguishing dress (often of dog's skin^, and holding in their 

 hands either one of their spontoons or a weapon, directed 

 the rest of the people how to proceed. They were always 

 old, or at least past the middle age, and had upon them a 

 larger quantity of amoca than usual. These canoes commonly 

 paddled with great vigour till they came within about a 

 stone's throw of the ship (having no idea that any missive 

 could reach them farther), and then began to threaten us ; 

 this, indeed, the smaller canoes did, as soon as they were 

 within hearing. Their words were almost universally the 

 same, " Haromai haromai, harre uta a patoo-patoo oge," 

 " Come to us, come to us, come but ashore with us, and we 

 will kill you with our patoo-patoos." 



In this manner they continued to threaten us, venturing 

 by degrees nearer and nearer till they were close alongside : 

 at intervals talking very civilly, and answering any questions 

 we asked them, but quickly renewing their threats till they 

 had by our non-resistance gained courage enough to begin 

 their war-song and dance ; after which they either became 

 so insolent that we found it necessary to chastise them by 

 firing small shot at them, or else threw three or four stones 

 on board, and, as if content with having offered such an 

 insult unavenged, left us. 



The war-song and dance consists of various contortions 

 of the limbs, during which the tongue was frequently thrust 

 out incredibly far, and the orbits of their eyes enlarged so 

 much that a circle of white was distinctly seen round the 



