Se ee ee eee S S 
ConEN80.— Notes on the ancient Dog of the New Zealanders, 148 
glad when they ean get a dog or bird to eat, which with them always is. 
reckoned a dainty.’’* 
Captain Cook in his Second Voyage, and while in New Zealand at anchor 
in Queen Charlotte Sound, incidentally remarks (when writing of the then 
proved cannibalism of the New Zealanders and its not being owing to their 
want of animal food) :—‘‘ In every part of New Zealand where I have been, 
fish was in such plenty that the natives generally caught as much as served 
both themselves and us. They have also plenty of dogs; nor is there any 
want of wild-fowl, which they know very well how to kill." And again he 
says:—'' While here we were visited by several strangers in four or five 
canoes, who brought with them fish and other articles, which they exchanged 
for cloth, ete. These new-comers took up their quarters in a cove near us; 
but very early the next morning moved off with six of our small water-casks, 
and with them all the people we found here on our arrival. * * * They 
left behind them some of their dogs and the boar I had given them the day 
before, which I now took back again as I had not another.” 
Mr. Anderson, who was with Captain Cook on his third voyage, also 
states that their dogs were plentiful. He says :—“ It is remarkable that in 
this extensive land there should not even be the traces of any quadruped, 
only excepting a few rats and a os of fox-dog, which is a domestic animal 
with the New Zealanders. * * The natives sometimes, though 
rarely, find means to kill rails, penguins, and shags, which help to vary 
their diet. They also breed considerable numbers of their dogs (mentioned 
before) for food, but these cannot be considered as a principal article of 
diet ; from whence we may conclude that, as there is not the least sign of 
cultivation of land,1 they depend principally for their subsistence on the 
sea, which indeed is very bountiful in its supply." 
Here, however, I would remark, that this is the only place in all his 
voyages and many visits to New Zealand in which Cook says, or hints, that 
the New Zealand dog was plentiful. In other parts of his voyages, as we 
have seen, he has said the contrary—that they were but few; and all the 
other gentlemen who had been with him in New Zealand also said the 
same. I think, therefore, that Captain Cook in this place speaks more 
rhetorieally than in strict accordance with faet, being led thereto (in this 
sentence) in declaiming against the eannibalism of the natives. And so of 
the surgeon, Mr. Anderson; he had never been in New Zealand before, 
neither had he the opportunity of visiting the North Island (hence his 
erroneous remark of the New Zealanders having no cultivations!) And 
* Observations made oe a Voyage Round the World, 4to., London, 1778, pp. 
189 and 208 
4 Mr. Aniss was only in the Middle Island of New Zealand. 
