378 Essays. 
33. Itis said that the New Zealander's perception of colours was defective 
and weak, because he had proper names for only three colours, and none 
for blue, green, brown, violet, &c. This, however, is, in the opinion 
of the writer, a mistake. Their colours, it is true, were mainly divided into 
three distinctive classes—ma, panga, and whero (white, black, and red, or 
light, dark, and reddish)—but they were never at a loss with these three 
words clearly to express all colours. They used them much as an English 
mariner uses the four names of the principal winds and points of the com- 
pass, repeated and involved to make 32, only much more expressively ; as 
they also used with them several adjectives, increasing or lessening their 
meaning; also the words themselves reduplicated as diminutives. Besides 
which, if a New Zealander wished to convey to another a very exact idea of 
any colour intended, he would mention that of some natural object which 
was of the same shade of colour; for greens, the karaka leaf, or the blue- 
green of the sea, or the light-green of the young grass, or the yellow 
glancing green of the plumage of the little paroquet ; for blues, the differ- 
ing blues of the day and of the night sky, or of the pukepoto mineral, or of 
the neck of the red-billed swamp-bird pukura (Porphyrio melanotus), &c., &c. 
34. Their courtesy and etiquette deserve notice ; particularly from the 
sad fact of such having become nearly extinct, and that mainly through their 
intercourse with foreigners. In visiting, the visitors when near the village 
sounded their conch shell or wooden trumpet (in later times fired a musket), 
or sent on some one known to the people to inform them of their approach, 
lest they should be taken unawares—a thing very much disliked by all New 
Zealanders. If they were loudly invited, they went straight on, without 
speaking, into the village, unless the company were straggling, when they 
waited for those behind. If they were not so invited, through the people of 
the village being absent in their neighbouring cultivations, they quietly waited 
in a body outside until they were. On entering, they were led to some 
large house or spot, strewed with clean mats, or fresh fern, or leafy 
branches. There they quietly sat until food was prepared and brought them. 
After having eaten they were welcomed by the chief or chiefs in speeches 
and songs, and individually saluted when conversation began. No inquiries 
were ever made as to the purport of their visit till after they had been re- 
freshed. Great respect was shown to known rank ; to such, the best seat in 
the canoe and in the house (which was always on the window side) was 
constantly given. A proper respectful mode of address was always used 
to chiefs. Bad and unexpected startling tidings were generally couched in 
other words, or delicately alluded to in a song or saying of well-known 
meaning. In conversation, euphonious words and euphemisms were often 
Chosen, and care was taken to make no allusions to past disagreeable 
