414 Essays. 
There can be little doubt that the numbers killed by the New Zealanders, in 
their many sanguinary battles and surprises during this period of forty years 
throughout all the New Zealand Islands, together with those who also 
perished in consequence thereof, far exceed 60,000 persons. Nothing is 
more erroneous than to suppose that the introduction of firearms made their 
wars less sanguinary. Such a view is a very partial and mistaken one, and 
only made by those who have not had the opportunities of knowing the truth. 
During the last three years, however, of this period there was very much less 
fighting than in any three previous years of the same; and missionaries and 
instruction, commerce and trade, became daily more valuable in their eyes. 
Several New Zealanders early became very good sawyers and carpenters. In 
1836 a few made excellent window-sashes, dove-tailed boxes, and even cedar 
writing desks, while at least one, whom the writer knew, was in 1835 the 
mate of a whaler, and was very much liked as an officer. 
61. From a.D. 1840 to the present time, 1865.—During this quarter of a 
century the natives as a race have become nominally Christian. From 1840 
to 1852 they eagerly sought for Christian and other instruction, often sub- 
mitting to great privations and hardships in seeking after it. They also 
cultivated wheat, &c., very largely, increasing in quantity every year, 
although in 1845, and again in 1846, small portions of them were fighting 
against the Government.  Hitherto, however, they have been written of as 
they were: now tley will have to be considered as they are. They have 
sought for and obtained everything the European could bring; but while 
they became rich in foreign they became poor in domestic wealth,—yearly 
more and more idle and discontented, and careless in Christian observances, 
in schools and in morals. In 1854 they formed an anti-land-selling league, 
- and soon after set up one of themselves as “ King!” Their houses are now 
wretched huts; their canoes are almost entirely gone; their far-famed and 
useful nets they have ceased to make; and their cultivations, even of their 
own esteemed roots, are not of one-eighth the extent they formerly were. 
- Their few children (baptized) are growing up in idleness, without being 
taught to read and write, though mostly clothed and sometimes gaudily 
dressed in European costume. Their drunkenness, idleness, and greediness 
are painfully increasing, and many bad habits, formerly unknown, have been 
acquired, and, like the introduced weeds, grow luxuriantly. It cannot be 
denied that in many places the savage has been spoiled, and the civilized man 
is not yet formed. And how to do this is a very difficult task, seeing that 
from the very beginning the New Zealanders have ever had the fatal quality 
or fatality of einn; Boney "i ether e ill from every good Pd 
ists; in which war, begun in 1860, ioa of 1000 Jaen abad y 
