370 Essays. 



Tliey sometimes eminently showed tlieir endurance in trying situations, by 

 completely controlling tlieir temper. They possessed a large amount of 

 physical courage, as is abundantly shown in their desperate hand-to-hand 

 encounters and many hair-breadth adventures ; but in moral courage they 

 were very deficient, e.g. their fearing to speak to their superiors on unplea- 

 sant or unwelcome matters ; their being afraid to go anywhere in the dark ; 

 and their moral superstitious dread of harmless and pretty lizards. 



28. Their natural propensities, both good and bad, were strong, and 

 generally freely indulged. Unfortunately, their good ones, though striking, 

 were but few in number, and were consequently often overcome by their 

 more numerous bad ones. 



(1.) Of their good ones, hospitality to visitors and travellers must ever 

 stand foremost. The New Zealand host not only willingly shared what he 

 had with his guests, but often freely gave them all, while he, his family, and 

 his people looked on, quite pleased at seeing them eating. As it was with 

 the coming, so it was with the going guest ; he was often loaded with food, 

 &c., so that it was a difficult matter to carry it away, and a heinous offence 

 to refuse or to leave it. They were also very open and free in giving one 

 to another, and things were generally given without the least hesitation or 

 appearance of regret. A constant cheerfulness of disposition and counte- 

 nance, often amounting to gladsomeness or hilarity, was also very prevalent, 

 more especially among all the younger ones ; hence, perhaps, their peculiar 

 habit of surnames, commonly calling any unfortunate sufferer by his 

 infirmity or deformity, as blind, lame, deaf, one-handed, hunchbacked, &c., 

 &c., without giving or taking offence. Their love and attachment to chil- 

 dren was very great ; and that not merely to their own immediate offspring. 

 They very commonly adopted children ; indeed, no man having a large family 

 was ever allowed to bring them all up himself ; uncles, aunts, and cousins 

 claimed and took them, often whether the parents were willing or not. 

 They certainly took every physical care of them ; and, as they are rarely 

 chastised (for many reasons), of course petted and spoiled them; sowing 

 the seed of which they invariably reaped the bitter crop of disobedience. 

 The father or uncle often carried or nursed his infant on his back for hours 

 at a time, and might often be seen quietly at work with the little one there 

 snugly ensconced. Perhaps in no race has the love of offspring been more 

 fully developed, which by them was also often carried out to excess towards 

 the young of brutes — especially of their dogs, and, afterwards, of cats and 

 pigs introduced. Hence it Avas by no means an unusual sight to see a woman 

 carrying her child at her back, and a pet dog or pig in her bosom. Another 

 praiseworthy feature was, their being ever ready to help, and desirous of assist- 

 ing to the utmost, whenever the taboo did not hinder them, any one they could, 



