378 JSssays. 



33. It is said that tlie 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 luliero (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 Avords 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 Jcaraha 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 ^ if ^zm'« {Porphjrio melanotus), &c., &c. 



34. Their courtesy and etiquette deserve notice ; particularly from the 

 sad fact of such havin* 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 iintil food Avas prepared and brought them. 

 After having eaten they were welcomed by the chief or chiefs in speeches 

 and songs, and indiAadually saluted when conversation began. No inquiries 

 were ever made as to the purport of their visit till after they had been re- 

 freshed. G-reat respect was shown to known rank ; to such, the best seat in 

 the canoe and in the house (Avhich 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 Avords and euphemisms Avere often 

 chosen, and care Avas taken to make no allusions to past disagreeable 



