CoLENSO. — Notes on (he ancient Dog of the New Zealanders, 143 



glad when they can get a dog or bu'd 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 then- 

 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, etc. 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 aU 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 sort 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 conclu.de that, as there is not the least sign of 

 cultivation of land,f they dejoend 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 

 rhetorically than in strict accordance with fact, being led thereto (in this 

 sentence) in declaiming against the cannibalism 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 during a Voyage Bound the World, 4to., London, 1778, pp. 

 189 and 208. 



f Mr. Anderson was only in the Middle Island of New Zealand. 



