CoLENSo. — 071 a better- Knowledge of the Maori Race. Ill 



you and almost all colonists of to-day could never expect to find ; on the 

 contrary, you would, I am inclined to believe, look for the very opposite. 

 It is, the very large number of their proverbs inculcating industry (both of 

 man and woman, chief and slave) ; their giving undivided attention to the 

 regular planting and harvesting of then- crops ; in favour of perseverance, 

 patience, and endurance ; the preference of peace to war ; the praise of 

 hospitality and kindness, of dehberation, counsel, and prudence ; sound 

 advice to women and to children — to the young men in the taking a wife, 

 and to young women in taking a husband ; their openly exposing (even by 

 name 1) the mean and stingy conduct of their own greedy, inhospitable, and 

 unkind chiefs ; — also, all cowardly and rash conduct on their part ; and 

 against ill-manners, rudeness, and ill-temper ; against laziness, begging, 

 gluttony, slander, grumbling, and lying ; the complaining of trifles and of 

 weariness at work or in travelling. I repeat, I can well imagine you would 

 quite expect to hear the contrary to all this. Those sayings of theirs — once 

 " familiar in their mouths as household words " — are strong indications, 

 however, of what the ancient New Zealander really was, and of what good 

 human qualities were prized by him. 



Eeferring again, briefly, to the very wide range of their proverbs, the 

 New Zealanders seem to have drawn largely from Nature, — her various 

 works and operations ; clearly indicating that he had been not only a very 

 attentive natural observer, but well able to make correct deductions ; for, in 

 addition to those already mentioned, he had proverbs drawn from the 

 regular ax^pearances of the stars, planets, and constellations, — from the 

 varied seasons of the year, — from the several winds and meteors, — from 

 the ever-varying forms and colours of the clouds, and of the rambow, — from 

 the sea, calm and raging, — from tides and currents, rocks and shoals, — 

 from fountains, rivers, rain, hail, snow, and ice, — fi'om the weather, — from 

 mountains and hills, and from stones, both hard and soft, — from fire and 

 smoke, — from cold and heat, — from times of drought, and of floods, and of 

 overflowing rivers, and from boiling springs and earthquakes. I have 

 attempted to classify them roughly, and I find that: — (1.) 'Fxovn Animals 

 (exclusive of Man) he has derived 150 proverbs and proverbial sayings, — 

 which may be divided thus, — of Mammals (including the Seals, Whales, 

 and Bats), 22; — of Birds (including the largest and the smallest, extinct 

 and present species), about 65 : — of Fishes, both sea and fi-esh-water, about 

 30; — of Shell-fish and Crustaceans, a dozen; — of Keptiles and Worms 

 about the same number ; and another dozen, or more, of Insects, including 

 larvsB. (2.) From Plants and their uses, — including the largest timber 

 trees, and the tiny moss, and seaweeds, — their timber, fruits, edible roots, 

 textile fibres, resins, gums, and scents, — upwards of 70. (3.) From Natural 



