CHAPTER X 
GENERAL ACCOUNT OF NEW ZEALAND 
Its discovery by Tasman—Mountains—Harbours—Cultivation—Trees—Suita- 
bility of Thames River for colonisation—Climate—Absence of native 
quadrupeds — Birds — Insects — Fish — Plants — Native and introduced 
vegetables—Absence of fruits—New Zealand flax—Population—Qualities 
of the natives—Tattowing and painting—Dress—Head-dresses—Ear- and 
nose-ornaments—Houses—Food—Cannibalism amongst men—Freedom 
from disease—Canoes—Carving—Tools—Cloth fabrics—Nets—Tillage— 
Weapons—Spontoons—War and other songs—Human trophies— Heppahs 
—Chiefs—Religion—Burial—Language. 
As we intend to leave this place to-morrow, I shall spend 
a few sheets in drawing together what I have observed of 
the country and of its inhabitants, premising that in this, 
and in all other descriptions of the same kind which may 
occur in this journal, I shall give myself liberty to conjecture, 
and draw conclusions from what I have observed. In these 
I may doubtless be mistaken ; in the daily Journal, however, 
the observations may be seen, and any one who refers to 
that may draw his own conclusions from them, attending as 
little as he pleases to any of mine. 
This country was first discovered by Abel Jansen Tasman 
on the 13th of December 1642, and called by him New 
Zealand. He, however, never went ashore on it, probably 
from fear of the natives, who, when he had come to an 
anchor, set upon one of his boats and killed three or four 
out of the seven people in her. 
Tasman certainly was an able navigator; he sailed into 
the mouth of Cook’s Straits, and finding himself surrounded, to 
all appearance, by land, observed the flood tide to come from 
