1770 NEW ZEALAND FLAX 229 
But of all the plants we have seen among these people, 
that which is the most excellent in its kind, and which really 
excels most if not all that are put to the same uses in other 
countries, is the plant which serves them instead of hemp or 
flax.’ Of this there are two sorts. The leaves of both much 
resemble those of flags; the flowers are smaller and grow 
many more together. In one sort they are yellowish, in the 
other of a deep red. Of the leaves of these plants all their 
common wearing apparel is made with very little preparation, 
and all strings, lines, and cordage for every purpose, and that 
of a strength so much superior to hemp as scarce to bear 
comparison with it. From these leaves also by another 
preparation a kind of snow-white fibre is drawn, shining 
almost as silk, and likewise surprisingly strong; of this all 
their finer cloths are made: their fishing-nets are also made 
of these leaves, without any other preparation than splitting 
them into proper breadths and tying the strips together. So 
useful a plant would doubtless be a great acquisition to England, 
especially as one might hope it would thrive there with little 
trouble, as it seems hardy and affects no particular soil, being 
found equally on hills and in valleys, in dry soil and the 
deepest bogs, which last land it seems, however, rather to 
prefer, as I have always seen it in such places of a larger 
size than anywhere else. 
When first we came ashore we imagined the country to 
be much better peopled than we afterwards found it ; conclud- 
ing from the smokes that we saw that there were inhabitants 
very far inland, which indeed in Poverty Bay and the Bay of 
Plenty (much the best peopled part of the country that we 
have seen) may be the case. In all the other parts we have 
been in we have, however, found the sea coast only inhabited, 
and that but sparingly, insomuch that the number of inhabit- 
ants seems to bear no kind of proportion to the size of the 
country. This is probably owing to their frequent wars. 
Besides this the whole coast from Cape Maria Van Diemen 
to Mount Egmont, and seven-eighths of the Southern Island, 
seem totally without people. 
1 Phormium tenax, Forst, the New Zealand Flax. 
