246 GENERAL ACCOUNT OF NEW ZEALAND cuap. x 
These are all that can be properly called arms, but 
besides these the chiefs when they came to attack us carried 
in their hands a kind of ensign of distinction in the same 
manner as ours do spontoons: these were either the rib of a 
whale, as white as snow, carved very much, and ornamented 
with dogs’ hair and feathers, or a stick about six feet long, 
carved and ornamented in the same manner, and generally 
inlaid with shell like mother-of-pearl. Of these chiefs there 
were in their war canoes one, two, or three, according to the 
size of the canoes. When within about a cable’s length of 
the ship, they generally rose up, dressed themselves in a 
distinguishing dress (often of dog’s skin), and holding in their 
hands either one of their spontoons or a weapon, directed 
the rest of the people how to proceed. They were always 
old, or at least past the middle age, and had upon them a 
larger quantity of amoca than usual. These canoes commonly 
paddled with great vigour till they came within about a 
stone’s throw of the ship (having no idea that any missive 
could reach them farther), and then began to threaten us ; 
this, indeed, the smaller canoes did, as soon as they were 
within hearing. Their words were almost universally the 
same, “Haromai haromai, harre uta a patoo-patoo oge,” 
“Come to us, come to us, come but ashore with us, and we 
will kill you with our patoo-patoos.” 
In this manner they continued to threaten us, venturing 
by degrees nearer and nearer till they were close alongside: 
at intervals talking very civilly, and answering any questions 
we asked them, but quickly renewing their threats till they 
had by our non-resistance gained courage enough to begin 
their war-song and dance; after which they either became 
so insolent that we found it necessary to chastise them by 
firing small shot at them, or else threw three or four stones 
on board, and, as if content with having offered such an 
insult unavenged, left us. 
The war-song and dance consists of various contortions 
of the limbs, during which the tongue was frequently thrust 
out incredibly far, and the orbits of their eyes enlarged so 
much that acircle of white was distinctly seen round the 
