72 A Sketch of New Zealand. [ February, 
they sprang, were of good physique, having regular and often 
handsome features, and with long dark hair, indicating their 
superiority to the black races of Africa. 
These isolated people were still using implements of stone 
fashioned into the desired form by chipping and grinding, and 
frequently finished with a fine polish or covered with fanciful 
carvings. The material that was often used, not only for stone- 
axes and war clubs but also for long ear-rings and other personal 
ornaments, was the celebrated punamu, or green jade from the west- 
ern shore of the South Island. Many of thestone 
instruments in the hands of the New Zea- 
landers remind one forcibly of the similar 
implements used by the Lake-dwellers of 
Europe, and the stone axes, adzes, etc., from 
the ancient mounds of our own country 
Like the Neolithic men of Europe, the New 
Zealanders had their fish-hooks of bene and 
their personal ornaments of shell and stone. 
As is common with uncivilized people, they 
amused themselves in carving on bone—fre- 
quently of slain enemies—and on stone and 
Mag) ap wood. Many of these elaborate carvings are 
Maori Nose Flute. elegant in design and were beautifully exe- 
cuted with no other instruments than those of 
stone. Their desire for ornament was so great that they covered 
their features with tattooing, transferring indelibly to their faces 
complicated patterns of curved and spiral lines, similar ‘to the 
designs with which they decorated their canoes and houses. 
These aborigines were well advanced in all the arts that pertain 
to barbarous life. They lived in well built houses, usually 
grouped in villages, or “pahs,” and surrounded by strong pali- 
sades ; these, if well garrisoned, were impregnable until the intro- 
duction of fire-arms by the Europeans. The incessant warfare 
that was carried on between the various tribes was exceedingly 
fierce and bloody. From the nature of their arms the battles 
were usually hand-to-hand encounters. The wars were entered 
into not only from motives of self protection or revenge, but also 
to obtain slaves and human flesh for the sustenance of the victo- 
rious tribe. As may be imagined, such a state of things did 
much towards keeping the population pent mag the various 
| tribes poea spaan 
