NEW ZEALAND. 399 



to the chiefs that is not so observable in the common people; they 

 want, however, the softness of the rest of the Polynesian family, of 

 which they are a part, not having the full muscles, or soft contour of 

 face, which we had hitherto observed among the groups we visited. 

 They are as indolent as the other cognate races, but more capable of 

 undergoing fatigue. 



The following is one of their traditions respecting their origin. 

 The first natives came from Hawaiki, situated towards the east, in 

 several canoes, and the names of some of the principal men, were 

 Tanepepeke, Tanewitika, Taneweka, Rongokako, Kopaia, Kornan- 

 poko : the canoes in which they came were called Kotahinui, Kotea- 

 rawa, Kohorouta, Takitima. They settled first at Kawia, on the west- 

 ern coast ; then near Maketu, Turanga, and Ahuriri, at the east cape. 

 The natives, it may be as well to remark, say that this story is all 

 nonsense, yet the similarity of the foregoing names with those of the 

 people of Savaii, in the Samoan Group, is striking. This, connected 

 with the story, which we shall hereafter quote, of the introduction of 

 the kumara in canoes, taken together, would appear to afford very 

 strong reason for the conjecture that they were derived from the same 

 source. In their native traditions there appears to be some idea of a 

 creation, having a general resemblance to that of the other nations of 

 Polynesia. 



The trade in native curiosities is not quite so great as it used to be, 

 particularly in tattooed heads. So great at one time was the traffic in 

 the latter article, between New Zealand and Sydney, that, in 1831, it 

 was prohibited by law. In Governor Darling's administration of the 

 colony, the chief Shougi is supposed to have made large sums by it, 

 and there are some persons who, in part, impute his wars to his desire 

 of gain ; for, having been in England, he became acquainted with the 

 value set upon them, and the demand for them. It is generally thought 

 that many of the heads thus sold have been prepared by the white run- 

 away convicts, who have learnt the mode of doing this from the natives. 

 They are still to be obtained, though great precaution is used in dispos- 

 ing of them. A missionary brig, lying at the Bay of Islands, had many 

 curiosities on board, in the possession of the steward; and after the 

 buying of mats, &c, had been finished, he invited our officers to step 

 down to his little store-room, under the forecastle, where he had a 

 curiosity which could not be brought out. After this mysterious enun- 

 ciation, they followed him to the bottom of the ladder ; he then told them 

 he was about to put his fate into their hands, believing that they were 

 too much men of honour to betray him. He then proceeded to inform 



