400 NEW ZEALAND. 



them that he had two preserved heads of New Zealand chiefs, which he 

 would sell for ten pounds. He could not venture, he said, to produce 

 them on board the brig, but if they would appoint a place, he would 

 bring them. The penalty for selling them was fifty guineas, and he con- 

 jured them to the most perfect secrecy. These proved to be beautiful 

 specimens, and now form a part of our collections. So effectually has 

 the fine prevented this traffic, that it is an extremely difficult matter to 

 obtain a head; they are as rare now as they have been common 

 heretofore ; and the last place in which it could have been expected to 

 find them, would have been on board a missionary vessel. 



The New Zealanders are still cannibals, although in the districts 

 where the missionaries reside, they have done much to put a stop to 

 this practice. After the arrival of our gentlemen, an instance occurred 

 of a chief having killed a boy about fourteen years of age, as a medi- 

 cine for his son, who was sick ; and as this prescription did not effect 

 a cure, a girl about the same age was to be served up, but the timely 

 interference of the missionaries prevented it. 



The present condition of the New Zealanders is inferior to that of 

 some of the other Polynesian nations. There is, as in other places, 

 little or no occasion for labour; the industry of a few weeks is all that 

 is needed to supply them with food for the year ; their traffic in pigs 

 and other supplies to whalers and traders is quite sufficient to procure 

 their necessary supply of clothing. It is said their moral condition 

 has much improved of late, and that they are becoming sensible of the 

 advantages of civilized life. In the former direction there is still great 

 room for improvement, and the latter, I should think, as yet far above 

 their ideas of honesty and of the obligations they owe to those about 

 them. Perhaps those who have become somewhat attached to the 

 Christian religion may be a little improved, but the only instance that 

 we can recall to our recollections is that of the chief Ko-towatowa. 

 The chiefs, however, in general show a growing disposition to acquire 

 comforts about their dwellings, and in comparison with the other 

 natives, are almost cleanly in their persons. Industry is also making 

 progress in the cultivation of their plantations. If I could believe it 

 possible that the dwellings of the lower classes of the people had ever 

 been more filthy, or their persons less cleanly, I would more readily 

 credit that some improvement had taken place. Numbers are said to 

 be able to read and write their own language, having been taught by 

 the missionaries, and then have afterwards been known to take a pride 

 in instructing others, and to display a great eagerness in the acquisi- 

 tion of farther knowledge ; but they are far, very far behind, in the 



