80 



PHYSICAL HISTORY OF MAN. 



The absence of the outrigger was unexpected ; and may possibly be 

 connected with the greater roughness of the Southern ocean. In the 

 management of a canoe or boat, the natives by no means fall behind 

 their Tropical brethren, as we had many opportunities of witnessing : 

 even in the instance of the pilot at Sidney, who had selected New 

 Zealanders for the crew of his open boat. Unlike, the Tropical Poly- 

 nesians, they were not seen bathing, a circumstance attributed to the 

 coolness of the water; but they are otherwise less cleanly in all their 

 habits. Their huts, too, are very small and close ; built of bundles of 

 ' rapoo' (Typha), and roofed usually with leaves of the wild palm. 



We now met with stockaded or fortified villages ; which are un- 

 known in the rest of Polynesia, excepting only at Tongataboo, where 

 the usage had been derived directly from the Feejeeans. Their pre- 

 sence offers an index to the political condition of New Zealand, for 

 there is no approach to a centralizing of authority, as in other parts 

 of Polynesia. It was said to be impossible to hire natives for any 

 distant journey, as "they would not enter districts where their rela- 

 tives had been formerly killed ;" and by their method of computing 

 relationship, families are rather extensively ramified. Even the Bay 

 of Islands was districted; a circumstance, which had the effect of 

 preventing many articles from being brought to us for sale. 



The New Zealanders have always borne a warlike character; and 

 I was, therefore, much surprised at the inefficiency of their weapons. 

 Besides the stone mace, their principal one is a straight sword-like 

 club, which is wielded with both hands. This is a remarkable change 

 from the weapons of the Tropical Polynesians; for the javelin ap- 

 pears to be unknown, likewise the bow, and according to Mr. Hale, 

 the sling. Their wars indeed, do not appear to have ever been very 

 bloody ; and notwithstanding the eagerness manifested in seeking 

 possession of muskets, these had been used for the most part at ex- 

 travagant distances. The Bay of Islands, two years previously, had 

 been the seat of war. "Persons from distant clans were attracted 

 to the spot, and the parties on their arrival would divide to the right 

 and left, brothers and other members of the same family often taking 

 opposite sides. On the restoration of peace, Pomare's tribe having 

 killed many of the Kororarika people, gave their opponents a tract of 

 land by way of compensation." 



The soil was said " to be held by the chiefs, although the consent 

 of eacli member of the tribe was necessary to a sale." It appears that 

 in the alleged sales to Europeans, the natives have not understood 



