Manners of the New Zealanders. 25 
the bread of life, and who are perpetually deftroying each 
other by violence* as the only alternative of perilhing by hun- 
ger. 
But thefe people, from whatever caufe, being inured to war, 
and by habit confidering every llranger as an enemy, were al- 
ways tiilpofed to attack us when they were not intimidated by 
our man i left fuperiority. At firil, they had no notion of any 
fuperiority but numbers ; and when this was on their fide, they 
confidered all our expreflions ofkindnefs as the artifices of fear 
and cunning, to circumvent them,, andpreferve ourfelves; but 
when they were once convinced of our power, aftqr having pro- 
voked us to the uie of our fire-arms, tho’ loaded only with fimall 
Ihot; a..d of our clemency by forbearing to make ufe of wea- 
pons fp dreadful, except in our defence ; they became at once 
friendly, and even affectionate, placing in us the moft un- 
bounded confidence, and doing every thing which could incite 
us to put equal confidence in them. It is alfo remarkable, that 
when an intercourfe was once eitablilhed between us, they were 
very rarely detected in any ad of dilhoneily. Before, indeed, and 
while they confidered us as enemies, who came upon their 
coaft only to make an advantage of them, they did not fcruple 
by any means to make an advantage of us ; and would, there- 
fore, when they had received the price of any thing they had 
offered to fell, pack up both the purchafe and purchafe-money 
with all poffible compofure, as fo much lawful plunder from 
people who had no view but to plunder them. 
I have obferved that our friends in the South Seas had not 
even the idea of indecency, with refpefi to any object or any 
a&ion ; but this was by no means the cafe with the inhabitants 
of New Zealand, in whofe carriage and converfation there was 
as much modeil referve and decorum with refpeft to actions, 
which yet in their opinion w&re not criminal, as are to be found 
among the politeft people in Europe. The women were not 
impregnable ; but the terms and manner of compliance were as 
decent as thofe in marriage among us, and according to their 
notions, the agreement was as innocent. When any of out- 
people made an overture to one of their young women, he was 
given to underftand that the confent of her friends was necef- 
ihry, and by the influence of a proper ; prefen t, it was general- 
ly obtained ; but when thefe preliminaries were fettled, it 
was alfo neceffary to treat the wife for a night, with the fame 
delicacy that is here required by the wife for life, and the lo- 
ver who prefumed to take any liberties by which this was vio- 
lated, was fure to be difappointed. 
One of our gentlemen having made hie addreffes to a fami- 
ly of the better fort, received an anfwer, which, tranflated into 
our language, according to the mode and fpirit of it, as well 
.as the letter, would have been exadly in thels terms • “ An” 
Vo L . II, £ * u/f 
