140 
A VOYAGE TO 
1779. New Zealanders, in their manners and cuftoms, than to 
either of their lefs diftant neighbours of the Society or 
Friendly Iflands. This is in nothing more obfervable, than 
in their method of living together in fmall towns or vil¬ 
lages, containing from about one hundred to two hundred 
houfes, built pretty clofe together, without any order, and 
having a winding path leading through them. They are 
generally flanked, toward the fea, with loofe detached walls, 
which probably are meant both for the purpofes of fhelter 
and defence. The figure of their houfes has been already 
defcribed. They are of different fizes, from eighteen feet 
by twelve, to forty-five by twenty-four. There are fome 
of a larger kind; being fifty feet long and thirty broad, and 
quite open at one end. Thefe, they told us, were defigned 
for travellers or ftrangers, who were only making a fhort 
flay. 
In addition to the furniture of their houfes, which has 
been accurately defcribed by Captain Cook, I have only to 
add, that at one end are mats on which they lleep, with 
wooden pillows, or fleeping ftools, exactly like thofe of the 
Chinefe. Some of the better fort of houfes have a court¬ 
yard before them, neatly railed in, with fmaller houfes 
built round it, for their fervants. In this area they generally 
eat, and fit during the day-time. In the fides of the hills, 
and among the fteep rocks, we alfo obferved feveral holes or 
caves, which appeared to be inhabited; but as the entrance 
was defended with wicker-work, and we alfo found, in the 
only one that was vifited, a ftone fence running acrofs it 
within, we imagine they are principally defigned for places 
of retreat, in cafe of an attack from an enemy. 
The food of the lower clafs of people confifts principally 
of fifh, and vegetables ; fuch as yams, fweet-potatoes, tar- 
row. 
