NATIVE SALUTATIONS. 337 
to the rendezvous appointed, where a present was 
given to the king, and a similar offering to the god. 
Our mode of saluting by merely shaking hands, 
they consider remarkably cold and formal. They 
usually fell upon each others necks, and tauahi, 
or embraced each other, and saluted by touching 
or rubbing noses. This appears to be the com¬ 
mon mode of welcoming a friend, practised by all 
the inhabitants of the Pacific. It also prevails 
among the natives of Madagascar. During my 
visit to New Zealand, I was several times greeted 
in this manner by chiefs, whose tataued counte¬ 
nances, and ferocious appearance, were but little 
adapted to predispose for so close a contact. 
This method of saluting is called by the New 
Zealanders Ho-gni, Honi by the Sandwich Is¬ 
landers, and Hoi by the Tahitians. In connex¬ 
ion with this, the custom of cutting themselves 
with sharks’ teeth, and indulging in loud wailing, 
was a singular method of receiving a friend, or 
testifying gladness at his arrival; it was, however, 
very general when Europeans first arrived. 
In the court-yard of the king we were met by 
our friends Messrs. Williams and Threlkeld, in 
whose society we spent about fourteen days, and who, 
considering the short time they had been among 
the people, had been the means of producing an 
astonishing change, not only in their habits and 
appearance, but even in the natural face of the 
district. A carpenter’s shop had been erected, the 
forge was daily worked by the natives, neat cot¬ 
tages were rising in several directions, and a large 
place of worship was building. The wilderness 
around was cleared to a considerable extent; the 
inhabitants of other parts were repairing to Vao- 
aara, and erecting their habitations, that they 
31. z 
