thod be made public for the general 
benefit. 
NEW ZEALAND. 
Several natives of the South Sea 
islands” have lately visited England, 
having been brought by different mer-. 
chant-vessels, in which they engaged 
themselves as common sailors. Among 
these is Duaterra, nephew to Tippihee, 
a chief of New Zealand, and son-in-law 
of another chief named Wanakee. He 
is a very: intelligent young man, only 
twenty-two years, of age, possessing a 
most amiable temper, considerable na- 
tural abilities, and an ardent thirst of 
knowledyze. His only objec, as he said, 
for leaving his native country avas to see 
King George. For this purpose he en- 
fered on. board the Santa Anna, belong- 
ing to Port Jackson, which touched at 
New Zealand, on her way to some of the 
South Sea islands, on a sealing: voyage, 
iu the course of which he was exposed to 
many dangers, hardships, and toils. As 
a reward for these, Duaterra expected on 
his arrival in the Thames to see the King, 
but was unfortunately disappointed. ‘The 
captain kept him nearly the whole time 
he was in England: on board the ship at 
work, till she was discharged ; and on the 
Sth of August last, sent him on board the 
Ann, which sailed almost immediately for 
Portsmouth. Duaterra was much con- 
cerned at being compelled to return, 
without accomplishing the object of his 
voyage, for which, he observed, his coun- 
trymen would find great fault with him, 
It is certainly a circumstance much to be 
regretted, that this young man, who by 
“birth and marriage is related to eleven 
out of the thirteen chiefs of New Zea- 
land, should have lost the only reward » 
which he expected for two years hard 
toil.as a common sailor, without wages, 
or other remuneration than clothing and 
provision. Duaterra, during his_resi- 
dence in this country, related certain 
particulars respecting the traditions and 
manuers of those remote islanders, which 
open a field for curious-speculation. In 
yegard to the creation of man, he reports, 
that the New -Zealanders have been 
taught from time immemorial, by their 
priests and fathers, to believe that three 
gods made the first nan. ‘he general 
term for bone is eve; and they univer- 
sally believe that the first woman was 
anade of an eve, or bone, taken from the 
side of the first man. The fable of the 
Man in the Moon is likewise an ancient 
tradition among these people. There 
was, (say they) a long time ago, in New 
Literary and Philosophical Intelligence. 5 
[a ood 
Z 
¥ 
re 
Zealand, a man named Rona, who was 
going for some water one very dark night, 
for neither moon nor stars were then te 
he seen. He accidentally hurt his foot. 
While in this situation, and so lame as te 
be unable to return home, the moon 
came suddenly upon him. Rona laid 
hold of a tree to save himself, but in vain; 
for the moon carried both him ‘and the 
tree away, and they are still to be seen 
there tc this day. The belief of the fol- 
lowing tradition, by which the faculty of 
speech at some former period is assigned 
to the serpent, may perhaps prove favor. 
able to thé intreduction among them of 
the Mosaic account of the fall of man. 
The sharks wanted to leave the sea, and 
to live on shore; the serpent would not 
allow them, and said, that if they 
-attempted to come on shore, they would 
be eaten by men; the sharks answered, 
they should be as safe there as the ser- 
pent: the Jatter replied, that he had a 
hole in the ground where he concealed 
himself from men; that they would not 
eat him, for if he only shewed his head, 
they were afraid and ran away ; whereas, 
the shark had no place on the land in 
which he could be safe. He therefore 
compelled him to return to the sea, tel- 
ling him, at the same time, that men 
would catch him there.with their hooks, 
if hé did not take care.—The chiefs raus- 
ter all their men, at particular seasons of 
the year, the great muster being/made 
after the potatoe harvest. Thr ground 
from which the potatoes have been lately 
dug, is cleared of the stems and weeds, 
and thea levelled: Here they all assem] 
ble, men, women, and children. The 
men are drawn up in ranks, five, six, or 
seven deep, according to the direction of 
the chief. One of the principal officers, or 
rangauteedas, muster them, not by callin 
over their names, but by passing in front 
of their ranks, and telling their numbers, 
when he places. a rangateeda at the head 
of every hundred men, ‘Tie women and 
children, dike those of the Israchtes of 
old, are never mustered. — After this cen- - 
sus, their bohdays begin, when they 
spend several days and mights in feasting, 
dancing, and performing their religious 
ceremonies. ‘The chiefs never joi in 
the amusements, but only look on, and 
give directions.——Lhe common reode of 
salutation between two persons is, to 
bring their noses into contact with each 
other; and Duaterra declared, that when 
he left New Zenland, so many came to 
sce him previous to embarkation, bis 
nose was sore with rubbing against the 
noses of his friends. 
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