revengeful feelings. I had taken the precaution
of removing what I possessed on board a
whaler, then lying in the harbour. The chiefs
first sat down to discuss the matter over
amongst themselves; and their deliberations
ended in their being satisfied with destroying
the village of Mato we, the one adjoining ours,
and which had been the residence of Poma-
ree’s son, whose death was the cause of all
the late turbulent events.
The great and leading defect in this country,
and the principal cause of their frequent wars
and disturbances, which harass and depopulate
the tribes, and puts a stop to all improvement,
is the want of some regular system of
government. There are only two classes of
people — chiefs and slaves; and, as consanguinity
constitutes a high claim, the eldest
son of a large family, who can bring the
greatest number of warriors of his own name
into the field, is considered the chief of that
district or tribe; and as he, by reason of his
followers, can take possession of the greatest
number of prisoners or slaves, he becomes the
ruling man. Every other man of his tribe
considers himself on an equality with him in
every thing, except that he shows him obedience,
and follows him to battle.
Each is independent in his own family, and
holds uncontrolled power of life and death
over every individual it contains. They seem
not to exercise any coercion over the younger
branches of a family, who are allowed unbounded
liberty till the gii’ls have sweethearts
and the boys are strong enough to go to war.
They are kind and hospitable to strangers;
and are excessively fond of their children. On
a journey, it is more usual to see the father
carrying his infant than the mother; and all
the little offices of a nurse are performed by
him with the tenderest care and good humour.
In many instances (wherein they differ from
most savage tribes) I have seen the wife
treated as an equal and companion. In fact,
when not engaged in war, the New Zealander
is quite a domestic, cheerful, harmless character
: but once rouse his anger, or turn him
into ridicule, and his disposition is instantly
changed. A being, whose passions have never
been curbed from infancy, and whose only