dawning of the art of sculpture amongst them.
Many of the attempts of the New Zealanders
in that art are quite as good, if not better,
than various specimens I have seen of the
first efforts of the early Egyptians.
Painting and sculpture are both arts greatly
admired by these rude people. Every house
of consequence is ornamented and embellished,
and their canoes have the most
minute and elaborate workmanship bestowed
upon them.
Their food is always eaten out of little
baskets, rudely woven of green flax ; and as
they generally leave some for their next meal,
they hang these baskets on sticks or props,
till they are ready to eat again. Thus a village
presents a very singular appearance, as it is
stuck full of sticks, with various kinds of
baskets hanging from them. This plan, however,
is the most rational that could be
adopted, as none of their eatables can be left
on the ground, or they would become the
prey of the hogs and dogs.
In the course of our long ramble we noticed
many pretty little huts, some having neat
gardens all round them, planted with fruits
and corn. One house, which we saw, was
built by a chief who had made several voyages
;.o Port Jackson, and it was really a very
comfortable dwelling. It had a high door,
which we could enter without stooping, and
in a separate room was constructed a bed,
after the pattern of one on ship-board. He
had likewise a large sea-chest in his house,
the key of which (highly polished) was hung
round his neck as an ornament. In the
course of our walk we came to a spot on
which a group of old people were sitting
sunning themselves, and they immediately all
rose to welcome us. I remarked one amongst
them who seemed, from his silvery locks and
feeble limbs, to be very old. I asked him,
among other questions, whether he remem,
bered Captain Cook. He said he did not,
but well recollected Captain Furneaux, and
was one of the party which cut off and massacred
his boat’s crew; and from other information
which I received I believe his
assertion to have been correct.
As our missionary passengers had by this
c 4