204
m flone and argillaceous flate likewife are feen running in
great ftrata through fome of the mountains. The latter
is commonly found in great quantity, and broken pieces, on
the fea beeches, and is what our feamen call fhingle, by
which name it is diftmguifhed in the account of captain
Cook’s former voyage. On thefe beaches we alfo met
with feveral forts of flinty ftones and pebbles, and fome
loofe pieces of black, com pa it, and ponderous bafaltes,
of which the natives form fome of their fhort clubs,
called pattoo-pattoos. In many, places we likewife -faw
ftrata of a blackifh fixum Lin. confiding of a black and
compart mica or glimmer, intermixed with minute particles
of quartz. The argillaceous flate is fometimes found
of a rufty colour, which feems evidently to rife from irony-
particles ; and from this drcumftance, and the variety of
minerals juft enumerated, there is great reafon to fuppofe
that this part of New Zeeland contains iron ore, and
perhaps feveral other metallic bodies. Before we left this'
place, we found fome fmall pieces of a whitifh pumice-
ftone on the fea-fhore, which, together with the bafaltine
lava, ftrongly confirm the exiftence of volcanoes in New*
Zeeland.
On the 2 ad in the morning, two fmall canoes came
Sunday *3. 0
towards us, in which were five men of the natives, the
firfl we had feen fince the arrival of our Hoop in this
harbour. Their appearance was nearly the fame as that
of
of the Dufky Bay people, with this difference, that they
feemed much more familiar and unconcerned. We bought
fome fifh of them, and likewife made them fome prefents,.
condtirting them into the cabin, as they did not hefitate
to come on board. Seeing us fit down to dinner, -they
freely partook of our provifions, but drank pure water,
refufing to touch either wine or brandy. They were fo
reftlefs, that they removed from our table to that of the
officers in the fteerage, where they likewife eat with great
appetite, and drank great quantities of water fweetened
with fugar, of which they were remarkably fond; Every
thing they faw, or could lay hands upon they coveted, but
upon the leaft hint, that we either could nor, or would
not part with what they had taken up, they laid it down
without relurtance. Glafs bottles,: which they called taw-
haw, were however particularly valuable to them ; and.
whenever they faw any of them, they always pointed to
them, and then moved the hand to their breaft, pronouncing
the word tncikb, by which they ufed to exprefs
their defire of pofTefEng any thing. Among the variety of
little prefents we made them they did not notice beads,,
ribbons, white paper, &c. but were very eager after iron,,
nails, and hatchets ; a proof that the intrirific value of:
thefe tool’s cannot fail to make an impreffion on the minds
of thefe people in the lohg run, though they were at firft
indifferent to them, as not knowing their ufe- and durability.