their garments a rug, made o f the filaments o f the flax-plant- worked;
into a kind o f mat, like thatch on its outfide, which they call
Kegheea: this is fo very well calculated to keep off the wind, the
rain, and the fpray o f the fea, that it is amazing that, the poor
inhabitants o f Tierra del. Fuego, who muft depend folely on the
fea for their food, in a climate remarkably colder., and more,
boifterous than that o f New-Zeeland, have not hitherto devifed a
better and more convenient ufe o f their feais. and -guanacoes {kins.,.
T h e agriculture which is fo well and fo carefully carried on in
many parts o f the Northern ifland, inconteftibly proves the fupe—
riority o f the New-Zeelanders over the inhabitants, o f Tierra del.
Fuego. So that it might be fuperfluous in me-to take up : more,
time in multiplying the proofs o f this fo evident truth..
I t feems likewife equally obvious, that the more improved Rate
o f the. New-Zeelanders, is owing to feveral- caufes, viz. the
mildnefs o f the climate, the greater population, and alfo that they
are more immediately defcended from fuch tribes as had more
remains o f the general principles of education. In the extremities
o f the Southern ifle o f New-Zeeland, perhaps the numbers may
be only equal to. thofe o f the Peflerais, but being more happy in
regard to the mildnefs o f their climate, and the prefervation o f
fuch ideas and improvements as were handed down fo them, by
their more happy and lefs degenerated anceftors; even thefe
draggling
draggling"families'are-, in my opinion, to be ranked higher in the o r i g i n
. o f sociiC<
ile oi human beings... •- ■ 1 e t i£s
There is however one circumftance.already alluded to, which feems
to degrade them, viz. the odious , and cruel cutloni of - eating thofe,
who are killed in their frequent feuds-and. petty wars. This, has
been reprefented by a late ingenious writer,* as originally introduced
-among the New-Zeelanders, by diftrefs and; hunger ; but
I cannot help diflenting from his. opinion-: for I did; not find that'
thefe nations ever are fo much diftrefled; they/have prudence
'enough to provide in the proper feafon, {lores o f all kinds : when,
they catch more fifh than they can eat, they carefully dry, and lay
them up ; their Women go frequently up the hills,, which are
-covered to an immenfe extent with fern, and dig up the roots,
which they likewife dry, . and preferve as a food to which they
may have recourfe, when neither fi'fh nor' any other kind of. eatables
are to be procured. W e faw great quantities- o f thefe provifions
in their huts, a-nd frequently found them employed in preparing
both fifli and fern-roots, for the bad feafon. W e were likewife.
told by Capt. Crozet, the.friend and companion o f the brave but;
unfortunate Capt.. Marion; that when he got pofleffion o f the.
hippali or fortrefs of the New-Zeelanders, in the Bay of Iflands,
he-
* Dr. Hawkefworth’s Compilation, vo l.. iii. book U. ch. gj