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A great many of the chiefs came on board our ship. They were exceedingly anxious to get hoes, axes, and other iron tools. They value a hoe above everything. This instrument is indeed of great importance to these people, for they live chiefly by cultivating the ground.

They live in houses made of large twigs, covered with rushes. Their grounds are cultivated with great neatness, and care. The soil is fruitful, and they raise considerable crops of potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, and other things. They also raise wheat, turnips, and cabbages. These things have been introduced into the country, by the European voyagers who have visited it.

The inhabitants are a good deal farther advanced in civilization, than those of some of the other islands. We saw a great many patches of ground, very handsomely laid out and cultivated. The people make cloaks of a spe

Their houses? Soil? Productions?

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cies of flax, which display great ingenuity and patience. The flax, which resembles hemp, is made into threads, and then woven together by pegs, and fastened with knots.

This cloak is worn on the shoulders, by both men and women. They wear another garment round the body, fastened with a girdle. This is made of the same material as the cloak. The northern island is very fertile, and the climate is warm and pleasant. There are here a great many thick forests, and an abundance of small streams. The The country is very hilly, and there are some very lofty mountains. The southern island is far less fertile, though the forest trees grow to a great height.

The climate here is much colder than in the northern island; snow and hail are very common, and on the high mountains, some of which are very lofty, snow remains nearly the whole year.

Dress of the people? What of the Northern Island Southern Island?

These islands are not very thickly inhabited The people are divided into numerous tribes, and are governed by their chiefs, who rule as they please. The different tribes are almost perpetually at war with each other; and the captives taken in war, are reduced to slavery. It is a horrid practice of these islanders, to eat human flesh.

I met with an adventure here, which I will relate to you. One day several of the officers went ashore, to hunt in the woods; I went, to assist in rowing the boat. Some of the men remained to watch the boat, and some accompanied the officers into the woods; I was among the number.

The shore was high and rocky, and for a little distance there were no trees. But after walking about half a mile, we came to a very thick forest. The trees were exceedingly lofty; many of them being as high as a meeting-house steeple. They also stood very close,

What of the different tribes? What horrid practice are the New Zealanders addicted to?

and the spaces between were filled up with underwood.

The weather was very warm, and there were multitudes of birds in the trees. Some of them had very bright feathers, and resembled parrots. They were flying about amid the thick branches of the trees, and filled the air with their chattering.

Some of them appeared to be talking to one another in very soft tones, and some of them appeared to be scolding, and quarrelling in a very rude manner.

All around, the scene was very beautiful. There were many flowering shrubs, in full blossom on all sides; and the air was filled with their fragrance. A little farther on, we came to a stream, as clear, and bright as the streams of New England.

As I knelt down to drink some of the water, I was strongly reminded of my home, and my country. I thought of the pleasure I had often taken, in a hot summer day, in drinking

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