1770. March. Nets, Tillage. their large tools first to an edge, and sharpen the weapon which they call Patoo-Patoo, we could not certainly learn; but probably it is by bruifing the fame substance to powder, and, with this, grinding two pieces against each other. Their nets, particularly their feine, which is of an enormous fize, have been mentioned already: one of these feems to be the joint work of a whole town, and I suppose it to be the joint property alfo: the other net, which is circular, and extended by two or three hoops, has been particularly described, as well as the manner of baiting and ufing it. Their hooks are of bone or shell, and in general are ill made. To receive the fish when it is caught, and to hold their other provifions, they have baskets of various kinds and dimenfions, very neatly made of wicker-work. They excel in tillage, as might naturally be expected where the perfon that fows is to eat the produce, and where there is fo little befides that can be eaten : when we firft came to TEGADOO, a district between Poverty Bay and East Cape, their crops were juft covered, and had not yet begun to fprout; the mould was as fmooth as in a garden, and every root had its fmall hillock, ranged in a regular quincunx by lines, which with the pegs were still remaining in the field. We had not an opportunity to fee any of thefe hufbandmen work, but we faw what what ferves them at once for spade and plough : this inftrument is nothing more than a long narrow stake sharpened to an edge at one end, with a fhort piece faftened tranfverfely at a little distance above it, for the convenience of preffing it down with the foot. With this they turn up pieces of ground fix or seven acres in extent, though it is not more than three inches broad but as the foil is light and fandy it makes little resistance. Tillage, weaving, and the other arts of peace, seem to be best known and moft practifed in the northern part of this country; for there is little appearance of any of them in the South: but the arts of war flourish equally through the whole coaft. 1770. March. Of weapons they have no great variety, but Weapons. fuch as they have are well fitted for deftruction; they have fpears, darts, battle-axes, and the Patoo-Patoo. The spear is fourteen or fifteen feet long, pointed at both ends, and fometimes headed with bone: these are grafped by the middle, so that the part behind balancing that before, makes a pufh more difficult to be parried, than that of a weapon which is held by the end. The dart and other weapons have been fufficiently described already; and it has alfo been remarked, that these people have neither fling nor bow. They throw the dart by hand, and so they do ftones; but darts and ftones are feldom 1770. March. feldóm used except in defending their forts. Their battles, whether in boats or on fhore, are generally hand to hand, and the slaughter muft confequently be great, as a fecond blow with any of their weapons is unneceffary, if the first takes place their truft, however, seems to be principally placed in the Patoo-Patoo, which is fastened to their wrifts by a strong strap, left it fhould be wrenched from them, and which the principal people generally wear sticking in their girdles, confidering it as a military ornament, and part of their drefs, like the poinard of the Afiatic, and the fword of the European. They have no defenfive armour; but, befides their weapons, the Chiefs carry a staff of distinction, in the fame manner as our officers do the fpontoon this was generally the rib of a whale, as white as fnow, with many ornaments of carved work, dog's hair, and feathers; but fometimes it was a ftick, about fix feet long, adorned in the fame manner, and inlaid with a fhell like mother-of-pearl. Those who bore this mark of distinction were generally old, at least past the middle age, and were alfo more marked with the Amoco than the rest. One or more perfons, thus diftinguished, always appeared in each canoe, when they came to attack us, according to the fize of it. When they came within about a cable's length of the ship, they used to stop, and the Chiefs rifing from their feat, put on a dress which seemed appropriated to the occafion, generally of dog's fkin, and holding out their decorated ftaff, or weapon, directed the reft of the people what they should do. When they were at too great a distance to reach us with a lance or a ftone, they prefumed that we had no weapon with which we could reach them; here then the defiance was given, and the words were almost univerfally the fame, Haromai, baromai, barre uta a Patoo-Patoo oge: "Come to us, come on "shore, and we will kill you all with our Patoo"Patoos." While they were uttering these menaces they came gradually nearer and nearer, till they were close alongside; talking at intervals in a peaceable ftrain, and answering any questions that we afked them; and at intervals renewing their defiance and threats, till being encouraged by our apparent timidity, they began their war-fong and dance, as a prelude to an attack, which always followed, and was fometimes continued till it became abfolutely neceffary to reprefs them by firing fome fmall-fhot; and fometimes ended after throwing a few ftones on board, as if content with having offered us an infult which we did not dare to revenge. The war-dance confifts of a great variety of violent motions, and hideous contortions of the limbs, during which the countenance alfo per forms 1770. March. 1770. March. forms its part: the tongue is frequently thruft out to an incredible length, and the eye-lids fo forcibly drawn up, that the white appears both above and below, as well as on each fide of the iris, fo as to form a circle round it; nor is any thing neglected that can render the human shape frightful and deformed: at the fame time they brandifh their fpears, fhake their darts, and cleave the air with their Patoo-Patoos. This horrid dance is always accompanied by a fong; it is wild indeed, but not difagreeable, and every strain ends in a loud and deep figh, which they utter in concert. In the motions of the dance, however horrid, there is a strength, firmness, and agility, which we could not but behold with admiration; and in their fong they keep time with fuch exactnefs, that I have often heard above an hundred paddles ftruck against the fides of their boats at once, fo as to produce but a single found, at the divifions of their mufic. A fong not altogether unlike this, they fometimes fing without the dance, and as a peaceable amufement: they have alfo other fongs which are fung by the women, whofe voices are remarkably mellow and soft, and have a pleasing and tender effect; the time is flow, and the cadence mournful; but it is conducted with more taste than could be expected among the poor ignorant favages of this half defolate country; especially |