The State of the Islands of New Zealand
13
Did they assist you at all in your Researches?
- They assisted me in directing my Attention to Plants and Flowers; where they thought there was a particular Plant I had not seen, they would bring it, expecting some little Remuneration; Tobacco for Instance. They were particularly civil and hospitable; wherever I went they offered me the best Things they had, such as Pork and Potatoes, the Two Things they had of Eatables, with Fish.
At what Time of the Year were you there?
- It was in December 1833, and the Spring of 1834.
That is in their finest Weather?
- Yes, in very fine Weather.
What Observation did you make upon the Climate?
- The Climate is very delightful. I was there in 1833 in March and April, in 1834 in the beginning of January and again in May; the Climate is very equable.
As you were there at different Periods of the Year, did the Vicissitudes appear great, as compared with European Climates?
- Not any thing like our Climate. The Frost was there at one Time a very gentle Frost indeed; the Ice was not entirely over a small Pool of Water; they told me that they saw Ice sometimes in the Bay the Thickness of a Shilling, but I did not see any thing of that Thickness. I have slept out frequently in the Bush. The Fern grows in very great Abundance. I found myself very comfortable and warm in my Great Coat and a Bed of Fern, rather than sleeping in the Houses, which are very unfit for English People.
Did you meet with any Difficulties from the Conduct of the Chiefs?
- Not the slightest. I never met with any Difficulty at all; they used to esteem me as the Surgeon of the Missionaries; the Missionaries are the only People there to give one any Consequence; they used to esteem me as their friend; I used to be admitted into their best Societies; wherever the Chief was I made it a Point to go to him and put myself under his Protection, and presented him with various little Trifles; a little Tobacco or whatever would amuse him.
What Observation did you make upon the Productions of the Country?
- The Productions of the Country are very few Potatoes, and Indian Wheat; they regularly live upon those; they are almost the sole Things, excepting the Months before the digging of Potatoes, then they have nothing but the Root of the Fern, which they bruise up and bake, which is productive of great Injury to them, producing Constipation of the Bowels to a very great Extent.
Is that a Disorder which prevails among them?
- Yes, entirely, during those Months; I have never met with any thing of the Kind anywhere else. Their Diseases are something like our Diseases, with the Exception of Scrofula being perhaps more abundant there, and cutaneous Affections of a very malignant Kind,—one of the most malignant of the cutaneous Affections we meet with; they know how to treat it; they bathe in the sulphureous Lakes when they can, and they are aware that if they go there they will be cured; they know no other Remedy; I have not seen them apply any other Remedy.
Where are the sulphureous Lakes?
- About the East Cape in general; they are warm.
What is the general Character and Appearance of the Natives?
- They are very fine stout healthy Men; very majestic in their Walk and Contour in general.
In such Cultivation as you saw did you make Observation upon the Sort of Implements they use?
- Their Implements now are English Implements, the Spade and Mattock and Pickaxe.
Did they appear desirous to get them?
- Yes; they would part with any thing they possessed for them; their Pigs
(123.1.)
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