age, who were numerous, and to
most of whom I was well known, received me very courteously; every one
pressing me to go into his house, or rather his apartment; for several
families live under the same roof. I did not decline the invitations,
and my hospitable friends, whom I visited, spread a mat for me to sit
down upon, and shewed me every other mark of civility. In most of the
houses were women at work, making dresses of the plant or bark before
mentioned, which they executed exactly in the same manner that the New
Zealanders manufacture their cloth. Others were occupied in opening
sardines. I had seen a large quantity of them brought on shore from
canoes, and divided by measure amongst several people, who carried
them up to their houses, where the operation of curing them by
smoke-drying is performed. They hang them on small rods, at first,
about a foot from the fire; afterward they remove them higher and
higher, to make room for others, till the rods, on which the fish
hang, reach the top of the house. When they are completely dried, they
are taken down and packed close in bales, which they cover with
mats. Thus they are kept till wanted; and they are not a disagreeable
article of food. Cod, and other large fish, are also cured in the
same manner by them; though they sometimes dry these in the open air,
without fire.

From this village I proceeded up the west side of the Sound. For about
three miles, I found the shore covered with small islands, which are
so situated as to form several convenient harbours, having various
depths of water, from thirty to seven fathoms, with a good bottom. Two
leagues within the Sound, on this west side, there runs in an arm in
the direction of N.N.W.; and two miles farther, is another nearly in
the same direction, with a pretty large island before it. I had no
time to examine either of these arms; but have reason to believe, that
they do not extend far inland, as the water was no more than brackish
at their entrances. A mile above the second arm, I found the remains
of a village. The logs or framings of the houses were standing; but
the boards that had composed their sides and roofs did not exist.
Before this village were some large fishing wears; but I saw nobody
attending them. These wears were composed of pieces of wicker-work
made of small rods, some closer than others, according to the size of
the fish intended to be caught in them. These pieces of wicker-work
(some of whose _s