floor, which made the place as hot as an oven, there being no vent for
the smoke, except through the hole which served for a door. However, the
fire, on his entreating it, was taken out, and then he and his friend,
Butler, who was with him, crept in, and were followed by their
entertainer, his wife and nephew. The hut was still extremely hot, and
they perspired profusely when they lay down, but they were a little
relieved by the New Zealanders consenting to allow the door to remain
open during the night.

Another time he was thrust into a still closer dormitory. "The
entrance," says he, "was just sufficient for a man to creep into. Being
very cold, I was glad to occupy such a warm berth. I judged the hut to
be about eight feet wide, and twelve long. It had a fire in the centre;
and no vent either for smoke or heat. The chiefs who were with us threw
off their mats and lay down close together in a state of perfect nudity.
I had not been many minutes in this oven, before I found the heat and
smoke, above, below, and on every side, to be insufferable. Though the
night was cold, Mr. Kendall and myself were compelled to quit our
habitation. I crept out, and walked in the village, to see if I could
meet with a shed to keep me from the damp air till the morning. I found
one empty, into which I entered. I had not been long under my present
cover before I observed a chief, who came with us from the last village,
come out of the hut which I had left, perfectly naked. The moon shone
very bright. I saw him run from hut to hut, till at last he found me
under my shed, and urged me to return. I told him I could not bear the
heat, and requested him to allow me to remain where I was; to which he
at length consented with reluctance. I was surprised at the little
effect that heat or cold seemed to have upon him. He had come out of the
hut smoking like a hot loaf drawn from the oven, walked about to find
me, and then sat down, conversed some time, without any clothing, though
the night was cold. Mr. Kendall remained sitting under his mat, in the
open air, till morning."

The New Zealanders make only two meals in the day, one in the morning
and another at sunset; but their voracity when they do eat is often very
great. Nicholas remarks that the chiefs and their followers, with whom
he made the voyage from Port Jackson, used, while in the ship, to seize
upon every thing they could lay their hands upon in the shape of food.
In consequence o