ll they became fainter and fainter in the distance, and all was lost in
the azure of the horizon. The excitement occasioned by contemplating
these beautiful scenes was soon interrupted by the hurried approach of
canoes, and the extraordinary noises made by the natives who were in
them.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: The Dutch and Spanish had discovered N.E. Australia as early
as 1606, and the Dutch had on several occasions visited the N.W. and
South coasts of the Continent before the date of Tasman's voyage.]

[Footnote 2: The name given by Tasman was Staten Landt. The name New
Zealand was bestowed in 1643 by the States-General of the United
Provinces.]

CHAPTER II.

RECEPTION BY THE NATIVES.

As the arrival of a ship is always a profitable occurrence, great
exertions are made to be the first on board. There were several canoes
pulling towards us, and from them a number of muskets were fired, a
compliment we returned with our swivels; one of the canoes soon came
alongside, and an old chief came on board, who rubbed noses with Captain
Kent, whom he recognised as an old acquaintance; he then went round and
shook hands with all the strangers, after which he squatted himself down
upon the deck, seeming very much to enjoy the triumph of being the first
on board. But others very soon coming up with us, our decks were crowded
with them, some boarding us at the gangway, others climbing up the chains
and bows, and finding entrances where they could. All were in perfect
good humour, and pleasure beamed in all their countenances.

I had heard a great deal respecting the splendid race of men I was going
to visit, and the few specimens I had occasionally met with at Sydney so
much pleased me, that I was extremely anxious to see a number of them
together, to judge whether (as a nation) they were finer in their
proportions than the English, or whether it was mere accident that
brought some of their tallest and finest proportioned men before me.

I examined these savages, as they crowded round our decks, with the
critical eye of an artist; they were generally taller and larger men
than ourselves; those of middle height were broad-chested and muscular,
and their limbs as sinewy as though they had been occupied all their
lives in laborious employments. Their colour is lighter than that of the
American Indian, their features small and regular, their hair is in a
profusion of beautiful curls, whereas that of the Indian is strai