level and square, and was capable of containing
several hundred warriors. It was cut into slopes all round, and fortified
by stockades in every direction, which rendered it impregnable. The
natives assured me its strength had been often tried. The famous warrior
Hongi had attacked it several times, but had always been defeated with
great loss. After inspecting this fortification, which excited our
admiration, we proceeded through the village at the bottom of the hill.
Nearly the whole of the inhabitants were out working in the fields. We
entered several of their habitations, and found all their property
exposed and unguarded. Even their muskets and powder, which they prize
above everything, were open to our inspection, so little idea of robbery
have they amongst themselves. But as there are many hogs and dogs roaming
at large through their villages, they are very careful to fence their
dwellings round with wicker work, to preserve them from the depredations
of these animals; and as the houses are extremely low, they have very
much the appearance of bird cages or rabbit hutches. Their storehouses
are generally placed upon poles, a few feet from the ground, and tabooed
or consecrated. Great taste and ingenuity are displayed in carving and
ornamenting these depositories. I made drawings from several of them,
which were entirely covered with carving; and some good attempts at
groups of figures, as large as life, plainly showed the dawning of the
art of sculpture amongst them. Many of the attempts of the New Zealanders
in that art are quite as good, if not better, than various specimens I
have seen of the first efforts of the early Egyptians.

Painting and sculpture are both arts greatly admired by these rude
people. Every house of consequence is ornamented and embellished, and
their canoes have the most minute and elaborate workmanship bestowed upon
them.

Their food is always eaten out of little baskets, rudely woven of green
flax; and as they generally leave some for their next meal, they hang
these baskets on sticks or props, till they are ready to eat again. Thus
a village presents a very singular appearance, as it is stuck full of
sticks, with various kinds of baskets hanging from them. This plan,
however, is the most rational that could be adopted, as none of their
eatables can be left on the ground, or they would become the prey of the
hogs and dogs.

In the course of our long ramble we noticed many pretty little h