ted on their feet for a dance, which lasted a
long while, and with which they concluded the evening.

The dances of all savage nations are beautiful, but those of the New
Zealanders partake also of the horrible. The regularity of their
movements is truly astonishing; and the song, which always accompanies a
dance, is most harmonious. They soon work themselves up to a pitch of
frenzy; the distortions of their face and body are truly dreadful, and
fill the mind with horror. Love and war are the subjects of their songs
and dances; but the details of the latter passion are by far the most
popular among them. I was astonished to find that their women mixed in
the dance indiscriminately with the men, and went through all those
horrid gestures with seemingly as much pleasure as the warriors
themselves.

The next morning I was awakened, at daybreak, by the most dismal sounds I
had ever heard. I started up, and found it proceeded from the tribes
parting with each other. They had divided themselves into little parties,
each forming a circle, and were crying most piteously, and cutting their
flesh as a cook would score pork for roasting. On such occasions each is
armed with a sharp shell, or, if he can possibly obtain so valuable a
prize, a piece of a broken glass bottle. All were streaming with tears
and blood, while Hongi and his friends embarked in their large and
richly-ornamented canoes, and sailed from our beach. After his departure,
I soon discovered that, notwithstanding their apparent affection, King
George and his friends were most happy their visitors had left them; and
that it was more the dread of Hongi's power, than love for him, that
induced them to treat him with such respect and homage.

CHAPTER XVIII.

EXCURSIONS IN THE INTERIOR.

I made several excursions into the interior, and each confirmed me in the
good opinion I had formed of the natives. I felt myself quite safe
amongst them. There is a great peculiarity in rambling through this
country; namely, the total absence of quadrupeds. There are abundance of
birds, which are so numerous at times as almost to darken the air--many
of them possessing very sweet notes; and wild ducks, teal, etc., cover
the various streams. Wherever I went I did not discover any grass, almost
every part being covered either with fern or flax; the former yielding
the natives their principal article of food, and the latter their
clothing. To this dearth of animals may be att