covered the locks over with a piece of dry rag, and put them in a secure
place in their canoes. Every person who has read Captain Cook's account
of the natives of New Zealand would be astonished at the change which has
taken place since his time, when the firing of a single musket would have
terrified a whole village.

As we sailed up the river very slowly, the throng of savages increased to
such a degree that we could scarcely move, and, to add to our confusion,
they gave us "a dance of welcome," standing on one spot, and stamping so
furiously that I really feared they would have stove in the decks, which
our lady passengers were obliged to leave, as when the dance began each
man proceeded to strip himself naked, a custom indispensable among
themselves.

We came to an anchor off a native village called Pakanae, where two
chiefs of consequence came on board, who soon cleared our decks of a
considerable number. We paid great attention to these chiefs, admitting
them into the cabin, etc., and it had the effect of lessening the noise,
and bringing about some kind of order amongst those who still continued
on deck. The names of these chiefs were Moetara and Akaeigh, and they
were the heads of the village opposite to which we had anchored. They
were well known to our captain, who spoke their language. They were
accustomed to the society of Europeans, also to transact business with
them; and as they were flax, timber, and hog merchants, they and the
captain talked over the state of the markets during the evening. They
were clothed in mats, called Kaka-hoos. The ladies joined our party at
supper, and we spent a very cheerful time with our savage visitors, who
both behaved in as polite and respectful a manner as the best educated
gentlemen could have done; their pleasing manners so ingratiated them
into the good opinion of the ladies, that they all declared "they would