The Polynesian., 1840-07-18
SATURDAY, JULY Is, 1910.

sary to extract the poisoned spears, they
hold it dishonorable to utter groan.
He that has the greatest number of scars
being entitled to most honor, and the ia
vor of the fair-he that is a coward i'm
the field being not only despised but dis
cardcd. Their weapons are the spear
and sling. The former is not very neat
on the point is fastened the bone of the
bil-fsh, which is always poisoned. They
are not, however, so expert in the use of
the spear as the natives of New South
Wales. With the sling they throw round
stones larger than an apple with great
precision.
Naturally active, they are not devoid
of intelligence, and are capable of high
improvement, moral and intellectual. AL
though they recognise creating and SUI
perntending power, they say that their
God cannot be the same as the God of
the white man, Oor whose attainments
they have the highest respect,) who So
far surpasses them in knowledge; whose
understanding is so superior to theirs. and
who can do so many wonderful things
They will sometimes add, when they get
serious on the subject, that their fathers
have told them that good men will come
to their island at some future period to
teach and instruct them, adding, but |
may not live to see it. They have been
told of the improvement of the natives of
the Sandwich and other islands, at which
they are much surprised. One solitary
individual of their number, who had been
there, and is now returned, having been
farther than any of them from his native
shore, thinks himself entitled to be called
a white man, or rOuch. "Me no black
man." "Me go Hawaii" They like
wise say, Ohough they have no idea of
the distance of England,) how great that
king must be, where all the people are
chiefs the white man never work (the
ships that visit their island from time to
time, having generally black men to do
every thing in the shape of drudgcry
work3 They appear happy, and like the
natives of most islands in the Pacific, who
having no care for the present, are alike
indifferent as to the future. Nature, all
bountlful nature, supplying every wan,
with little eXertion to themselves; while
at the same time, a certain superstitous
dread of the anger of supposed deties
imparts to their character degree of list
lcssness. Some will not eat fowls - 9th
ers will not eat pigeons, because they sup
pose the spirit of some departed relative
may have assumed that shape.
The island contains a population of
from five to six thousand inhabitants
comprising four tribes, viz. Mctalelne
Whannica Pietack, Whannica Porte, ant
Kittie - the two first and last have eacl
a superior chief, named Ishiepow or Nan;
Morigii, who is sometimes called king
,, possessing absolute power; those wh'
follow in rank and succeed him are VIVA
gii* and Naniken,t with several infcrio
: chiefs who never rise higher in rank; thu
= chief-ship is not hereditary, nor do TIN
! sons of the highest possess any authorit
! at the demise of the father, unless it SHOULD
: happen that their mother was chief WON
! an, Gas they are called, but their laws d.
= not permit one chief to marry the daugh
;. Probably the Egi of the Friendly Is
u lands.-ED. Col.
: T Probably the ariki ofNew Zealand.-N