numerous and warlike than in the present day. In the choice of their positions for defence, these people dis played as much sagacity as our semi-barbarian ancestors. Bold promontories, projecting into the water, and con nected with the mainland by narrow necks, were the local ities usually selected. From such commanding positions, very abundantly met with along the shores of these islands, they could observe every hostile movement, whether by land or water. Across the necks of their fortified penin sulas, they dug ditches of great depth, which are now choked up with rubbish and tangled brushwood. To attack such a fortification would have called forth, in the naked savage, a greater effort of valour than the exploits of our mailed warriors in the days of European barbarism. The only fortifications used by the New Zealanders in the present day are wooden palisades ; and since the renowned Shongi, the guest of King George IV., strong in his newly acquired possession of fire-arms, carried extermination into the Wykatto country, their warlike propensities have subsided into a peaceable discretion. To be prepared for war is to maintain peace. Since the tribes from the North Cape to Cook’s Straits have obtained muskets and ammu nition in exchange for their pigs and maize, a damp seems to have been thrown upon the martial ardour of the Tangata Maori. Probably a similar result would attend the introduction of steam gunnery, or the projectile of Captain Warner, into the warfare of Europe. One of the most cherished trophies of New Zealand warfare was pointed out to me during my residence at Wyho : it was a war canoe of enormous size, which had belonged to my friend Moko, a chief of the Bay of Islands, and was taken from him about ten years ago,