n being soaked, which may possibly be occasioned by its
consequent loss of the gum here described.

We find it stated in the "Annual Register" for 1819, that about the
beginning of that year a favourable report had been made of the
suitableness of the phormium for the manufacture both of small and large
ropes, after some experiments in the dockyard at Portsmouth. The ropes
turned out strong, pliable, and very silky. The notice adds that the
plant may be cut down in New Zealand three times a year; and that it may
be imported to this country at the rate of about eight pounds per ton,
or one-seventh of the cost of hemp.

Among the useful plants for which we are indebted to New Zealand, we
must not forget their summer spinach (_Tetragonia expansa_--Murray),
which was discovered on Cook's first voyage by Sir Joseph Banks, and was
"boiled and eaten as greens" by the crew. It was afterwards seen by
Forster at Tongataboo, though it was not used by the natives; but
Thunberg found the Japanese acquainted with its value as a pot-herb. It
was introduced into Kew Gardens in 1772; but the first account of it as
a vegetable worthy of cultivation, was published by Count D'Auraches in
the "Annales d'Agriculture" for 1809. Its chief advantage lies in the
leaves being fit for use during the summer, even in the driest weather,
up to the setting in of the frosts, when the common spinach is useless;
but it is not reckoned of so fine a flavour as that plant. The Rev. J.
Bransby says that the produce of three seeds, which must be reared by
heat before planting out, supplied his own table and those of two of his
friends from June till the frost killed it.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote AL: The hakari, or feast, a great function in former times.]

[Footnote AM: This name is spelt wrongly. It might be Te Pahi, a famous
chief, but it is reported that he died soon after the affair of the
"Boyd," in 1809, some time before Rutherford's arrival in New Zealand.
The tribe, however, may still have been known as Te Pahi's.]

[Footnote AN: Whangaroa.]

CHAPTER VI.

The native land animals of New Zealand are not numerous. The most common
is said to be one resembling our fox-dog, which is sometimes eaten for
food. It runs wild in the woods, and is described by Savage as usually
of a black and white skin, with pricked up ears, and the hair rather
long. But it may perhaps be doubted if even this quadruped is a native
of the country.[AO]

According t