hen all were dug, then all hands set to work, at
night, to fill the baskets and carry off the crop to the storehouse or
_rua_; and every effort was made to get all stored and out of sight
before daylight, lest any one should be able to form any idea of the
extent of the crop. When the digging of one field was completed another
would be done in the same manner, and so on till the whole crop was
housed in this stealthy manner. I have been at several of these
midnight labours, and have admired the immense amount of work one
family would do in a single night; working as it were for life and
death. In consequence of this mode of proceeding, even the families
inhabiting the same village did not know what sort of a crop their
neighbours had, and if a question was asked (to do which was thought
impertinent and very improper), the invariable answer was "Nothing at
all; barely got back the seed: hardly that; we shall be starved; we
shall have to eat fern root this year," &c. The last time I observed
this custom was about twenty-seven years ago, and even then it was
nearly discontinued and no longer general.

Talking of bygone habits and customs of the natives, I remember I have
mentioned two cases of suicide. I shall, therefore, now take occasion
to state that no more marked alteration in the habits of the natives
has taken place than in the great decrease of cases of suicide. In the
first years of my residence in the country, it was of almost daily
occurrence. When a man died, it was almost a matter of course that his
wife, or wives, hung themselves. When the wife died, the man very
commonly shot himself. I have known young men, often on the most
trifling affront or vexation, shoot themselves; and I was acquainted
with a man who, having been for two days plagued with the toothache,
cut his throat with a very blunt razor, without a handle: which
certainly was a radical cure. I do not believe that one case of suicide
occurs now, for twenty when I first came into the country. Indeed, the
last case I have heard of in a populous district, occurred several
years ago. It was rather a remarkable one. A native owed another a few
shillings; the creditor kept continually asking for it; but the debtor,
somehow or other, never could raise the cash. At last being out of
patience, and not knowing anything of the Insolvent Court, he loaded
his gun, went to the creditor's house, and called him out. Out came the
creditor and his wife. The debtor