The means were offered to them of infinitely bettering their social condition, and the opportunity given them, by substituting peaceful labor for perpetual feuds, and of turning professional murderers into food-producers, of replenishing the land which their everlasting quarrels, irregular mode of existence, and carelessness of human life had well-nigh depopulated. These means they could not appreciate, and, as a natural consequence, had to make way for those who could. The inferior must always make way for the superior, and such has ever been the case with the savage. I am persuaded that the coming of the white man is not the sole, nor even the chief, cause of the decadence of savage tribes. I have already shown that we can introduce no vice in which the savage is not profoundly versed, and feel sure that the cause of extinction lies within the savage himself, and ought not to be attributed to the white man, who comes to take the place which the savage has practically vacated. CHAPTER LXXVIII. NEW ZEALAND. GENERAL REMARKS. LOCALITY OF NEW ZEALAND -- GENERAL APPEARANCE OF THE PEOPLE -- THE TWO CASTES, AND THEIR SUPPOSED ORIGIN -- CONTRAST BETWEEN THE SEXES -- LAXNESS OF MORALS -- NUMBER OF THE POPULATION, AND THE DIFFERENT TRIBES -- MODE OF GOVERNMENT -- DISTINCTION BETWEEN RANKS -- FORMATION OF THE CLANS, OR SUB-TRIBES -- THE SLAVES, THEIR VALUE AND TREATMENT -- THE TENURE OF LAND -- A COMPLEX ARRANGEMENT AND CONSEQUENT DIFFICULTIES -- ESTABLISHING A CLAIM -- NATIVE LAW -- THE “LEX TALIONIS” -- SENSITIVENESS TO DISGRACE -- THE PREVALENCE OF SUICIDE -- STRANGE CONDUCT OF A MAORI CHIEF -- THE SISTER’S VENGEANCE. Southward and eastward of Australia we come to the group of islands known collectively as New Zealand. Like Australia, New Zealand possesses many peculiarities of climate and natural production, and is inhabited by a number of tribes which are generally hostile to each other, but which are almost identical in appearance and habits. We shall therefore be enabled to treat of this important portion of the globe with much more brevity than could be the case if, as in Africa, the tribes differed from each other in hue, dress, and customs. * * * * * Taken as a whole, the New Zealanders are a singularly fine race of people--tall, powerful, and well made. Though varying somewhat in shade, the color is always a brown of some kind, the complexion being sometimes as light as that of a Spaniard, and sometimes of a dark umber. It is, however, always of a clear tint and never approaches to the deep black of the Australian. The nose is straight and well formed, in many cases being boldly aquiline; and the mouth is rather large, and the lips moderately full, though not resembling those of the negro. The cheekbones are rather high, but not much more prominent than those of a genuine Scotchman; and the eyes are large, dark, and vivacious.