It has already been remarked, in a few instances, that the natives of the Sandwich Islands approach nearer to the New Zealanders in their manners and customs, than to either of their less distant neighbours of the Society or Friendly Islands.  This is in nothing more observable than in their method of living together in small towns or villages, containing from about one hundred to two hundred houses, built pretty close together, without any order, and having a winding path leading through them.  They are generally flanked, toward the sea, with loose detached walls, which, probably, are meant both for the purposes of shelter and defence.  The figure of their houses has been already described.  They are of different sizes, from eighteen feet by twelve, to forty-five by twenty-four.  There are some of a larger kind, being fifty feet long and thirty broad, and quite open at one end.  These, they told us, were designed for travellers or strangers, who were only making a short stay.

In addition to the furniture of their houses, which has been accurately described by Captain Cook, I have only to add, that at one end are mats on which they sleep, with wooden pillows, or sleeping stools, exactly like those of the Chinese.  Some of the better sort of houses have a courtyard before them, neatly railed in, with smaller houses built round it, for their servants.  In this area they generally eat, and sit during the day-time.  In the sides of the hills, and among the steep rocks, we also observed several holes or caves, which appeared to be inhabited; but as the entrance was defended with wicker-work, and we also found, in the only one that was visited, a stone-fence running across it within, we imagine they are principally designed for places of retreat, in case of an attack from an enemy.

The food of the lower class of people consists principally of fish and vegetables, such as yams, sweet-potatoes, tarrow, plantains, sugar-canes, and bread-fruit.  To these the people of a higher rank add the flesh of hogs and dogs, dressed in the same manner as at the Society Islands.  They also eat fowls of the same domestic kind with ours; but they are neither plentiful nor much esteemed by them.  It is remarked by Captain Cook, that the bread-fruit and yams appeared scarce amongst them, and were reckoned great rarities.  We found this not to be the case on our second visit; and it is therefore most probable, that, as these vegetables were generally planted in the interior parts of the country, the natives had not had time to bring them down to us during the short stay we made at Wymoa Bay.  Their fish, they salt, and preserve in gourd-shells; not, as we at first imagined, for the purpose of providing against any temporary scarcity, but from the preference they give to salted meats.  For we also found, that the Erees used to pickle pieces of pork in the same manner, and esteemed it a great delicacy.