Bright and imaginative almost as the Kelts of Europe, their spirits are easily affected by superstitious dread.
Authentic cases are known of a healthy Maori giving up the ghost through believing himself to be doomed by a wizard.
There are, however, other evil influences under which this attractive and interesting people are fading away.

Though no longer savages, they have never become thoroughly civilized.

Partial civilization has been a blight to their national life.

It has ruined the efficacy of their tribal system without replacing it with any equal moral force and industrial stimulus.

It has deprived them of the main excitement of their lives--their tribal wars--and given them no spur to exertion by way of a substitute.