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Full Description
Arthur S. Thomson (1816-60) was a Scottish military surgeon and medical scientist who was posted to New Zealand in the late 1840s. During his eleven years in the country, settlement increased and British sovereignty over the colony was extended. Thomson felt that previous historical accounts of New Zealand all demonstrated a certain political, colonial or religious bias, and decided to write his own comprehensive history of the islands, which was published in 1859. Volume 1 begins with a focus on the geography and climate of New Zealand. Thomson then describes the physical appearance of the New Zealanders, their way of life, their culture, their property laws and the origin of their (now abandoned) cannibalism. Next he describes the history of discovery and settlement by Europeans, who brought 'true civilisation' to the islands. Thomson gives especial credit to the Christian missionaries for having introduced progress and enlightenment.
Contents
Preface; Part I. The Country and its Native Inhabitants: 1. Geography and natural history; 2. Climate; 3. Migration of the Aborigines to New Zealand; 4. Physical form, disfigurations, language, mental faculties and characters of New Zealanders; 5. Divisions among the people. Property. Laws; 6. Mythology and superstitions; 7. Customs in war. Cannibalism. Slavery; 8. Food and husbandry; 9. Literature; 10. Domestic ceremonies and familiar usages; 11. The diseases of the New Zealanders. Their causes and prevention; Part II. History of the Discovery of New Zealand by Europeans: 1. From discovery of New Zealand until 1810; 2. New Zealand from 1810 to 1838; 3. Pioneers of civilisation; 4. Introduction of Christianity.
