1835 - Yate, William. An Account Of New Zealand [2nd ed.] - Front Matter

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Revd. S. Marsden,
Senior Chaplain of New South Wales and founder of the New Zealand Mission.
Published by R.B. Seeley and W. Burnside, 172 Fleet Street, Augst. 1 1835.

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LONDON:
PRINTED BY RICHARD WATTS,
Crown Court, Temple Bar.

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PREFACE.
THE following pages describe so fully the plans and operations of the Church Missionary Society, in reference to the Mission established in New Zealand, that it would be superfluous to add any thing upon that subject: --yet it may be proper to state, that, as the blessing of God appears thus far so signally to have rested upon the labours of his servants in that important Mission, the Committee have greatly augmented the number of both Missionaries and Catechists in that region; whom they would earnestly commend to the prayers of every friend of this holy cause, that the Great Head of the Church may be pleased to continue and to enlarge his mercy, both towards them, and towards the objects of their Christian zeal.

The information furnished in this volume, it is further to be stated, is the result of personal observations by the Rev. W. YATE, during his

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residence of seven years in that part of the world. His materials, collected during that period, and carefully from time to time committed to writing, were collected together by him while he was on the passage, a space of five months, from New Zealand, in his visit to this country; and being now given to the Public in a more systematic form, will be found, the Committee are persuaded, well calculated, both to convey much new information, and to fix in the mind of every Christian reader a deeper interest in the sacred cause of Missions.

Church Missionary House,
August 10th, 1835.

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CONTENTS.

• CHAP. I.
  Geographical situation of New Zealand--Discovery and survey of the Islands by Captain Cook--General aspect of the Country--Mountains and hills--Caves--Hot springs--Unsound earth--Lakes--Rivers--Waterfalls--Swamps--Forests--Harbours--European Residents--Establishments for whale and seal fisheries................................................... P. 1--32
• CHAP. II.
  Trees--Birds--Quadrupeds--Fish--Insects--Shells--Climate--Seasons--Soil--Minerals.................. 33--79
• CHAP. III.
  Customs of New Zealand--Treatment of children--Baptisms--Tapues--Medicine--Dreams--Consulting of the Oracle, or omens--General superstitions--Bewitching--Marriage--Polygamy, its effects--Infanticide--Intermarrying among Tribes beneficial--Feelings of the New Zealanders easily excited--Reception of Strangers--Departure and return of friends--Mockery of affection--Feelings with regard to foreigners--Rights of possession of their land--Resisting invasion--Punishments--Notions with respect to European
  

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  punishments--Industry, compared with Friendly Islanders--Food--Cooking--Methods of drying fish--Chewing Kauri-gum--Tobacco--Sports--Warlike propensities--Predatory excursions--fatal effects of them prevented, in one instance, by the interference of the Missionaries--Battle of Kororareka--Other battles--Hongi wounded--Effect of his death upon the Tribes--Slavery--Fortifications--Weapons--Canoes and war-vessels--Methods of warfare--Cannibalism--Revengeful character of the Natives--Preserving the heads of enemies--Murderous exploits --Treatment of the dead--Ceremonies at the Hahunga, or removal of Bones--the Hakari, a native feast--Belief respecting the departed--Superstitions respecting Mawe, and the origin of the Islands--Wiro, the Evil Spirit--The Priesthood--Ornaments worn as remembrances--Tattooing--Houses--Flax--Dresses--Fishing--Population................................. 80--164
• CHAP. IV.
  Origination of the New-Zealand Mission--Difficulties--Rangihoua, the first Station, afterwards removed to Tepuna--Visit of Hongi and Waikato to England--Kerikeri, the second Station--Difficulties at its formation, and for the first few years--Paihia, the third Station--Official account of it--Waimate, the fourth Station--Villages, Chapels, and Schools connected with it--Kaitaia, the fifth Station--Puriri, the sixth Station--Other Stations projected.................. 165--210
• CHAP. V.
  Effects consequent on the introduction of the Gospel into New Zealand--illustrated in a great variety of particulars--Establishment of the observance of the Lord's Day--Religious conversations--Churches--Fixing of the language--Translation of the Scriptures and
  

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  Liturgy--Administration of sacred Ordinances--Solemnization of Matrimony--Spreading of knowledge --Improvement of domestic character--Abolition of inhuman practices--Disuse of Tapues--Wild and wandering character exchanged for industrious habits--Religious and intelligent feelings of the Natives, as exhibited in their Letters--Obituaries of unconverted, and of pious Natives....................... 211--305
• APPENDIX.
  Catalogue of Shells collected on the East Coast of New Zealand, by the Rev. W. Yate.............................. 307

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LIST OF PLATES.

• Portrait of Rev. S. MARSDEN......... Title
• Map of New Zealand...........p. 1
• Standard of New Zealand, and Signal Flags....22
• South- West View of the Waimate.......192
• A Chief weeping over the preserved Head of a Friend 133
• A Stage erected for a New-Zealand Feast....139
• Kerikeri Settlement, with a Stage erected for a Feast 172
• The Mission Boat, accompanying a New-Zealand War Expedition.............184
• North-East View of the Waimate.......188
• A Native Village and Chapel.........195
• The Missionary House, Waimate.......197

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THE NORTHERN ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND,
WITH ADDITIONS BY THE REV. W. YATE.
1835.
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