[December 1820]
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December 1st, Friday. Rainy, wind N. E. and blowing fresh. At daylight being off the heads of the Bay of Islands, stood into it, and at seven A. M. anchored off Kororadeca, in order to take in fourteen spars that had
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been left there under the care of King George, when the ship sailed for Wangarooa.
Strong gales at N. E., and constant and heavy rain during the remainder of the day.
With the exception of Krokro and Tekokee, all the chiefs and almost all the people had gone to the Kaiperra, on the western coast, to fight. The villages were without men, and the few canoes that came near the ship were paddled by women. There was a general report all over the Bay, that there had been a great battle, in which many persons had been killed.
Dec. 2d, Saturday. In the course of the day Tekokee paid us a visit, and in the evening the whole of the spars were in the ship.
8d, Sunday. Every thing being now ready for sea, the women were ordered to leave the ship: many of them had lived on board and with the same persons since we returned from Shukehanga. They imitated as far as they could the English manner of dress, conformed themselves to English customs, and showed as much regard for their protectors as they could for their real husbands. Their
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gentle manners fully proved how the ferocity of savage life is softened down in the female character; and what with their songs and dances, they afforded the people amusement, while, by acquiring a knowledge of washing and other domestic occupations, they became very useful to them. In taking their leave they went through the same ceremony of crying and cutting themselves with the shell, that they usually perform when parting with those who have a more legitimate claim upon their affections. The mild treatment of the Europeans, when compared with that of their own countrymen, had gained their esteem and admiration; and, besides the natural regret they felt in withdrawing from those they had so long lived with, they had to anticipate the inconveniences and miseries of savage life, and the degrading and sometimes brutal treatment of those to whom they were about to return.
Dec. 5th, Tuesday. Fine, wind west and moderate. At daylight we got under weigh; and soon afterwards our faithful friend, Wheety, coming upon deck, took leave in-
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dividually of almost every one in the ship. He had been so general a favourite, that there were few from whom he had not received a present; and now, rich in his own estimation and that of his countrymen, he expressed his intention of going back to Shukehanga, of building himself a house as much like the Europeans as he could, and of living in their manner. He had long laid aside his native customs and prejudices, and often remarked "that New Zealand would one day be the white men's country."
The natives who had been in the habit of living on board, followed the ship in their canoes, until the freshness of the breeze made any further attempt to keep near her fruitless; and a few hours removed us many miles from them and their island.
The outer pyramid of the Bay of Islands lies in latitude 35[degrees]; 9' south, longitude 174[degrees]; 9' 30" east.
After a long and boisterous passage, the Dromedary anchored in Sydney Cove, on the evening of the 21st of December. Here she remained to refit and to refresh her crew till
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the 14th of February, 1821, when she sailed for England. On the 1st of April she doubled Cape Horn; and on the 3d of July anchored at Plymouth, having completed the circumnavigation of the world.
