CHAPTER XII
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CHAP. XII.
Return from Lake Morberree--Remark of Tui--Departure from a friendly village, and occurrences on the way--The Author and his friends arrive again at the residence of Shunghi--Arrival at the village of the chief Tarriar, with remarks on the land contiguous to it--Scrupulous observance of the taboo--Tattooing instruments, and manner of performing that operation; with its physical effects-- The party joined by Duaterra-A boat race between him and Shunghi--Return to the ship--The missionaries settled in their new habitation--Inquiry into a charge of seduction, and the issue of it--Expedition to the river Thames, with the names and description of the persons composing it--Arrival at the Cavalles--Two canoes visit the ship -- Duaterra's formidable reception of them-- The Author accompanies Duaterra in pursuit of a thief-- Incidents on that occasion, and return of the party.
LEAVING this delightful spot, we bent our course back to Wyemattee, and stopping at the little village where the natives had on our first approach received us so kindly, we experienced again the same proofs of their friendliness and hospitality. The wild duck that Shunghi had shot for us, was now boiled in the iron pot, and the villagers bringing us some potatoes as before, we fared
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as well as we could desire. While we were thus comfortably regaling ourselves, and all the inhabitants of the village sitting round us, Tenana, of whom I have had hitherto little occasion to speak, but who, the reader will recollect, had been at Port Jackson, made a very sensible remark on the difference of hospitality perceptible between his own countrymen and the people of New South Wales. In New Zealand, said he, they give you plenty of kiki every where you come to; but at Parramatta, you may walk about all day long, and no person will offer you anything to eat. This remark was certainly just; and hence it is evident, that the poorer a people are, and the less capable of setting a defined value on property, the more open and hospitable will they always be found. The good chief for whom our visit was intended, was anxious to afford us the best treatment in his power, and procured a pig for us, which he had killed with his spear, and was to serve for our repast when we reached his hippah.
At this village, as at every other place I had yet visited, the people were quite astonished at the ticking of my watch, and the chieftain with his dependants unanimously pronounced it to be the Etua; and I was
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looked upon, in consequence, as a most awful personage. But had they been farther advanced in refinement, and as bigotted as they were superstitious, I might have shared the fate of Galileo, and been immured in a dungeon as a sorcerer. In the plantations adjoining this village, I observed a plant very common in our West India settlements, where it is called tacca, and named by the natives of this island tarro. It does not appear to me that this plant is indigenous to New Zealand, but must, in my opinion, have been brought hither, either by Captain Cook or some other European navigator who has visited the country. This was the first time I had the opportunity of seeing this plant cultivated, and the care that was here employed in bringing it to perfection, was very great: the plants were disposed in rows, about eighteen inches apart, and the earth carefully dug up and pressed in round the roots of each of them.
Parting finally from these friendly natives, with whose hospitable treatment to us we had every reason to be satisfied, we continued our return; and in our way through the woods, Shunghi, who was always on the alert to provide something for us, shot a bird
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called the kookoopa, of a blue plumage, and somewhat larger than our pigeon. His people, as soon as we arrived at Wyemattee, set about dressing the pig, which they took outside the town and baked with hot stones, in the same manner as they cooked their potatoes, which I have already described. While this operation was going forward, I rambled about the town, to observe any thing worthy of notice that might present itself; and I had not proceeded very far, when a young woman of an interesting appearance, whom I happened to meet, beckoned to me to accompany her to her warree or hut; an invitation I did not hesitate to accept: but it was, I must candidly confess, from the impulse of curiosity, rather than from any concern about having my gallantry impeached by a refusal. In the hut I found another female with an infant beside her, busily engaged in roasting the fern-root; I immediately sat down with them, and the young damsel who invited me, joining the other in her cookery, they both presented me with their simple fare, and were highly gratified at seeing me partake of it. Returning to the habitation of Shunghi, the pig was very soon brought smoking hot before
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us, while the cooks began to cut it up with an experienced dexterity. I offered them my knife for this purpose, but they preferred to use a muscle shell, with which they divided it in a very short time; cutting it afterwards into as many pieces as they deemed expedient. A large portion of it they assigned to us; and we made an excellent dinner on it, the quality of the meat being very good, and the flavour given to it by the cooking, as exquisite as if it had been dressed in the kitchen of the most scientific epicure in Europe. The only objection to meat cooked in this way, is its looks, the exterior being always black; but by taking off the skin, this disagreeable appearance may be obviated. The juices are much better preserved in the meat by this mode of cooking than any other.
In about a quarter of an hour after we had finished our meal, and as we were walking about through the different fortifications, we observed Tenana and some of the other natives very busy round a fire, on which they had set our iron pot to boil. These friendly people, imagining we could never eat enough, were here making a stew for us of the bird that Shunghi had shot, and it
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being ready in a few moments, we ate part of it, rather from a wish to gratify their solicitous hospitality, than any desire of provoking a fresh appetite by such a dainty. It was however a fine-flavoured bird, and well cooked. When we had eaten as much as we thought necessary, one of the natives appeared extremely anxious that I should accompany him to a distant part of the town; pointing to it with his finger, and desiring me to go with him. Curious to learn what could be his object for such importunate urgency, I complied with his wishes; several of the other natives attending me at the same time. My conductor, quite pleased that he had prevailed with me, moved on at a smart rate, and led me to that part of the fortifications where the hill was pared down; and where at an opening between the row of palisades that encompassed the town, they had laid the branch of a tree, extending horizontally to a distance of about two feet from the hill. Here the side of the hill was cut away about fifteen feet in depth, and I found that this place was set apart by the inhabitants for the accommodation of nature. The motive of my guide in bringing me hither was now apparent; for he supposed in his attentive
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consideration, that a visit to some such place was rendered necessary by the quantity of food I had recently eaten. That I might thoroughly comprehend what the place was intended for, he got upon the pole, and standing on it like a bird on its perch, the attitude was too significant for me to mistake what it implied. I declined, however, his proffered attention, and returned back again without more delay. The reader will excuse my adverting to this circumstance, which would appear rather unseemly, if it did not shew a particular exception to the general habits of these people, which are dirty in the extreme. Cleanly however in this respect as the most polished of the European nations, and superior to many of them, they have places appropriated for the calls of nature in the outskirts of every hippah and village; and you are never disgusted with the sight of ordure either in or about their dwellings. Those houses also that are detached and insulated from the others, are furnished with a similar convenience at a suitable distance.
As night approached, Shunghi took us to another house belonging to him, where we were to sleep. This structure was used only for such accommodations as were prohibited
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in the principal dwelling by the taboo, and was much exposed to the external air; which, penetrating through the openings of the roof, rendered it at night extremely cold. The heavy dew also which at this season of the year falls in every part of the island, descending upon us while we lay here, chilled us with its gelid moisture, and we found it impossible to resign ourselves to sleep. -- Passing therefore a very disagreeable night, we welcomed the approach of the morning with sensations of real pleasure, and rising from a sleepless couch as soon as it began to dawn, we listened with the same rapture as on the morning before to the inspiring warblers of the forest.
No tribute that it is in my power to offer, could render justice to the friendly treatment and solicitous assiduities which in this visit we experienced from Shunghi; and being now anxious to return to Rangehoo, we set off at an early hour, January 11th, accompanied by the chief himself, Tenana, Widoua, and twenty of their people. Arriving on our way at Tarriar's village, we stopped to get breaklast; and setting the cooks to work, they prepared it in a very little time. It is surprising how expeditiously these people cook
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their food in whatever way they dress it, and I have observed among them a peculiar quickness in all their movements, whenever their attention is directed to any particular purpose. This activity however is more perceptible when they are cooking, than upon any other occasion of rational employment; and I believe it may very justly be ascribed to their avidity for eating, which, as has been repeatedly noticed, is always insatiable. In proceeding to this village, we observed at irregular distances several patches of land that had been broken up for cultivation; but the soil most probably being exhausted, they were now left in a state of neglect: and different kinds of grasses had sprung up, and were growing wild upon the surface. Among these was the canary grass, which grew in great luxuriance, a species of the ray grass, and many others that we were unacquainted with. From this it may be seen how easily those lands in this country, which are at present over-run with fern, might be brought to produce grasses of all descriptions; and were the experiment tried, I doubt not but it would prove invariably successful, and that the island in general would afford as fine pasturage for sheep and black cattle as any
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part of the known world: but this subject will demand my consideration in another place, where I shall advert to it more diffusely.
At the village we met four of Tarriar's wives, to whom we presented some tea, but these ladies refused to accept it, telling us they were "taboo taboo," an insuperable objection to receiving a gift from unhallowed mortals. The house of this chief was held equally sacred with his wives, and his scruples about any profane communication with it, were more tenacious and prohibitory than we had hitherto found in all the other places we had visited. Besides the rule against eating within its walls, any contact with it on the outside was deemed a most heinous violation of its mysterious attributes; and while I happened to put a bundle, containing some necessaries that we had brought with us, upon the roof of it, they all cried out taboo taboo, with indignant vehemence, and desired me to take it off immediately. Our friend Tenana, who had separated from us before we reached this place, now joined us, bringing with him a pig, which he gave us to understand we were to receive as a present; and a petty chief belonging to Shunghi,
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had likewise one under his care for our use. We now proceeded with all the expedition we could make to the head of the cove, and reached it a good deal fatigued, after walking very smartly for three successive hours. It has not hitherto occurred to me to mention, that while at Wyemattee, Widoua, in a friendly manner, made each of us a present of a handsome mat; and one of the natives gave Mr. Marsden the fragment of a letter taken out of the Boyd, addressed to the unfortunate Captain Thompson.
The tide on our arrival at the head of the cove not being sufficiently high to admit of launching the canoe, we were obliged to wait for some time; and during this interval, Widoua set about painting the gunwales with red ochre mixed up in oil. The instrument he used for a brush was a tuft of feathers; and he laid on the composition very dexterously. One of our party shewed us the instruments that they tattoo with, and these had nothing particularly ingenious in their make; though much pains had been taken to render the execution very neat: they consisted of small pieces of bone worked down to an extremely acute point, and fastened at right angles to short pieces of wood.
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I had the curiosity to present my wrist to him, in order to try the effect of the operation; when striking the instrument pretty smartly with a piece of wood, he formed a small puncture, that instantly started the blood; and I had no desire to make any further experiment. This process must be extremely painful on any part of the body, but how they can endure the torment of it on the face, is to me most surprising; particularly when I consider that it is an unnecessary infliction, and can serve no one purpose of obvious utility: having nothing to recommend it to these people but the absurd and preposterous notion of its being a most elegant embellishment, while on the contrary it makes them appear truly hideous. Making some inquiries concerning this operation, and their mode of bearing it, I found that they always submitted to it with alacrity; but the pain being so excruciating, they could only bear to have a small part done at a time, which generally took up two months to heal, when the process was resumed, and continued on at stated intervals till the whole was finished. It is to be hoped that this barbarous practice will be abolished in time among the New Zealanders; and that the missionaries will exert
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all the influence they are possessed of to dissuade them from it. The mind revolts at the idea of seeing a fine manly race as any in the universe, thus shockingly disfigured; and producing associations similar to what may be imagined of so many fiends. It would appear to me that this operation, by irritating the system, produces very frequently several cutaneous diseases; and the writer of a respectable work, (An Account of the Tonga Islands,) which I have already taken occasion to notice with commendation, us of the same opinion; who, being himself a medical gentleman, must of course be more prepared to treat on the subject, than one who makes no pretensions to professional knowledge. This writer thus describes its physical effects on the people of Tonga, where, however, it is performed more generally over the body than at New Zealand.
"This operation causes that portion of the skin on which it is performed to remain permanently thicker. During the time that it is performed, but sometimes not for two or three months afterwards, swellings of the inguinal glands take place, and which almost always suppurate: sometimes they are opened with a shell before they point, which
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"is considered the best treatment; at other times they are allowed to take their course." (See Account of the Tonga islands, vol. ii. p. 266.) It is evident, from what is here observed, that this practice has much stronger objections against it, than its disgusting appearance; but the prejudices of a people are not easily tampered with, and we should, I am persuaded, find it as impracticable a task to force these islanders out of their tattooing, were we to attempt so foolish a project, as the Czar of Russia did to despoil his subjects of their beards. Only remonstrance and persuasion can produce any effect on occasions like these.
On our way to the ship, we landed part of our company at the foot of one of those steep hills so common in this country, where was built a tolerably large hippah; and proceeded on with twelve people, three of whom were women. As we approached within about a league of the vessel, we were met by Duaterra, who was coming to us with provisions, having nearly the same number of men in his canoe. His object in setting out being only to bring us the provisions, he now joined us on our return; and the two canoes contested with each other which should
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reach the vessel first. Our ladies were ready to take quite as active a part as the men in this boat race; and two of them who had infants, laid the little creatures very carefully on their pagatas or mats, at the bottom of the canoe, and prepared themselves for the paddle with emulative exertions. The air now resounded with the inspiring shouts of "toheah, paihah, ah heah etokee etokee," which were given out to the men by their respective chiefs, as well for the purpose of animating them to the contest, as to regulate the strokes of the paddles. I have before adverted to the astonishing exactness and unison with which the rowers ply on together; and I now witnessed an identity of cooperation even more remarkable than in the former instance. Though our party exerted themselves with indefatigable labour, Duaterra, by the time we had arrived within three or four hundred yards of the ship, had got ahead of us; and Shunghi, finding it unavailing to prolong the contest, yielded the palm to his adversary, who rested upon his paddles until we joined him. Both the canoes now made up to the vessel abreast of each other, the natives standing up brandishing their paddles and singing their war-song:
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their gestures were all menacing and terrible, nor could I behold them without some feeling of alarm; though a little reflection might immediately inform me it was groundless. The women were no less violent in all their attitudes and movements than the men; they raved and roared with equal fury, and the distinction of sex appearing no longer visible, was completely lost in their convulsive excesses.
Upon getting on board, we found that the missionaries, with their families, had all gone on shore, and taken possession of their new habitation; and as the timber and stores were landed, and laid up in their proper places, we resolved on the following day to sail down to that part of the island where the Thames (a river so called by Capt. Cook) has its course; in order to explore the surrounding country. Should the wind, however, not prove favourable for this purpose, we determined on altering our course to the northward, and going into the harbour of Wangeroa, to bring round the large guns belonging to the Boyd, which George told us might be got up without much difficulty. But as our crew was very insufficient to protect the vessel in this expedition, we thought it better to entrust our-
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selves entirely to the good faith of the friendly natives of the place where we now were; and engaging Duaterra and Korra-korra to accompany us, with as many of their people as might effectually deter any of the tribes from making an attack upon us, we reposed the fullest confidence in our escort, assured of their readiness to hazard, if necessary, their lives in our defence.
Going on shore in the afternoon, we found Mr. Kendall and Mr. Hall tolerably comfortable in their new dwellings: they had got a number of the natives busily employed in securing the roof against the rain; the sawyer was at work in cutting up the timber, and the smith in preparing a further supply of charcoal; nor was there a single individual on the premises who was not employed: so that the whole presented a scene of activity and cheerful exertion. Mrs. Hall had set Gunnah's wife to the wash-tub, where the lady was rubbing away the linen at a great rate; and for the first time of her life, enjoyed the luxury of soap and water. Though the wife of a rungateeda, she felt herself highly honoured by this employment; and imagined it, very probably, the most suitable of any that the packaha could assign to her. Many interest-
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ing ideas occurred to me while I beheld the missionaries thus seated in their new residence, and preparing for the work of civilization in a land where never before was the least gleam of knowledge, except what nature instinctively supplied; and where man, roving about as a lawless denizen, acknowledged no authority except that of an individual barbarous as himself, who constantly led him on to deeds of carnage against his fellows, and taught him not only to satisfy his revenge with their destruction, but to crown it with a bloody banquet. In such a land it was that a few civilized beings were now going to reclaim a whole race to subdued and regular habits; and afford, at the same time, another proof of the immense superiority of mind over matter. I doubt not but this grand object will be much facilitated by the union which they will be enabled to effect among the different tribes in the vicinity of their district, who, in a short time, will form as it were the nucleus of civilization in the island.
We heard on this day a very unpleasant report, and which Mr. Marsden was determined to investigate minutely; for, if true, it would materially tend to alienate the affec-
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tions of the natives from us, and might be eventually productive of serious consequences. It was complained of, by some of the people, that the son of the master of the vessel, a young man about eight and twenty years of age, had seduced the wife of our friend Gunnah; and defrauded her of part of the payment, for which she had consented to violate her duty to her husband. This shameful behaviour of the young man towards one of our most devoted adherents, and in contempt of Mr. Marsden's regulation, which precluded the ship's company from having any connection with the women of the country, would, if true, have been highly reprehensible; and my friend lost no time in making the necessary inquiries respecting it. Accordingly he had the young man called before him, and expressing his strong displeasure at what he had heard, asked him how he could be capable of such conduct, which he must have known was no less criminal than dangerous. But the other declared in positive terms his innocence of the charge, and desired to be immediately confronted with his accusers, who, he was sure, would fail completely in proving their allegations: he assured Mr. Marsden that he had never had a
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connection either with the woman in question, or any other; requesting him, at the same time, to send for the complaining parties, that he might refute the imputation in the most satisfactory manner. He was told that the investigation he desired should take place without delay, as well for the sake of affording him an opportunity of exculpating himself, if his declaration was true, as of removing any unfavourable impression from the minds of the natives by reprobating it as it deserved, if it was false.
We went on shore on the morning of the 12th to hold this trial for crim. con.; and Duaterra was desired to summon the parties concerned for the plaintiff, while a great number of the natives attended as spectators; waiting the issue of the affair with evident curiosity. The woman with whom the complaint was supposed to have first originated was now brought forward to give her evidence, and from this the story assumed quite a different complexion. The lady, who, it appeared, was not the wife of Gunnah, but of his brother Wurree, taking her seat upon the ground, argued her cause with great vivacity, and urged her innocence in a very firm and spirited tone. Duaterra, taking upon himself
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the office of interpreter, told us, that one of the sailors had given her a nail, and promised her another, if she would consent to grant him certain favours; but that she refused, and would not by any means be prevailed upon, telling him, she was the wife of another man, and consequently tabooed. She confessed, however, that she kept the nail the man had given her; but persisted in declaring that no criminal connection had taken place between them. She also acquitted the young man to whom the crime was imputed, of being the person who had made her the proposal; asserting in the most positive manner, that no overture of the kind had ever proceeded from him, and that she could point out the individual, if it was thought necessary. According to her testimony, the reason of such a report at all was, that the sight of the nail had aroused the jealousy of her husband, who questioned her how she came by so valuable an article; when she candidly acknowledged that one of the sailors had given it to her: but this, instead of quieting his suspicions, only inflamed them the more--"trifles light as air being, to the jealous, confirmations strong as proofs of holy writ;" and telling her, that the packaha never gave nails away
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for nothing, he punished her imagined infidelity with a severe beating. As she maintained throughout that nothing criminal had passed between herself and the tar, Mr. Marsden did not think it expedient to proceed any further in the affair; and now, finding that the young man he had censured did not deserve the reproof, he was much pleased at being undeceived. But, however pertinacious the lady was in insisting upon her innocence, I am much inclined to believe that the husband had just grounds for his suspicions; and that the nail had effected an easy compliance.
Returning to the vessel, we took Duaterra and his party on board, armed with their spears and pattoo pattoos, and dressed in their war-mats; when weighing anchor at half-past three P. M. we stood out of the Bay, being joined at the heads by Korra-korra and his warriors, all armed and gaily decorated. When we had taken them on board, I proceeded to make out a list of our ship's company, arranging them in the following order; from which it will be seen how disproportioned was the number of civilized people to the savages; while, few as they were, the former could still venture to penetrate into the heart of this island, not only
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fearless of any attack from the latter, but relying most firmly on their protection.
Thomas Hansen, master, Englishman.
Alexander Ross, mate, Scotchman.
Patrick Shaffery, seaman, Irishman.
Thomas Hamilton, cook, ditto.
John Hunter, carpenter, native of New Holland, born of English parents.
The Reverend Samuel Marsden, principal chaplain of New South Wales, Englishman.
John Liddiard Nicholas, passenger, ditto.
In all, six Europeans, and, including John Hunter, seven civilized people.
Savages.
Punnee, sailor, Otaheitan.
Tow, ditto, Bolabolan.
Warrakee, ditto, New Zealander.
Pahi, ditto, ditto.
Mowhee, ditto, ditto,
Duaterra, chief of Tippoonah and Rangehoo.
Turreogunnah, nephew of the late chief Tippahee.
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Widoua, son of Kangeroa, the areekee of the western side of the Bay of Islands, and residing at Wyemattee, a district thirty miles to the north-west of Rangehoo.
Towah, son of the late chief Tippahee, by a chief's daughter taken prisoner at the river Thames, and possessing an inheritance at that place in right of his mother. Age, about fifteen, and a very fine lad.
Tohu, son of Mokah, a chief on the western side of New Zealand, opposite to the Bay of Islands.
Aroah, son of a priest at Wyemattee.
Inghah, son of Thu, a chief at Parro.
Henackee, grandson to Warrakee, a chief at Wyetanghee.
Warriors belonging to Duaterra
Tekokatowittee,
Cowhow,
Moureeweenuah,
Titte-kuah,
Tungho,
Tukithuro,
Korra-korra, chief of Parro, a district on the south-east side of the entrance of the Bay of Islands.
Thewranghee, brother of Korra-korra.
Tui, ditto.
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Terraminuke, a lad ten years of age, son to the chief.
Petorehu, warrior belonging to Korra-korra, taken prisoner by this chief, and adopted into his tribe.
Tapoo, ditto.
Brodee, nephew to Shunghi.
Eckahi, son of Madu, at the Cowa-cowa.
Themorangha, chief of Hekorangha, twenty miles to the westward of Tippoonah.
Total savages......28
Civilized people..... 7
Total of both......35
Here was such a disparity as might deter us from ever venturing our lives and the property of the vessel to the good faith of these people, if we had not known them to be susceptible of the finest feelings of the heart, when properly treated: cannibals they were, it is true, but what then? They devoured only the bodies of such as had provoked their vengeance, and it was always our study to conciliate their regard. People, before they indulge misanthropic prejudices against their fellow-men, should consider well if, under
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374 VOYAGE TO
other circumstances, and by a different mode of acting towards them, the persons whom they denounce as implacable might not assume quite a new character; and become, instead of being objects of abhorrence, admired for those qualities which harmonize and cement the various orders of regulated society.
We stood off Cape Brett during the whole of the night, the weather having settled into a perfect calm; and on Friday, January 13, the wind being contrary to our sailing to the river Thames, we steered a due west course, with the intention of proceeding to Wangeroa. But our friend Korra-korra expressed a good deal of disappointment at our adopting this resolution; he was particularly desirous of going to the Thames, and was, I believe, under some apprehensions of the Wangeroan people, whose name appears formidable to the different other tribes in this island. But he was alarmed only lest we might be taken by surprise, and overpowered by superior numbers; for none of his countrymen possessed more personal courage, or could more readily enter the lists with the boldest warrior. Indeed, he carried this quality so far as to be a terror in the combat; and it required an antagonist frantic and ungovern-
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able as himself, to oppose him with any probability of success. At three P. M. we entered the channel that runs between the main land and the largest island of the Cavalles. The soundings here we found to be twelve, eleven, and seven fathoms, with a sandy bottom; in which last, from the wind shifting, we were obliged to anchor, after several unsuccessful tacks to get through.
We were not long here before we observed two canoes coming off from one of the islands, and making towards the vessel with their usual celerity. Duaterra, who was determined to assume a formidable attitude on the occasion, and make a display of all his military strength, immediately took upon himself the office of commander-in-chief over the whole of his countrymen; and distributing muskets to some, pistols to others, and cutlasses and spears to the rest, he ordered them all to conceal themselves by lying down upon the deck until the canoes should come alongside, when on a given signal they were instantly to jump up and rush to the sides of the vessel with shouts of defiance. These orders they strictly obeyed; yelling and roaring at a furious rate, and presenting their arms to the astonished
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natives with all the horrid gestures of savage war, while they concluded with reiterated screams of insolent hostility. Our poor friends in the canoes, who had visited the ship when we were here before, appeared evidently terrified by this menacing display; and not conscious of having provoked our enmity, they knew not how to account for the scene before them. They surveyed us for some time with marks of alarm and trepidation, and seemed hesitating whether they should at once betake themselves to flight, or abide all the consequences; when the hostile demonstration being removed, and the clamour ceasing, they were happily relieved from their fears, and recovering their confidence, ascended the ship's side with great alacrity. Upon my asking Duaterra his reasons for giving these inoffensive people such a singular reception, he replied, that he did so in order that they might on their return, report among the rest of the natives that the vessel was well manned and protected, the belief of which would inspire too much dread for any of the tribes to run the risk of attacking us. We had very soon another canoe alongside, that met with the same reception.
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When these canoes had left us, we found that one of the natives having taken a particular liking to the carpenter's chisel, had contrived to carry it off with him unobserved, regardless of its being the property of another; a consideration which he could not reflect upon, when an instrument so curious and useful in his eyes, was to be obtained by despising it. I could not help smiling at the indignation manifested by all his countrymen on board, so soon as the theft was made known; and they spoke of it with as much detestation as though they themselves had never been guilty of similar practices. "Tungata tihi (a thief) no good," they all exclaimed with one voice; and Duaterra said, if we would lend him the boat, he would engage to recover the chisel. In this he was immediately indulged, and twelve of his people being armed with muskets and pistols, and carrying a cutlass himself, he got with them into the boat, vowing vengeance against the tungata tihi, if the ill-gotten booty were not instantly restored. Curious to see the issue of this event, I resolved to accompany them; but upon examining the muskets previously, I found that none of them were loaded, and mentioning
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the circumstance to Duaterra, the chief replied, that it was of no consequence; for, said he, "as soon as New Zealand man see musket presented at him, he run away;" a plain proof of their terror of fire-arms. We rowed about two miles from the ship, to an island whence they said they had seen the two canoes set out. Here we came to a point of land that was entirely concealed from the view, except a small part towards the extremity, where it projected forward; and my companions being too impatient to wait the delay of a circuitous course, thought they would lose too much time by going round it, which the place of landing rendered necessary; so the whole of them, except Gunnah and Inghah, jumping into the water, waded through it up to their middle, and reached the shore in a very short time. Heedless of every thing but the detection of the thief, they never once thought of me, whom they left with their two countrymen, in the boat, and endeavouring with considerable difficulty to prevent it from being swamped, which I dreaded every moment would be the case, the surf running very high, and our situation being extremely perilous. I now began to regret that my
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curiosity had led me to proceed on this expedition; nor did I receive much assistance from Inghah in this dangerous moment. He was so uncommonly stupid in all his endeavours, and so very awkward in following the directions I gave him, that he put me quite out of temper; and rating him most vehemently, I made him ply all his strength with as much effect as his dull comprehension would permit. Gunnah, however, formed a perfect contrast to this man, so far as regarded the capacity and understanding of both; he not only conceived immediately the movements I wished to make, but suggested some himself that were very skilful, and I succeeded at length, by his dexterous cooperation, in bringing the boat round the point, and abreast of the village where the delinquent was supposed to reside. By this time night had come on, and the moon not having yet risen, all the light we had was derived from the countless multitude of stars that bespangled the heavens; and leaping on shore, I directed my course to where I heard a great deal of clamour and loud talking, Here I found six or seven of the people who had visited us in the morning, surrounded by their indignant countrymen, and nearly
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frightened out of their wits. The poor creatures, the moment they saw me, came up with a trembling pace to shake hands, and assured me they had not stolen any thing; pointing at the same time to an island, where they said the people resided who had purloined the chisel, and who had returned from the ship together with themselves in another canoe. I told them, that to ask for any thing was very proper, but to steal any thing, very bad; and that while we readily gave away such articles as we could conveniently spare, we would never suffer ourselves to be defrauded of them by theft, but would punish the offenders most severely. To this they unanimously replied, that I was nuee nuee miti, (very good) and that the tungata tihi was nuee nuee kackeeno, (very bad.) Duaterra and his party being now satisfied that these were not the people who had been guilty of the offence, wished to proceed to the other island, but I thought it better not to prolong a search which I knew would not be attended with success; and taking into the boat a number of small sharks which we got from the affrighted natives, we left their little island, and removed their apprehensions by our
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departure. While returning to the ship, Gunnah amused his companions by relating to them how angry I had been with Inghah, at which they all laughed heartily; how I came to know that I was the subject of their conversation, was by their frequent repetition of the words New Zealand, the name they had given me upon my first arriving among them, and by which they always distinguished me while I remained.
