[August 1820]
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August 1st, Tuesday. The Prince Regent schooner had been expected for some days; and as a native reported a ship to be in sight, a boat was immediately sent off; but, upon clearing the heads, no vessel was to be seen.
2d, Wednesday. Some of the natives observing the gunner fitting the carronade-slide into the launch, and having been informed by one of the sailors, that the ultimate object was to place a gun upon it, took immediate alarm, and spread a report that a party of Europeans were going up the Kameemy to attack and destroy George and his tribe.
In its probable operation on a person of his suspicious nature, this report was particularly disagreeable to us, and had it not been for subsequent circumstances, there is little doubt that he would have come down to examine into the business.
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August 3d, Thursday. In the evening several fires were observed in a swamp at the southern extremity of the harbour, and close to the mouth of the river Kameemy; and the natives said it was the camp of the chief Poro, from the North Cape, adding, that there was to be a great fight; but whether the attack was to be made on George's or Teperree's people could not, after numerous enquiries, be satisfactorily ascertained. The inhabitants seemed to be in great alarm, nor did any canoes venture to that part of the harbour.
4th, Friday. The same uneasiness as to Poro's intentions, and the same ignorance of them, prevailed among the natives. Teperree came early on board, nor did he go away before dusk: he was evidently much alarmed, and seemed to remain in the ship more from fear than for business. In the evening Poro's fires disappeared, and the natives reported his having moved up the banks of the Kameemy towards George's district.
5th, Saturday. At daylight the ship was
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unmoored, and warped higher up the harbour.
In the afternoon the carpenter and George came on board. The former reported that the appearance of Poro had thrown George and his tribe into the greatest alarm; all work had been suspended for some days, and every preparation had been made against the formidable invader.
After Poro had broken up his camp on the third, he directed his march through the woods, towards George's pah, and took up a position on a hill directly opposite to it, but separated by the Kameemy, which was fordable, and an intermediate valley of about half a mile in extent. The movement of Poro's tribe through the woods was unobserved by the Europeans; but from the time they emerged from them, until they crowned the hill distant nearly a mile, upon which they encamped, their operations were perceptible.
At the verge of the wood they left their women, children, cookees, baggage, and clothes, and advanced to the top of the emi-
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nence in three divisions, with great rapidity, and carrying merely their arms. Their bodies were perfectly naked, and painted red; their hair tied up and oiled, and their faces smeared with a kind of blue paint, not uncommon in some parts of New Zealand. On arriving at the top of the hill, they performed the war-dance, and shouted defiance; after which the baggage was moved up, and the encampment formed. The war-dance and shout were immediately repeated by George's people on the opposite side: the men were painted red, and armed, and many of the women appeared in a similar costume, to make as much show as possible. During the night the greatest vigilance was observed; the men ran to their arms at the slightest noise, and Tippooi frequently fired his musket, to let his opponents know that his tribe was not unprovided with these formidable weapons.
The next morning the carpenter announced his intention of going into Poro's camp, to ascertain the object of his visit; and Wheety, the native of Shukehanga before mentioned, who since his acquaintance with us had given
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many proofs of his fidelity, having some relations in Poro's tribe, proposed to accompany him. This measure was violently opposed by George, on the presumption of the personal danger that the carpenter might encounter; but it was at length agreed to, and Ehoodoo, George's brother, deputed to attend the embassy. As they approached the camp, Ehoodoo's terrors completely overcame him, and, laying hold of the carpenter's coat, he conjured him, but without effect, not to go farther. The reception, according to the customs of the country, was perfectly gracious and dignified. They found Poro seated in the centre of his immediate relatives, while his tribe, with their arms in their hands, formed a circle round their chief and the strangers. Poro, upon being asked the object of his visit, replied, "that he came to see the ship and the white men, and to trade with them; that if George had any objection to his so doing, he would fight him; but that if he had not, his intentions were amicable." Upon his being informed that no obstruction whatever would be offered to his communications with
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the Dromedary, peace was proclaimed by the war-dance being repeated five times by both parties; the women on either side waving their mats, and shouting Heromai (Come hither) to each other.
George soon after crossed the river, and presented two tomahawks to Poro, but it was observed that nothing was given in return. From this circumstance, and from George's not having one hundred fighting men, while his opponent had brought twice that number, it was evident that there was an acknowledgement of Poro's superiority.
George now, from the most abject fear, assumed the tone and demeanour of a conqueror: coming on board he disdained to notice Teperree, who stood on the deck, and whose peace had not yet been made; and, turning to some women of that tribe, ordered them, in the most peremptory manner, in the presence of their chief, instantly to quit the ship.
Teperree remained perfectly silent; but as this was a piece of insolence on the part of George not to be overlooked, he was told by
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one of the officers, that as long as the natives conducted themselves properly they should remain in the vessel if they pleased, and that he was not to presume to interfere with any of them.
This admonition had the desired effect, and during the remainder of his visit, he conducted himself very well. Teperree staid on board until dark, and then took his departure with apparent reluctance.
August 6th, Sunday. Several of the men went on shore to amuse themselves.
In the evening, a boat, that had been sent for Poro, returned; bringing him, his son, grandson, and a native of the Marquesas Islands, who had settled in his district. The terror of the old chief was excessive: he trembled like a leaf as he came up the side; and it was ascertained, that, previous to his leaving his camp, he was so alarmed for his safety, that Wheety was detained there as a hostage until his return. To prevent any depredations being committed during his absence, he tabbooed the property of the white men, near whose hut he had encamped; and
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sent fifty of his tribe to assist them and George's people in getting down a spar.
August 7th, Monday. For the amusement of our visitors, the guns were discharged in the morning; and though it was a sight which the North Cape people had never before witnessed, their expressions of surprise fell far short of what might have been expected upon such an occasion. The chief's grandson, who was quite a boy, was so alarmed, that he cried incessantly during the firing, notwithstanding the frequent and sometimes very rude rebukes he met with from such of his tribe as happened to be near him.
In the afternoon, Poro, having received several presents, set out for his camp, accompanied by some of the gentlemen of the ship. In rowing up the Kameemy, we met Teperree's father in his canoe. A conversation took place between him and Poro, during the whole of which the latter stood in the boat and frequently showed his mearee. This was pointed out to us as a signal of peace; and we afterwards learned that the head of Teperree's brother, which had been in Poro's possession
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since he had killed him in battle, was now restored to his family. It may be well supposed, how great a sensation the recovery of the head of a person of so much consequence as Teperree's brother must have caused in the tribe. What rites were performed to it, the natives took good care that we should neither see nor know; but there can be little doubt that human sacrifices were not wanting to appease the spirit of the deceased chieftain. The people who had been in the habit of living in the ship went away to attend the obsequies; and in a few days there was not an individual of the tribe to be seen, whose disfigured person did not bear testimony to the severity with which he had used the shell, to express his grief for the untimely fate of the brother of his chief.
Poro made it a point to gain his camp some time before the gentlemen of the ship; and when we arrived, we found him seated with his family opposite his hut, which was nearly at the summit of the hill: the remainder of the tribe stood about one hundred yards lower down, with their arms in their hands; and,
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upon a signal given by their chief) they rushed up with great rapidity to the spot where we sat with him, shouting, and brandishing their weapons. Here they halted, and performed the war-dance, working themselves up to such a pitch of savage frenzy, that a person un-acquainted with their manners would have supposed it was the prelude to some violent act of aggression.
Their arms consisted of spears, bayonets fastened upon sticks like pikes, pattoo-pattoos, mearees, and twelve muskets, which gave considerable importance to the strength of the tribe. In their persons they were tall, and in general very young men: they were perfectly naked; and besides the red ochre universal to the other tribes of New Zealand, their faces and bodies were smeared with patches of blue paint. The war-dance over, they continued to gaze upon the strangers for some minutes, while George mentioned our names, and endeavoured to explain our different situations. During the conversation a chief stood by to prevent their pressing upon us; and any one passing the line of de-
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marcation was treated by him with a good deal of roughness. At another signal from Poro, they retired in precisely the same manner as they had advanced, and, depositing their arms, returned to their occupations.
The camp was formed on the leeward side of the hill, and consisted of four long sheds, built with sticks, and so well covered with reeds, as to be impervious to rain. Each shed was sufficiently large to contain 100 men. That of the chiefs was as near the top of the hill as the shelter afforded by its summit would permit; while the remainder were built right and left of it, and upon the declivity. There appeared to be about 350 or 400 people in the camp: many of them were women, and they seemed to have a profusion of provisions, which they must have brought with them.
Aug. 8th, Tuesday. Having been told that some more of the gentlemen of the ship intended to visit his camp this day, Poro, in compliment to them, altered his intention of marching in the morning. Besides ordering his men to perform the war-dance, he divided them into two bodies, and made them exhibit
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a sham-fight. The attacks between the contending parties consisted of a series of charges or rushes made without order or previous formation; on coming to close combat, each individual singled out his man and engaged him. During this exhibition, Poro, who must have passed his sixtieth year, showed as much activity and animation as the youngest of his tribe. The gentlemen left him in the evening, not a little gratified with what they had seen; and Poro prepared for his return to his own district in the morning, expressing his sense of the attention and liberality he had experienced from the white men.
Aug. 9th, Wednesday. Early in the morning Poro set out on his return home. He had expressed his fears that any longer delay would exhaust his provisions; and though it was five days' march to his own territory, he had not only brought on the backs of his slaves a sufficient supply to maintain his tribe until their return, but also the materials to construct their huts.
10th, Thursday. In the forenoon the Prince Regent schooner arrived, having been
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three weeks detained in the Bay of Islands by contrary winds.
Aug. 12th, Saturday. The Prince Regent having been directed to proceed to the river Thames, and in the event of not finding the Coromandel there, to seek her in Mercury Bay, and communicate with her, Mr. Kent, the commander of the schooner, was good enough to accommodate the author of this journal with a passage on board his vessel.
From the 13th to the 17th, the wind hung to the northward and eastward, and blew fresh; and so difficult of egress is the harbour of Wangarooa, that, small as the schooner was, though she daily attempted to sail with the ebb, she was as often obliged to return. On one occasion, when she tried to beat out, such was the violence of the sea between the heads, that she missed stays, and was most miraculously saved from being dashed to pieces upon the rocks. In the mean time, Tetoro returned to the Bay of Islands from the river Thames; and a messenger was sent over to us to say, that the Coromandel was in Mercury Bay; and that the natives were cut-
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ting down spars for her. Subsequent events will show the incorrectness of this information.
Aug. 18th, Friday. Wind W. and moderate. At six the schooner weighed and towed out of the harbour, at ten cleared the Cavalles, at twelve entered the heads of the Bay of Islands, and at three p. m. anchored off the missionary settlement of Tippoona.
19th, Saturday. Fine, wind S. W. and fresh. At nine weighed and stood for Parro Bay, and at ten came to anchor. Found there the Catherine and Anne (British), and the Independence (American), whalers.
Here we heard several accounts from the natives of an attack having been made by the inhabitants of the river Thames, upon the boats of the Coromandel, which obliged the commander of that ship to fire upon and destroy several of them; and Krokro, who seemed to know more of the business than any one else, declared, that had it not been for the promptitude and energy of his brother Tooi, several British lives must have been lost. He cautioned us strongly against letting many
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of the natives of that part of the island on board, and desired us to be always upon our guard.
Aug. 20th, Sunday. Fine, wind W. S. W. and moderate. Weighed, and stood out of the Bay of Islands; at ten passed between Percy's Island and the main, and shaped a course close to the shore.
Percy's Island is a high conical rock, perforated right through its centre, and presenting the appearance of a deep archway. In this singular passage there are five fathoms water; and in moderate weather boats and canoes go through it in perfect safety. These perforations are common in the eastern coast of New Zealand; a very remarkable one has already been mentioned near the mouth of the harbour of Wangarooa, and there are several among the smaller Cavalles Islands; in them have been found some specimens of crystal.
The Prince Regent continued her course during the day along the shore, the wind being off the land, and the weather occasionally squally and showery. At three P. M.
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she passed between the Poor Knights and the main. From Percy's Island to the parallel of the Poor Knights the coast is rocky, bold, and deeply indented in many places with bays and coves. There appears to be little or no timber in the immediate vicinity of the shore, but the more inland hills are richly wooded.
At seven, the schooner passed between the Hen and Chickens and Bream Head. From the Poor Knights to this parallel the coast is straight, rocky, and bold, interrupted by a few sandy beaches. There are two inlets, one called Toota-cotta, which, when visited on a former occasion by the schooner, had scarcely water sufficient for that small vessel; and another, a few miles to the southward of it, extended considerably further inland. The country here is wooded almost to the water's edge, and the trees are chiefly cowry. The Barrier Islands were passed during the night; and the course of the vessel was now directed by Wheety, who undertook to pilot her to the Coromandel.
As no one on board knew exactly where that ship lay, Wheety informed the com-
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mander of the schooner that it was not his intention to enter the Showrackee, or river Thames, by the usual way of making Cape Colville; but by keeping along the western coast, he proposed to bring the vessel through a passage, which was formed by a chain of islands, lying ten miles to the eastward of the main, and extending about twenty miles parallel to it. As it afterwards appeared, this chain of islands, through which there are six openings, had been evidently mistaken by Captain Cook for the main land.
The passage above mentioned was called Prince Regent's Channel, because that vessel was the first by which it was known to have been navigated. Our pilot's reason for going through it was, that, probably, among the different native tribes whom we should encounter on our way, information might be obtained as to where the Coromandel was; whereas, by striking into the great body of the river, we should have had little chance of finding her in so extensive a place. Proceeded under easy sail during the night.
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Aug. 21st, Monday. Fine, wind N. N. W., and fresh.
At nine, the schooner entered Prince Regent's Channel, carrying from six to eight fathoms water; at first it was not more than three miles broad, but it soon widened to about ten. The mouth of a large river, called the Wy-de-matta, was passed at ten o'clock; on its banks there were several natives, and some canoes; the water shoaling almost immediately to three fathoms, we anchored.
The boat having been sent ahead to sound, and soon returning with information that the water rather deepened than otherwise, the schooner weighed, and proceeded about three miles higher. Being anxious to collect information from the natives, as to where the Coromandel was to be found, we came-to in five fathoms, under the lee of the island of Moto-corea.
Abreast of the anchorage, on the western side, was an arm of the sea, terminating in the river Wycotta, and called by the natives Towrerree. The islands to the eastward are high and well wooded, but do not appear to
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produce cowry; while the main land to the westward is low, flat, and almost bare of timber. It shelves to the water's edge in sandy beaches; appears arable, and extends inland to a great distance, without the interruption of hills of any magnitude.
The schooner had scarcely anchored when several canoes came alongside, and Wheety, who was now a very important personage, laid aside his European clothes, and putting on his emu-feathered mat [see Note 14.], seated himself upon the deck to receive his countrymen. At his solicitation two chiefs were permitted to remain on board. One of them, whose name was Tetatta, was a very tall handsome man; his hair, which was remarkably long and thick, grew upright upon his head, not unlike the bear-skin of a grenadier's cap; and, besides the usual decorations of a chief, he wore a carved flute or pipe round his neck, upon which he played the simple but plaintive airs of this part of the island, with much correctness. On coming alongside, he fired a pistol, and when received upon the deck, handed it to the commander of the
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schooner, and requested him to keep it for him until such time as his attendance on the white people should be dispensed with.
From him we learned that the Coromandel was at no great distance, and he undertook to pilot us to her next morning. He also told us, that Mr. Marsden had gone up the Wy-de-matta in a canoe, two days before, with the intention, after navigating that river as far as possible, to walk to the Bay of Islands.
In the afternoon we went to shoot upon Moto-corea, attended by Wheety, who, before he quitted the vessel, insisted that the two chiefs should be detained on board until our return. Several quails were seen in the heath, and some red-bills killed on the beach. The natives were extremely civil; and their chief, Enacky, told us, that Mr. Marsden had left his baggage in his charge, and requested permission to put it on board the schooner. Enacky's son attended us during our shooting excursion; and he was so thankful for our occasionally loading his musket for him, that he brought us a present of a cat, which he must have intended for our repast, as he
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seemed a good deal surprised that we did not eat it. [See Note 15.] In the evening a large canoe full of women came alongside: many of them were handsome; and Tetatta, who said "they were wives for the white men," ordered them to come on board.
When they had formed themselves in a line upon the deck, Tetatta walked aft to where the officers were standing, and very politely and individually asked them to select what number of wives they wanted. He seemed much disappointed that this mark of attention and hospitality was declined by those to whom he wished most to show it; and though many of the women found husbands among the other inmates of the vessel, their chief gave himself no trouble about them. They continued to dance and sing till a late hour; and it was generally observed that in the harmony of their voices, the gracefulness of their movements, as well as in personal appearance, they had far the advantage of any other tribes we had met with. Among their songs, many of which were extempore, and directed to some particular person or object that presented
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itself to them, there was one which they frequently repeated. It commemorated the arrival of the Coromandel in their part of the island; their hopes that other ships would come among them; and their wish that the white men would trade with them for muskets and powder, and thus enable their tribe to defend their wives, their children, and their koomeras, from the invasion of their enemies.
Aug. 22d, Tuesday. Fine, wind light and variable. At daylight the schooner was surrounded with canoes filled with men and women: their demeanour was perfectly peaceable; nor did any of them attempt to come on board without permission, though the crew amounted to but twelve persons. They brought alongside an abundance of potatoes, which they sold for nails and similar trifles; and they said if the ship returned that way they would be prepared to supply her with as many hogs as she wanted.
In appearance these people were far superior to any of the New Zealanders we had hitherto seen: they were fairer, taller, and
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more athletic; their canoes were larger, and more richly carved and ornamented.
At ten a light breeze springing up at N. E. the schooner weighed, and the canoes left us; but a calm coming on at noon, we anchored in three fathoms water, not having made above five miles. In the afternoon we went on shore to shoot, but without any success.
Abreast of our position at anchor, and on the western side of the channel, was a small island, which rose about forty feet perpendicular from the surface of the sea. Its summit was perfectly level, and its sides, which were composed of a soft kind of sandstone, were so smooth, and the strata so regularly divided, as to present the appearance of a fortification raised by human art. There was but one narrow point at which it was accessible; and, with the exception of a small projection of the main land, which lay near it, and was similarly formed, the general features of the country on either side, within view, were similar to those of the land seen on the preceding day. There were few in-
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habitants, and but one canoe came off to the vessel. At five P. M. a breeze springing up from the south, we got under weigh, but anchored again at eight, in consequence of our pilot's avowal of his inability to conduct us to our destination during the night. The soundings this day were from three to five fathoms.
Aug. 23d, Wednesday. Fine, wind S. E. and blowing fresh, weighed at daylight. At eight passed the mouth of a large river called the Wyrooa; at ten, having gained the bottom of the channel, altered our course, which had hitherto been S. W., to N. by E., and entered a bay, formed by two islands, called Peneneekee. At the north-eastern extremity of it there were three passages into the great body of the river Thames; and the schooner, in going through the most western of them, which is full half a mile wide, carried nine and ten fathoms water. The heads are bold and steep, and on the summit of that which stands westward is a native pah, where a vast number of the islanders were collected. The nautical people on board
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were of opinion that this bay would afford safe shelter for shipping, and that there was plenty of water for vessels as large as the Coromandel.
The land seen on either side of the channel this morning was beautifully diversified with hill and dale. On the western coast there were many cowry trees; they grew also in great profusion on the northern side of Peneneekee Bay, and close to the water's edge. Being two degrees more to the southward, we found the weather much colder than at Wangarooa; and though it was now the middle of winter, the woods were in their richest verdure.
The schooner had scarcely entered the river Thames, which is here seventeen miles broad, before she encountered a heavy sea, with a strong breeze at S. E.; and being close upon a wind, our pilots expressed their fears that she must upset, and they soon became so sea-sick, that they were of little use to us: they had, however, previously pointed out an inlet on the opposite side of the river, in which they said the Coromandel lay at anchor; and we
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had no sooner opened it than we saw her; she fired two guns to attract our attention. At half-past two P. M. we entered Wy-yow Bay, or Coromandel Harbour, and soon anchored near the ship from which it derives the latter name.
We had scarcely come-to when a number of canoes filled with people surrounded us; and a chief, named Towretta, whom we had before seen in the Bay of Islands, jumping upon the deck, began a song of welcome and congratulation upon our arrival at the Show-rackee, or river Thames. The music was far from being devoid of melody; and the surrounding multitude, who frequently joined their voices to that of their chief, kept admirable time in the accompaniment
It is quite impossible to imagine any thing more miserable and squalid than the appearance of the people of Wy-yow; and it turned out, upon enquiry, that they were the unfortunate tribes that the more powerful and better armed inhabitants of the Bay of Islands came down annually to plunder; while, through a family connection with Krokro,
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their more fortunate neighbours on the western shore of the river were spared from similar devastations.
The size, the novelty, and the apparent protection of the Coromandel, brought the people from their more inland habitations, whither they had long since been driven; but various circumstances afforded reason to suppose that they anticipated their banishment thither at a future period. They did not cultivate any ground, they dwelt in mere temporary huts, and had laid in an immense quantity of dried muscles and fish, which at present formed their only sustenance.
Among them was a person bearing the title of areekee , or king, who was said to exert a very despotic control over many of the neighbouring chiefs, and to possess an immense tract of country. He was a very old man, his beard white as snow, and his body much tattooed; but it was remarked, notwithstanding his lofty situation, that in the intercourse he maintained with his countrymen, no more respect or distinction was paid to him than to any other chief.
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Wy-yow Bay is in latitude 36[degrees]; 40' south, longitude 175[degrees]; 41' east; var. of the compass 15[degrees]; 30' east. High water at 5h 40m at the full and change of the moon; rise and fall of the tide ten feet.
It is very extensive and well sheltered on every side except the south-west, where it is open to the river Thames; in this place seventeen miles broad. The hills which overhang it are high, romantic, and richly wooded; and there appears to be no scarcity of cowry, though whether it be long enough for naval purposes remains to be ascertained.
Ships entering the river can always determine the exact position of Wy-yow Bay by a high castellated rock, which stands upon the top of the loftiest hill on its eastern side. There was no truth in the report of the people in the Coromandel having had a misunderstanding with the natives: the most perfect harmony had constantly subsisted between them.
During our stay in Wy-yow, Wheety went on shore; but he had scarcely landed when several natives coming down to the beach and
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threatening to kill him, he jumped into the boat and regained the schooner as fast as he could. The indignity seemed to prey upon his mind for a long time; and he often told us, that however distant the period might be, still he would one day or other take ample revenge for the insult that had been offered to him. He always maintained that his former visit to this part of the island had been amicable; but the cautiousness of his conduct, and the circumstance just mentioned, authorised a different conclusion.
Aug. 24th, Thursday. Fine, wind S. At anchor in Wy-yow Bay, In the afternoon we visited many villages: the inhabitants were very numerous, but civil, and not at all troublesome. At one place we found a number of people collected round an object which seemed to attract general attention, and which they told us, when we entered the circle, was tabbooed. It proved to be a plant of the common English pea, and had been growing about two months. The seed that produced it had been found in the Coromandel; it was fenced
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round with little sticks, and the greatest care appeared to be taken of it.
Aug. 25th, Friday. Fine, wind light and variable. At anchor in Wy-yow Bay.
26th, Saturday. Dark, rainy weather, wind N. E. and fresh. At eleven a. m. weighed and sailed for the Bay of Islands, directing our course for the channel through which we had before passed. At one P. M. we entered the opening to Peneneekee Harbour; and at three, it blowing a very heavy gale at N. E., anchored under the lee of the island of Motoeehee in five fathoms water.
Strong gales from the N. E., with heavy rain during the night.
27th, Sunday. Fine, wind N. by W. and fresh. At nine weighed and stood over to the western side of the channel, in hopes of getting some provisions, the wind being contrary to our course for the Bay of Islands, and at ten anchored in four fathoms water between Moto-corea and the main.
In the afternoon we went on shore to shoot, and visited some villages, where we were met
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by a great number of natives. Fresh breezes during the night.
Aug. 28th, Monday. Squally and showery, wind N. W. At anchor between the island of Moto-corea and the main.
A number of natives surrounded the schooner during the whole of the day, though in the afternoon the weather was excessively bad. Every moment their canoes appeared on the point of being swamped; but such was their avidity to trade, that they set every danger at defiance. They had scarcely left us in the evening, when a large canoe full of women came alongside, the greater part of whom (together with the hostage-chief) remained on board, and continued to dance and sing till a late hour.
29th, Tuesday. Rainy, and blowing a strong gale at W. S. W. At nine weighed, and took shelter under the south-east side of the island of Moto-corea.
At eleven, it becoming moderate, we went on shore, and shot some red-bill and quail.
The latter are smaller than those seen in England, and rather darker in their plumage.
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P. M. strong gales, with heavy rain from the N. W., which continued the whole of the night.
In passing round the northern point of Moto-corea, in the morning, there appeared to be no danger whatsoever, and the soundings were regular; but on the fall of the tide, a long reef was observed to run from it, close to which the schooner must have passed.
Aug. 30th, Wednesday. At anchor on the south-east side of the island of Moto-corea. Strong gales from the westward, with heavy showers and much sea; notwithstanding which, and the imminent danger that seemed to threaten them, many trading canoes came off to the vessel. At noon we went on the island to shoot, and killed some red-bill and a snipe; the only one that any of us had seen in this country: in its plumage it resembled those found in England, but the bird itself was much smaller.
In this excursion, we ascended the top of a high round hill, which rises in the centre of the island, and which we found to be hollow. The crater was perfect, and in it, as
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well as on the sides of the hill, were a profusion of cinders and burned stones. At three P. M. there was a remarkably heavy squall.
Aug. 31st, Thursday. Fine, wind N. N. W. and moderate. In the morning, Mr. Clark, a gentleman belonging to the American ship, General Gates, having hired a guide, left the schooner with the intention of walking to the Bay of Islands.
There being every appearance of the day continuing moderate, we went up the arm of the sea, called Towrerree, which leads into the river Wycotta; and after following its course about five miles, the boat arrived at Magoia. This village was about a mile long and half a mile broad, and the houses were larger, and more ornamented with carving, than those we had generally observed. Each family occupied an allotment, which in shape was oblong, and enclosed with a high strong paling. These allotments contained many houses; and the intermediate passages or streets were as clean as the season would permit. The adjacent country was flat, with the exception of a high round hill, which
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formed the pah, and which presented the same volcanic appearance as that already noticed in the island of Moto-corea. The ground was good and under cultivation, interspersed with detached houses and hamlets; and, a profusion of potatoes lay in different parts of the village. An immense number of people received us upon landing, and remained with us until we re-embarked: they attended us in our walk over the surrounding country, and showed us every civility. After leaving Magoia, we pulled up the river for about three miles; the banks continued to be thickly inhabited, the ground flat, arable, and well cultivated, producing potatoes, koomeras, and in the more swampy places a great quantity of flax.
The entrance to the Wycotta through the arm of the sea is very shallow, but the river itself is wide and deep; there are few trees upon its banks: and as far as the eye could trace its course, which for many miles is through a flat country, its breadth did not appear to diminish. In the afternoon the weather changed, and it blew so hard from the N. E. that the boat regained the schooner with much difficulty.
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During our absence, the mate, having missed an iron pot, acquainted Tetatta with the circumstance, who instantly ordered every native out of the schooner, and seemed much mortified at the supposition that any of them should have taken it. To his great satisfaction, the pot was soon after found by one of the sailors, who had mislaid it; and, after a long harangue from their chief, the natives were again permitted to come on board. Though the deck was, in general, so lumbered with them that it was quite impossible they could be looked after, not an individual belonging to the vessel lost the most trifling article during our stay in this part of the island.
In the evening a number of women came on board, and Tetatta obliged them to dance and sing till a very late hour.
