1817 - Nicholas, J. L. Narrative of a Voyage to New Zealand [Vol.I] - CHAPTER VII

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CHAP. VII.

THE natives flocked round us on our second landing in the same manner as at first, and the curiosity and impatience of those who had already seen us, was not in the least abated by the repetition of our visit. The female part of the assemblage having been so long accustomed to occasional interviews with the crews of European ships, had lost that re-

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tiring timidity which in other parts of the island was observable in their sex; and wished to convince us by their significant glances, how much they desired a more intimate acquaintance.

While Mr. Marsden was engaged in conversation with Duaterra, I walked along the beach, accompanied by one of the chief's relations, whose name was Turreeogunnah, a nephew of the late Tippahee. This young man appeared about five-and-twenty, with an open manly countenance, bespeaking at the same time a great deal of playful archness, and a disposition to every sort of humorous mischief. This propensity, however, he was cautious of indulging in my presence, and taking charge of my gun, which afforded him the highest gratification, he led me where I was likely to get a shot at some sea-fowl.

As we proceeded along the shore, I observed a piece of wood stuck in the ground at the foot of a large tree, rudely carved and painted with red ochre. Wishing to ascertain for what purpose it was placed there, I was advancing towards it, when my companion, stopping short and crying out "taboo, taboo" gave me to understand that a man was

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buried there, and desired me not to approach it. With this injunction I thought it right to comply, though on learning what the piece of wood was designed for, my curiosity was still more excited than at first. The word taboo, in the language of these people, means sacred, and the coincidence between rude and civilized nations in venerating the places where the dead repose, cannot fail to be interesting to the man who takes a philosophical and comprehensive view of the human character. From the alarm of the young man who accompanied me, the New Zealanders, it would seem, are particularly observant in this respect, and consider any visit to the grave, after the body has been once laid there and the rites of sepulture performed, as a sacrilegious profanation.

We found several of the natives sitting on the ground in detached groups, and the cooks roasting and beating the fern-root. On seeing me, they did not desist from their labour, but welcoming me with their friendly salutation of haromai, haromai, appeared extremely desirous that I should sit down among them. I did not hesitate to gratify their wishes, while taking a seat and making myself quite familiar, I afforded them the

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greatest pleasure imaginable. Throwing me the fern-root as well as the others, they considered me their guest; and, willing to conform to their habits in this instance, I readily consented to partake of it. This root is to the New Zealanders an invaluable production, as it forms the chief article of their diet, having no idea of subsisting on potatoes or coomeras exclusively, which are considered rather as luxuries that may occasionally afford them a delicious treat, than as food capable of supplying them with their principal sustenance. The fern grows all over this island, so as to cover the greatest part of the land; and from the healthy and vigorous appearance of the natives, I should suppose that its root must impart considerable nutriment. Their manner of preparing it is very simple. After leaving it in the fire for some time to be heated sufficiently, they take it out, and pound it with a mallet till it becomes quite soft, and fit for chewing. Being thus prepared for use, the cooks throw it round in handfuls to the chiefs and other persons, who chew it till all the saccharine or nutritive matter is extracted; and spitting out the fibrous part, they go on again, and continue

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in this manner till they have satisfied their appetites. The fern-root, when hot, has a pleasant sweetish taste, and on being steeped in water, deposes a glutinous substance resembling jelly.

Leaving these good people still employed in their cookery, I accompanied Mr. Marsden to visit Duaterra's fort, and being joined by the chief himself, we were received with his usual friendly attention. The flag which he had hoisted in honour of us, displayed itself on the summit of this curious garrison, and formed a singular contrast of civilized pageantry to the grotesque devices of untaught barbarism. After inspecting the fortress, in which there was nothing very particular to detain our attention, Mr. Marsden and myself proceeded to pay our respects to the queen, and found her majesty busily employed in making a mat; an unseemly task, the reader may suppose, for the wife of a sovereign prince, but one which her royalty did not despise. She appeared a complete adept in the whole process of weaving; and it was curious to see with what dexterity and quickness she handled the threads, and disposed them all in their proper order. The mat she was making was one of an open texture, and not being

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acquainted with the use of the shuttle, she performed her work with wooden pegs stuck in the ground at equal distances from each other; to which having tied the threads that formed the woof, she took up six threads with the two composing the warp, knotting them carefully together. Though nothing could have been more simple than her loom, it was astonishing how well executed was her performance; and I have now in my possession some specimens of their close weaving, which are highly creditable to their ingenuity. In their open mats the warp is generally about an inch apart, and the texture of the close ones resembles coarse canvas as nearly as possible; the flax, however, of which they are made, has a much finer gloss and more silky appearance than that grown in Europe.

I must here observe, that while we were on shore, the wives of the missionaries came also to pay a visit to her majesty, having landed for the exclusive purpose, and were all very graciously received. There was nothing remarkable in the etiquette of their introduction, the ceremonials consisting of some curtsies and nods on their part, and a few ludicrous gesticulations from the queen.

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who gazed on such visitors with ineffable astonishment.

Being no less pleased with our reception on this than on the preceding day, we returned to the ship, and next morning, December 24th, we witnessed a most showy display of New Zealand splendour. We descried at an early hour a fleet of canoes, crowded with men, making towards the ship, and on their nearer approach recognized our friends Korra-korra, or Governor Macquarie, as he would now be called, and Tui, who, standing up in their canoes with the other chiefs, were brandishing their spears and shouting out their song of defiance.

Our surprise was a good deal excited on seeing the Governor attended by so large a convoy, but we soon discovered that he came in state, in pursuance with a previous understanding between himself and Duaterra, who wished him to bring all his warriors, and make as imposing an appearance as possible, that we might see the full extent of his authority, and also receive this tribute of respect from so important a personage. It had been likewise agreed between them, that for our entertainment, his warriors should oppose those of Duaterra, in a sham-fight;

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and the day very fortunately being serene and beautiful, we anticipated the highest amusement from this interesting spectacle.

The approach of the canoes to the ship was marked with a wild grandeur of the noblest description, and it was impossible to behold the scene without being impressed with the force of its distinctive sublimity. The different chiefs were all standing up with their war mats thrown gracefully over their shoulders, their hair neatly tied in a bunch upon the crown of the head, and ornamented according to the general fashion of their country with the white feathers of the gannet. Their attitudes and gestures, violently impetuous, as if intent on making an immediate attack upon the vessel, might strike the most resolute beholder with terror; and their fierce countenances, farrowed over with hideous punctures all deeply painted with a blue pigment, or quite black, gave a horrible identity to the savage display. The reader, who has never seen man in this state, can form no conception of him from the portrait I have attempted to draw, which falls infinitely short of the terrible appearance with which he presents himself.

The warriors who paddled the canoes

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had taken off their war mats, that they might have the more freedom at their labour, and exerting their brawny arms without intermission, with their spears and other instruments of war placed beside them, they soon worked up along-side.

Korra-korra, the moment he came on board, was willing to shew that he remembered our good offices to him, and was sensible of the value of the presents we had made him, by bringing us some favours in return. I was the first person he approached, and coming up to me in the most friendly manner, he requested I would go with him into the cabin, that I might receive there the presents he had brought me, which consisted of two mats and a war instrument, called hennee, in shape something like a sergeant's halbert, curiously carved at the top, and surmounted with feathers. These I accepted with much pleasure, and Mr. Marsden having received a similar mark of his gratitude, we were both hurried by him into one of the canoes, and very soon paddled to the shore.

Immediately before we landed, the fleet of canoes being ranged abreast of each other, the chiefs recommenced their war song, and

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were joined by the warriors, who stood up brandishing their paddles, and making furious gesticulations. Mr. Marsden and myself were careful in observing every occurrence, and we soon discovered that this was the signal for the sham-fight to begin. The longer they sung, the more violent grew their emotions, while one of Duaterra's warriors, running up and down along the beach with a long club made of whalebone in his hand, shook it at our party in token of defiance, and appeared daring them to leave their canoes. This menacing hero was suffered for some time to pass unnoticed, the fury of our warriors not being yet worked up to the proper pitch: however, it was not very long before this crisis arrived; the war song had now set every nerve in motion, and leaping on shore, impatient for the conflict, they pursued the insulting challenger, who took to his heels the moment they had landed. He retreated, however, only to join the great body of his brother warriors, who were posted in a valley, screened from our view by the skirts of the hill, and lodged as it were in ambuscade.

The general attack was now to commence, and our warriors rushed on with such im-

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petuosity towards the valley, that we found it impossible to keep up with them. But here, in place of being the assailants, their impatient fury was anticipated, for Duaterra sallied forth with his whole band of intrepid followers, and made apparently a violent charge into the very midst of them. The wildest vociferations of savage clamour were now heard from both sides, and Duaterra's party being bravely repulsed for the moment, were pursued by their adversaries, who, with their lances and spears, seemed to threaten their total destruction. This advantage, however, they were not long able to maintain; while the others, rallying with vigorous intrepidity, wheeled round on their pursuers, and obliged them, in turn, to look for safety in retreat. This bloodless contest appeared for a long time doubtful, victory inclining at one period to Duaterra, and at another to his adversary; when, after various manoeuvres of New Zealand generalship, and much terrible fighting, though never dangerous, both sides resolved to put an end to their hostilities, in the same good humour with which they had commenced; and the opposite combatants, joining together in the dance, and war song,

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brought their harmless strife to a friendly conclusion.

From this mock encounter, which was carried on, while it lasted, with impetuous activity, and was an exact representation of their real mode of fighting, we had an opportunity of estimating how formidable these savage warriors must always prove themselves in a serious conflict. Their general plan is, for each individual to single out his antagonist, with whom he engages in furious combat, and continues to fight till one or other of them falls; as neither has any idea of quitting the ground, while he has a drop of blood remaining, unless as the triumphant victor. They always throw the long spear before they come to close attack, when the battle axe and pattoo pattoo are alone employed.

The combatants, on both sides, were nearly equal in point of numbers, Duaterra having about two hundred, and Korra-korra not quite so many; but from the nature of the fight, in which they attacked and retreated, as the business of the entertainment required, and in obedience to their own free will, it was impossible to say which party would

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prove superior in an actual engagement, the appearance of each being equally formidable. Duaterra's men were equipped like their adversaries, and had the same terrible peculiarities of disfigurement, while the two parties formed such an assemblage as the reader would hardly suppose could ever be found among his fellow mortals.

Among those who distinguished themselves by peculiar intrepidity, and were foremost in every attack, I was a good deal surprised to see the Queen of Tippoonah, 1 Duaterra's lady, whose courage, on this day, was eminently conspicuous. This sturdy Amazon, dressed out in the red gown and petticoat she received from Mr. Marsden, and holding a large horse-pistol in her hand, appeared upon all occasions anxious to signalize herself; and superior to the timidity of her sex, displayed in the conflict the most undaunted spirit, rivalling the boldest man in deeds of heroism, and selecting for her an-

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tagonist the most formidable she could find. But from the exertions of her majesty, both in the battle and war dance, or what may not be improperly termed, the play and afterpiece, her plump frame was quite exhausted, and she stood at the conclusion of the entertainment panting for breath, and reeking with perspiration. In this state she was pleased to notice me with a distinguished mark of flattering condescension, by holding out her lips for me to kiss, an honour I could have very well dispensed with, but which, at the same time, I could not decline, without offering a slight to a personage of such elevated consequence. Besides this dauntless Penthesilia, I observed likewise some other female warriors, who joined in the combat with much resolution, and following the example of their queen, exposed themselves in the thickest of the fight, to mimic dangers. From what I discovered, however, I found that it was not a general practice for women in this island to take the field; and that the passion for warlike prowess was only to be found among certain ladies of a more intrepid character than the rest.

The day was now pretty far advanced, and we were reminded by a keen appetite

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that we had not as yet breakfasted; so, leaving the two parties dispersed in groups preparing their fires for cooking, we returned to the vessel.

Immediately after we had done breakfast, Mr. Marsden wishing to make the most of his time, took the boat and went back to the shore; and as he had not apprised me of his intention, I knew nothing about it till he had actually disappeared. On finding he was gone, I instantly resolved to follow him, and got into a canoe that was along-side, in which was the sister of one of our New Zealand sailors, a damsel who dispensed unlimited favours among our people, to whom she was well known by the name of Mary; and was interdicted from any intercourse with the vessel by order of Mr. Marsden. This frail wench was quite indignant at my friend's prohibitory regulations, which prevented her from bartering her charms with our sailors as before; and regarded the wives of the missionaries with "green-eyed" jealousy, believing them, in all probability, the sole cause of her exclusion. Her resentment was visible in her countenance, and she had even gone so far as to expostulate with Mr. Marsden on the injustice of the order he had

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issued, telling him, that the New Zealand women were quite as handsome as those of Europee, and ought to be suffered as well as them to remain on board. Whether Mary supposed that I was a party to this order, and had therefore a spirit of revenge rankling at her heart against me, or was provoked at an inadvertent movement of mine in her narrow canoe, by which I was very near precipitating us both into the water, I know not; but when we had got within five or six hundred yards of the shore, she insisted I should get out and cow cow, (swim,) refusing to paddle any longer. I laughed at her unreasonable demand, and pointed to my clothes, to shew how ill-prepared I was to plunge myself into the water; but she remained firm to her purpose, and obstinately bent on getting me out, would take no excuse. In this dilemma I bethought myself of the surest method to molify her temper; and pulling out some fish-hooks which I happened very fortunately to have in my pocket, they operated at once like a talisman, and the sight of them was enough to make her the most tractable being in existence. She now paddled me on to the shore with smiling alacrity, and I am persuaded, that to obtain

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the fish-hooks, she would have ferried me across the river Styx in defiance even of Charon himself, though that grim waterman had boldly asserted his exclusive privilege.

On my re-landing, I found Duaterra, with some of his people, busily employed in enclosing a piece of ground for a stock-yard; and suspending this useful labour for a while, he turned himself to one of a more noble description, which, as it originated entirely in the suggestions of his own heart, was the more gratifying to his friends, who could trace in it the finest testimonies of his inward worth. Anxious to give the earliest proof of his zealous co-operation in the views of Mr. Marsden, he managed, with some planks and an old canoe, to fit up a place where my friend might perform divine service; and the erection he contrived was an excellent substitute for a reading-desk. At a short distance in front of it were long planks supported like forms, for the Europeans to sit upon, and every thing was in a state of preparation for the ensuing day, when, for the first time, the voice of Revealed Religion was to be publicly raised in New Zealand.

This day, which was impatiently antici-

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pated, soon arrived; and was rendered doubly sacred by being the sabbath, and also the anniversary of that day which gave birth to the Divine Redeemer of mankind. The missionaries, with their families and all the crew, except the captain, who remained on board to take charge of the ship, went on shore at an early hour; and the orderly deportment even of the sailors, who were generally so heedless of religious observances, bespoke the peculiar solemnity of the occasion. As soon as we had landed, Korra-korra drew up all his men and marched them rank and file into the enclosure, where the whole population of Rangehoo had assembled in expectation of our arrival. The chiefs were dressed in their regimentals, with their swords by their sides, and keeping their people in good order, awaited, with becoming silence, the commencement of the service. When we were all seated, Mr. Marsden, dressed in his surplice, ascended the place designed for him, which was covered over with the black cloth manufactured in the country, and began in a solemn and impressive manner the service for the day. The natives being ranged in a circle at a convenient distance within the enclosure, were directed by Korra-korra, with the flourish of

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a cane which he held in his hand, to rise and sit down as we did; and he was not more exact in giving the signal than they were in attending to it. If he saw any of them inclined to talk, he tapped them on the head with his cane, and immediately enjoined silence; but he had seldom any occasion to employ it in this way, as they behaved in general with much more regularity than could be expected from such auditors. When the clergyman had finished the morning service, he addressed himself to his rude congregation, through the medium of Duaterra, explaining to them the great importance of what they had heard, which was the doctrine of the only true God, whom they should be all anxious to know and worship; and should therefore take all the pains in their power to understand the religion that was to be introduced among them. Duaterra was ready enough to act as interpreter in the communication of these "glad tidings;" but to several importunate questions from his countrymen, regarding the minute particulars of the subject, he made no other reply, than that they would be fully acquainted with them at a future time. Splendid temples and costly decorations are not always the most pleasing

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to the Deity; and I should hope that the orisons thus offered up by a few Christians under the open air, and in the midst of their dark fellow-creatures, were as acceptable in his presence, as if poured out witb studied accents in the most magnificent cathedral.

The service ended, we left the enclosure; and as soon as we had got out of it, the natives, to the number of three or four hundred, surrounding Mr. Marsden and myself, commenced their war dance, yelling and shouting in their usual style, which they did, I suppose, from the idea that this furious demonstration of their joy would be the most grateful return they could make us for the solemn spectacle they had witnessed. It was not, however, without feelings of sincere pleasure at the promise afforded by this day, of the future success of the mission, that we stepped into the boat to return to the ship; and the chiefs, with their people, gave us every reason to hope that they might, at no distant period, become as civilized as they were brave, and as enlightened as they were hospitable.

As it now became necessary for the missionaries to lose no time in building their houses, and as the timber district lay at some

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distance on the south side of the Bay, we weighed anchor on the morning of the 26th, and proceeded towards that place with the intention of procuring a supply. But before our departure, we set the natives to work in preparing materials for a temporary structure, which they engaged to erect, and for which Mr. Hall had marked out the ground. That there might be no delay in proceeding with the permanent buildings on our return, the smith and two labourers remained behind, to get up the forge and to burn charcoal.

After sailing about five leagues, we anchored in a spacious cove, at the head of which a beautiful river, called by the natives Cowa-Cowa, discharges itself through a winding channel. On this river the timber is floated down from the interior, and grows on the banks of it in great abundance. I was much pleased with this opportunity of taking so wide a survey of the island, and the ship having anchored on a sandy bottom in seven fathoms water, Mr. Marsden, Mr. Kendall, and myself, got into the boat, to visit a chief of considerable power, who ruled over the district where we expected to get our cargo. With this man the missionaries bad, on their

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former voyage to the island, made themselves acquainted; and from his extensive authority on this side of the Bay, to cultivate his friendship was a measure that might be productive of solid advantages, and at all events was highly necessary.

We landed at the foot of a small village called Corroradikee, where we found this chief, whose name was Tarra, sitting on the ground, and looking, from his years, which were not less than seventy, and his easy and conciliating deportment, like some venerable patriarch in the midst of his people. He welcomed us in a manner that shewed how grateful our visit was to him, and evincing much affectionate cordiality, invited us to sit down beside him, after the ceremony of touching noses was concluded. He told us, he had been apprehensive we should leave the island without paying him a visit, and was evidently jealous of our intimacy with Duaterra, between whose tribe and his own there existed a considerable degree of enmity and rivalship. By some accident or other, he had lost the use of one of his eyes, but this had no effect on his temper, which was always cheerful; and there was a dignified serenity in his manner that was extremely

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prepossessing. Wishing that we should partake of his hospitality, he ordered his cooks to dress some sweet potatoes, which he presented to us with his own hands, and would suffer no other person to take any out of the same basket, nor venture to touch them even after we had done; but directed his people to take them off to the boat, where they were to be deposited as a mark of respect. The ideas which this venerable chief had of courteous deference, were all his own; but many of them, nevertheless, were refined and appropriate.

The repast being over, we proceeded to view his crop of wheat, which he had raised from some seed that the missionaries had given him on their former visit, and we found it all in ear, and apparently in the most flourishing state of vegetation. I must here observe, that this island is highly favourable to the growth of all kinds of European grain, and it were much to be desired that a supply were sent out, as it would not only afford a superior food to the fern-root, but also excite the active industry of the natives.

Tarra, besides his head wife who was nearly as old as himself, had got another in the full bloom of youth, and extremely

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handsome. This lady, whose face was familiar to all the English sailors that happened to touch here, went by one of those arbitrary names which they are so fond of assigning to women of her character; and was called by them Mrs. Goshore, a corruption, it would seem, of the words go on shore, and originating, perhaps, in some alluring request to that purpose on the part of the frail one herself. From the circumstance of having cohabited with a Captain Jones, the master of a vessel from Port Jackson, who had her on board with him for some weeks, she had picked up a good deal of our language, and become much attached to Europeans.

Besides the wheat which the missionaries had given to this chief, they left with him also a cock and a hen, some peas, and a few peach-stones. All these, except the cock and the hen, were in a fair way of increasing the stock; but the latter, for reasons I shall immediately notice, were not likely to leave any of their species behind them. Mrs. Goshore conducted us to the small enclosure where the peas had been planted, and the greater part of them were shooting out in full blossom; while in the same spot there was growing a fine young peach-tree, which looked

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quite healthy and vigorous. She gave us a curious account of the cock and the hen, which, it appeared, had been banished from the village, and sent further up the country, for "high crimes and misdemeanors." The offence which caused the expulsion of the hen, was, that she had forsaken the eggs she had laid, while in the act of hatching them; but this was certainly occasioned by the natives themselves, whose restless curiosity would not let the poor thing remain at ease for a moment, but were continually wanting, as Mrs. Goshore told us, to tickee tickee (see) the eggs; till plagued with their vexatious annoyance, she abandoned the nest altogether. The cock 2 was a much more heinous delinquent, as no place would satisfy him for his roost but the top of a small building which was tabooed, and of course made sacred against the profane touch of all animals, winged or not winged. Here he regularly perched himself, in impious contempt of the awful prohibition, and to the great scandal of the indignant beholders; who, after having driven

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him repeatedly from the mystical edifice, while he as often returned to it, determined at length, as the just punishment of his contumacious sacrilege, to send him into exile.

We now returned to the old chief, and found him weeping, together with two women, over Tommy Drummond, whom, in our absence, they recognized as a distant relative. Nothing can be more natural than to weep from excessive joy; but as there was no close alliance between the parties in the present instance, and as there never had existed any endearing recollections of each other; I cannot take upon myself to determine whether the tears of Tommy's new relations flowed from the emotions of the heart, or came as a matter of course in obedience to the practice of the country. For myself, I should be inclined to doubt their sincerity; and Tommy, who shed some tears on the occasion, did so, not from the impulse of sympathy, but from a notion that he ought to conform to the prevailing custom of his native country.

Being much pleased with our visit to the venerable Tarra, and he equally so, we took our leave of himself and his ladies, inviting him at the same time to come to see us, which he readily promised to do on the first

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convenient opportunity; and departing from his hospitable residence, we rejoined the ship at the mouth of the Cowa-Cowa.

It was on the following day after our return to the vessel, that a spectacle presented itself, the most wretched I ever beheld, and such as ought to be a warning to all offenders against the laws of their country, to forsake in time their abandoned pursuits; and learn, ere they fall into the hands of retributive justice, to observe those moral duties which, in the career of their delinquency, they have so long despised. Two men, whose feeble and emaciated bodies, sinking with famine, bespoke the very last extremes of human misery, came on board, and surrendered themselves to be taken back as prisoners to Port Jackson, having more the appearance of walking spectres than of material beings composed of flesh and blood. These unfortunate wretches were recognized by the missionaries as two convicts who had made their escape from the Active, in her last voyage to this island; having been previously transmitted to her from the James Hay, a vessel from Port Jackson, in which they had secreted themselves, and which, being then bound for England, touched at

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the Bay of Islands at the same time with the Active, when the fugitives were discovered. The captain had them delivered up to the missionaries to be taken back to the colony; but rather than be obliged once more to visit the place to which their crimes had first doomed them, they were willing to attempt any enterprise, however precarious or desperate. Having therefore contrived to get away from the ship, they ran into the woods, with the view of depending for their support on the casual hospitality of the savage natives, as they had been disappointed in returning to that country whose protection they had forfeited.

But in their expectations of a friendly reception among the New Zealanders, they were very much deceived; and their hideous state of nudity, having only the remains of an old mat tied round the waist, which served but to make their misery still more apparent, and the death-like paleness that each of them displayed in his ghastly countenance, afforded the plainest evidence of the sufferings they had endured. For this state of deplorable wretchedness they were, however, very ill-prepared, considering the sedentary pursuits in which they had been engaged before their malpractices had banished them

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from England; one having been a tailor in London, and the other a shoemaker. Being curious to learn what sort of treatment they had experienced among these people, that could have reduced them to a condition so painful to behold; we found, on inquiry, that it had been such as might reasonably be expected, and that no charge of inhuman severity could be imputed to the natives, as, by their own account, they had been in a great measure themselves instrumental to their miseries. A reward being offered by the missionaries for their apprehension, the people became aware of their characters, and also of the crimes for which they had been transported, (theft;) and this, though it had not the effect of getting them taken, excited against them a considerable degree of prejudice. Though many of the New Zealanders make no scruple to steal whenever they have an opportunity, yet, by a strange anomaly, tungata tihi, or thief, is a term of the greatest reproach among them, no epithet being considered more disgraceful. In addition to this, the fugitives not being willing to work, but flattering themselves with the idea that, as white men and Europeans, they would be looked up to by the rude natives as beings of

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a superior order; and living by the industry of others, could spend their time in exalted laziness, while even the chiefs would come to offer them the tribute of their profound respect; had by such vain expectations only deceived themselves, and made their miseries more certain. This delusive presumption tending but to make them completely obnoxious, by increasing in every mind the prejudice already existing against them; they soon found that all the hopes they had so fondly indulged, were chimerical; and that they must either work for their bread like the meanest of the natives, or suffer all those privations which they afterwards experienced. The chiefs told them very plainly, that if they worked but little, they should have but little to eat, ittee ittee workee workee, ittee ittee kiki; and not choosing to accommodate themselves to active exertion, and dreading, from the temper of the natives, who had been provoked by their unseemly arrogance, that they might be inclined to put them to death, and make a meal of their bodies; they thought it best to withdraw from the place, and retiring to a solitary cave, lived there by themselves, subsisting upon the fern-root and whatever else they could procure,

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But while they remained here, the same alarming terrors of being attacked and murdered were continually before them; and rather than be subject any longer to such a state of terrible suspense, they preferred coming out from their seclusion, and throwing themselves on the protection of Tupee, the brother of Tarra, who possessed sufficient authority with the natives to defend them from the violence they apprehended. This chief received them with much kindness, and did not hesitate to guarantee their safety; but stipulated at the same time that they should not be idle. They were therefore obliged to work at whatever employments he thought proper to allot them, and suffered very frequently from the malignant dislike in which they were held by the cooks, who took every opportunity of withholding the portion of food that had been ordered for them by Tupee. When the chief himself happened to be present, they always had enough, and their food consisted of dried fish, potatoes, and fern-root, but chiefly of the latter. The natives, though having plenty of pigs, never killed any, except on some few particular occasions; and the fern-root, as a staple article of diet, had entirely superseded

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every other. Tupee used to take the fugitives with him to work at a farm he had in a remote part of the interior, and they were ready to acknowledge, that his treatment to them in these excursions was always humane and liberal. The tailor, however, fared much better than his companion; for, having very luckily brought a pair of scissars with him in his flight, he made himself generally useful to the natives, by acting as hair-cutter to the whole tribe; a service which, though it could not obliterate his offence, raised him in their estimation considerably above his fellow-convict, and procured him very often some partial indulgences.

But these wretched men, on their getting on board, did not seem to have experienced the least difference of treatment, for both were equally miserable in the figure they presented; and I sincerely wished at the time, that every youthful profligate in London and elsewhere, had an opportunity of seeing them.

Mr. Kendall was well acquainted with the father of one of these unhappy victims of juvenile depravity, a respectable and wealthy tradesman in London. I remember myself to have seen him, while we were lying at

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Spithead, come on board the Spencer convict ship, to take leave of his unfortunate son, with all the anguish of an afflicted parent depicted in his countenance. Thus it is that vice not only entails inevitable calamity on the wretch who pursues it, but extending its baneful effects to the innocent, causes many a virtuous heart to feel the most poignant sufferings; while the ties of kindred, too strong to be broken by disgrace, are for ever after held together in shame and in sorrow.