method of New Zealand warfare, proposed
that each party should send away all their
muskets and ammunition, and engage manfully
with their own native weapons; and
then it could be easily proved which were the
“ best men . but this mode of settling the
dispute, not being agreeable to the majority,
was instantly negatived, «(nd treated with disdain.
The colony of Scotch carpenters, who had
formed a settlement at the head of the river,
and of whom I made *«. honourable mention”
on my first journey, finding themselves so close
to what they feared might become the seat of
war, and having no means whatever of defending
themselves, made an arrangement with
Mooetara, the chief of Parkunugh (which is
situated at the entrance of the same river), and
placed themselves under his protection. They
accordingly moved down here, which gave
great satisfaction to that chief Neither could
their former protector, Pationi, feel offended
at their removal, from the peculiar nature of
the circumstances they were placed in. These
hardy North Britons were delighted to find a
reasonable excuse for moving ; their former
establishment being situated too far from the
sea for them to reap any advantage from ships
coming into port. Nothing can be more gratifying
than to behold the great anxiety of
the natives to induce Englishmen to settle
amongst them: it ensures their safety ; and no
one act of treachery is on record of their having
practised towards those whom they had invited
to reside with them.
Mooetara is a man of great property and
high rank ; and is considered a very proud
chief by the natives : yet he is to be seen
every day, working as hard as any slave in
assisting in the erection of houses for the accommodation
of his new settlers. He has
actually removed from his old village of Parkunugh
(a strong and beautiful place), and
is erecting huts for his tribe near the spot
chosen by his new friends ; so that, in a very
short time, a barren point of land, hitherto
without a vestige of a human habitation, will
become a thriving and populous village ; for
it is incredible how quickly the orders of these
chiefs are carried into effect. I was fre