Nothing could exceed the delight manifested
by our New Zealanders as we sailed
up Port Jackson harbour; but, above all, the
windmills most astonished them. After dancing
and screaming with joy at beholding them,
they came running and asking me “ if they
were not gods.” I found they were inclined
to attach that sacred appellation to most
things they could not understand: they did
so when they first became possessed of their
piuskets; and actually worshipped them, until
they discovered how soon they got out of
repair, and then, notwithstanding all the
prayers they could bestow upon them, they
would not mend again of their own accord.
Our Chief from the Thames, who had a
great idea of his own dignity, commenced
adorning his person, as he felt convinced
the Governor would instantly grant him an
audience when he came on shore. All our
lamps were emptied to add a more beautiful
gloss to his hair and complexion; his whole
stock of feathers and bones were arranged to
the greatest advantage. He at length became
quite enraged, when he found that he was
allowed to sit two days on our deck, amongst
all manner of dirty porters and sailors, without
either being visited or sent for; and he
was loud in his reproaches to us for having
deceived him. We certainly were to blame
in having induced him to believe we had any
influence with the Governor; for however
politic we (who had lived in New Zealand)
might think it, to pay some attentions to these
simple savages, his Excellency, unfortunately,
thought otherwise; and though the Chief, attended
by his followers, used to sit in the
varanda at Government House from morning
till night, the Governor never once deigned
to speak to them, and they were, in consequence,
constantly coming to me with complaints.
At length they told me, that unless
they obtained an audience from our Chief)
they should consider it so great an insult
that they would revenge it upon all the
Europeans they could get into their power;
and I, well knowing that several families were
settled in that part of the country wherein
this man was Chief, thought it my duty to let
the Governor know, that, however he might
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