time only can develope; but as these enterprising
men had only their own industry to
assist them, it could not be expected that
their establishment could bear a comparison
with the one at E. O. Racky, which is sup«
ported by several of the most wealthy merchants
of New South Wales.
As the river became narrower, the habitations
of the natives were more numerous.
The chief of this district (whose name is Pa-
tioni) has a splendid village very near the
carpenters’ establishment we have just described.
He had taken these industrious men
under his especial protection, and seemed
very proud of having a settlement of that kind
in his territories, as it gave him power and
consequence among all the neighbouring chiefs,
from the trade he carried on by means of their
exertions.
Pationi had likewise induced the Wesleyan
missionaries to settle upon his land, about a
mile below; so that the head of this river
assumed quite the appearance of a civilised
colony.
Our party now disembarked. We landed
in a dense forest, which reached to the water’s
edge; and our guides and slaves began to
divide the loads each was to carry on his back.
Several joined |u s} from the two English stations
on the river, and we then amounted to
a very large party; all in high spirits, and
anxious to proceed on our journey. When
our natives had distributed the luggage, they
loaded themselves, which they did with both
skill and quickness; for a New Zealander is
never at a loss for cords or ropes. Their plan
is, to gathei; a few handfuls of flax, which
they soon twist into a very good substitute;
with this material they formed slings, with
which they dexterously fastened our moveables
on their backs, and set off at a good trot,
calling out to us to follow them.
We travelled through a wood so thick that
the light of heaven could not penetrate the
trees that composed it. They were so large,
and so close together, that in many places
we had some difficulty to squeeze ourselves
through them. To add to our perplexities,
innumerable streams intersected this forest,
which always brought us Europeans to a com