racter that reminded us forcibly of the savage
community we were with. Occasionally we
met groups of naked men, trotting along
under immense loads, and screaming their
barbarous songs of recognition; sometimes
we beheld an uncouthly carved figure, daubed
over with red ochre, and fixed in the ground,
to give notice that one side of the road was
tabooed. An extraordinary contrast was now
presented to our view, for we came suddenly
in front of a complete little English village.
Wreaths of white smoke were rising from the
chimneys, of neat weather-boarded houses.
The glazed windows reflected the brilliant
glow from the rays of the setting sun, while
herds of fat cattle were winding down the
hills, lowing as they leisurely bent their steps
towards the farm-yard. It is impossible for
me to describe what I felt on contemplating
a scene so similar to those I had left behind
me.
According to the custom of this country,
we fired our muskets, to warn the inhabitants
of the settlement of our approach. We arranged
our dresses in the best order we
could, and proceeded towards the village.
As the report of our guns had been heard,
groups of nondescripts came running out to
meet us. I could scarcely tell to what order
of beings they belonged; but on their near
approach, I found them to be New Zealand
youths, who were settled with the mission;-
aries. They were habited in the most uncouth
dresses imaginable. These pious men,
certainly, have no taste for the picturesque ;
they had obscured the finest human forms
under a seaman’s huge clothing. Boys not
more than fifteen wore jackets reaching to
their knees, and buttoned up to the throat
with great black horn buttons, a coarse checked
shirt, the collar of which spread half way over
their face, their luxuriant, beautiful hair was
cut close off, and each head was crammed into
a close Scotch bonnet!
These half converted, or rather half covered
youths, after rubbing noses, and chattering
with our guides, conducted us to the dwellings
of their masters. As I had a letter of introduction
from one of their own body, I felt not
the slightest doubt of a kind reception; so we
d 4