and goats ; and if some effectual means of diminishing
this pernicious breed is not soon
resorted to, the island will be cleared of every
other quadruped. Goats were beginning to
increase, and the craggy heights round the
bays formed a favourite retreat for these interesting
wanderers. Captain Duke put himself
to great expense and trouble, and effected
tbe importation of some sheep from Van
Diemen’s Land; but the dogs soon destroyed
them all.
Our friend George generally paid us a visit
after the business of the day was over, and
took a cup of te a; wine or grog he detested:
so, while he sipped his beverage, we lit our
pipes, and managed, with our slight knowledge
of his language, together with his imperfect
English, to keep up a sort of conversation.
Sometimes this was rather wearisome;
but occasionally it became interesting in the
extreme. He told us that, when Captain
Cook touched here, he was a little child; but
that his mother (old Turero, who was then
with him,) remembered his coming well.
The French navigator, Marion, he recollected
perfectly j and made one of the party that
murdered him and his people. His observation
was, <£ They were all brave men; but
they were killed and eaten.”
He assured us that the catastrophe was
quite unpremeditated. Marion s entire ignorance
of the customs of the New Zealanders
occasioned that distressing event: as I have
before observed, that strangers, not acquainted
with their religious prejudices, are likely to
commit some fatal error; and no action is
more likely to lead a party into danger than
an incautious use of the seine ; for most of
the beaches (best suited for that purpose) are
taboo’d. This led to the dreadful fate of
Marion and his party. I understood from
George, that when Marion’s men assembled
to trail their net on the sacred beach, the
natives used every kind of entreaty and remonstrance
to induce them to forbear; but
either from ignorance or obstinacy, they persisted
in their intentions, and drew their net to
land.
The natives, greatly incensed by this act of
impiety, vowed revenge; and the suspicions
l 3