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without shuddering. Being told in the evening, that “ before
morning their house would be in flames and that “ stones
were heating for the oven in which they themselves were to be
cooked,” was a quieting farewell, from a mob of angry natives,
on more than one occasion. But Mr. King always found
a trusty friend in a chief, whose name has been often noticed—
‘ Waripoaka.^’ I met him near the house, in company with a
young chief, whose sense of propriety was so delicate that he
would not appear before Mrs. King, because he was not dressed
‘ well enough !’ Waripoaka was satisfied with his own attire,
and went with us. To my prejudiced eye, the dress of the
young man, a mat, or mantle of the country, loosely wrapped
around a fine figure, appeared far more suitable than the longtailed
old coat, thread-bare pantaloons, and worn-out hat, which
utterly disguised and disfigured the old chief
Mr. King'’s son talked of his sheep, and I found that though
not more than eighteen or twenty, he was already a farmer,
possessing land and a flock of sheep. Returning hy a different
route, we landed upon an island lately bought from the natives
hy two persons who had been masters of whale-ships.
This island, purchased for a trifling price, will become very
valuable, as the trade to the Bay of Islands increases; and I
regretted to see a spot of such future consequence in the hands
of men, whose verbal attacks upon the missionaries, and illiberal
aspersions of Mr. Busby’s character, disgusted me so much
that I had hardly patience to make the inquiries which were
the object of my visit; or to wait while Mr. Baker told them
of a plan which was in contemplation among the settlers, for
the prevention, or at least restriction, of the sale of spirits.
Such men as these, strongly prejudiced, deaf to reason, and
too often habitually vicious; run-away convicts, whose characters
may he imagined ; and democratic seceders from regular government,
cause the principal diificulties against which honest,
upright settlers, and the whole missionary body, have to contend.
One of the men, whose share in the property of the island
I have been regretting, was partly intoxicated while we were
with him; but Waripoaka, who accompanied us, significantly
warned me of his state as I entered the house.
24th. I went with Mr. Baker to a, scattered village, called
Cawa-cawa. Leaving the ship early, we followed the windings
of an estuary which forms Kororareka Harbour, until its shores
contracted it to the limits of a fresh-water river. Three good
houses on the eastern shore, lately built by respectable English
settlers, attracted our notice in passing; and afterwards the
‘ Pah’* of Pomare,# a well-known chief, appeared like a cattle-
enclosure upon a hill. Pomare is the man who killed and ate a
part of his female slave, when Mr. Earle was there ; he has
still large possessions, and had larger, but has sold much for
ammunition, muskets, and spirits. His honourable office at
this time was that of supplying the numerous whale-ships
which visited the harbour with his slaves ; and he found such
an employment of his female vassals answer better than the
horrible one well described by Mr. Earle. Dismal alternative !
On board each of the ships we passed there were many of
these women; but before we notice the ‘ mote,’ let us consider
the great ‘ beam,’—think of what our own seaports were in
times of war, and be charitable to the South Sea Islanders.
Pomare was heard to say that his son would be a greater
man than liimself: and the New Zealanders in general are impressed
with the idea that their sons will be better, or greater
men, than themselves.
The estuary, or arm of the sea, whose windings we were
following, forms an excellent harbour for ships not larger than
third-class frigates; or to speak in a more definite manner,
for those which do not draw more than seventeen feet of water.
On each side the land rises to five or six hundred feet, sheltering
the anchorage without occasioning those violent squalls
alternating with calms, that are found under the lee of very
high land, over which strong wind is blowing. As far as I
know, there are very few shoals or banks in the wide space
which forms the inner harbour. A slight stream of current and
* Or Faa; by Cook called Hippab.
t This chief said that his father had adopted the name of ‘ Pomare,’
because he had heard of a very distinguished warrior at Otaheite, who
bore that appellation.
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