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Wesleyan Mission in New Zealand.

had accompanied them to the colony, sailed in October, 1827, for 'Hokianga. They landed at Wahion, a spot not far from Patuone's residence, and about thirtytwo miles from the mouth of the river. Here they remained several months, but have since found it necessary to remove about six miles down the river, to a place called Mangungu, where they are now occupied in erecting a suitable dwelling, and forming a regular establishment. Their intention is to visit all the tribes within their reach, for the purpose of instructing them in the momentous truths of Christianity, and to take under their immediate care and tuition as many of the native youth as they may be able to accommodate and support, some of whom it is hoped may hereafter become useful assistants in teaching their own countrymen.

The following extracts from a journal kept on the spot, though not intended to give a complete account of the proceedings of the mission, will nevertheless exhibit some of the difficulties attending the first formation of a missionary settlement in such a country as New Zealand; they will present also an engaging view of the sentiments and manners of its inhabitants, and the principal political events that have recently taken place among them. Such a view of a people, who live at our doors, with whom we have already begun to form commercial connexions of some magnitude, and who are now gradually emerging, through our instrumentality, from their ancient barbarism, cannot fail of exciting a general and powerful interest!-

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go to war, we shall have no love for you, but if we turn, our backs upon you and go away, then we shall think of you with affection; and when we return home, should we find you all well, we shall exclaim, E! ko to tatou pakeha E! Oh! our white people, Oh! Should we be killed, then you will mourn for us. Should you be killed by a strange party, then we shall exclaim, Aue! tai kua mara a tatou pakeha! Alas! our white people are killed!"

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15th. Tepapatahi brought a native mat this morning, as a compensation for his fault in having quarrelled with us on Saturday. He informed us that his son died two days ago, and that the Mitingari's Atua, Missionary's God, had brought him back to life again. "Kua Mitingaritia taku tama iti.” “My son is become a missionary," said he; come, and hear what he says, and, if he talks as you do, then your God is in him." This young man was reported yesterday by the natives to have been bewitched by us. We went to see him, and found him apparently in a state of mental derangement. As we approached him, he stared, and uttered incoherently, "Jesus Christ," but in such a manner as scarcely to be understood by an European. He mentioned also a hea then divinity, whose name is Baba. On our asking who Baba was, he replied, "The God that turned the world upside down." The natives have a tradition that the world was once turned over. said, that he had been up in the sky, and had come down again, and that what we taught on religious subjects was very good. Tepapatahi inquired if this was the "sacred day," for, said he, "he is determined to observe it like you." As the natives attached great importance to what he said, and believed it to be from God, we tried to discover whether he had been on board a ship, or at the mission station. "The knowledge I have is derived from the God that is in me," replied the man, "I have had no intercourse with ships." On our return home, we met several natives, who were full of inquiry concerning the "Mitingari," as they called him.

He also

1827, Nov. 13th. After dinner, Matangi, Patuone, Warerahi, and others, who have a military expedition in view, came and sat near our hut. We spake to them on the evils of war, but our arguments made no impression upon them; all our remonstrances and advice were unavailing. Matangi said, "There is 'Honghi; he has lost the use of one arm; yet he is going to battle again; and by and by, when he has lost the other, he will go with his shoulders only." This declaration he accompanied with a peculiar and appropriate gesture, which of itself would almost have conveyed 18th. Being Sunday, we visited Horohis meaning. They asked us of our origin, eke, the native name of the place where but could not allow that our forefathers Messrs. Raine and Browne's establishment were once as Uncivilized as themselves. is situated. It is seven miles from WaiKnowledge, they thought must have been hou, and twenty-five from the mouth of the coeval with our race. "What is the rea- river. Our object was to collect the Euroson," "said one, that many of those New peans, and hold divine service. We found Zealanders who have lived with you, and this impracticable, but spoke on religious have been taught to read when young, have subjects to those we met with. The counafterwards become as warlike in their dis- try we passed over between Waihou and position as any other of us. If we do not Horoeke consists chiefly of bluff hills,

Wesleyan Mission in New Zealand.

thickly covered on one side with timber. On the side facing the river they are more gradual in their slope, and more sterile. From their base to the stream, which in some places is nearly a mile, there is a swamp, thickly studded with bulrushes. The effluvia that are exhaled at low water, from the sides of the river, which are low and muddy, are exceedingly disagreeable and noxious.

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hut with his hatchet, and then ran off towards the new fence, where he vented his fury by cutting a bundle of spare fencing. He then seized one of our axes and ran off with it, saying, that should be the hutu or payment for what he had done. Taonui affected to be very angry with him, and called him the son of an angry parent.

21st. Taonui again brought his party to be paid; but we told him that the axe which was taken away yesterday, and also a spade that was missing, must first be returned. He said this was unreasonable; but finding that we were inflexible, both the articles were soon produced, and deli

Patuone and Nene his brother were at Horoeke. They said that before Europeans came to New Zealand, the natives generally lived to a greater age than they do now. This was to refute what we had asserted as to "eternal life" being vouch-vered to us. After having paid Taonui safed to them that embrace the gospel. They understood the term in its gross sense, and said it was good to live till their bones were rotten, and not die young. Having corrected the misapprehension, Nene said, Ka mea au kia ora tonu ki tenei ao kaia koutou e haere mai ai. I thought you came here that we might live for ever. He also said, if one New Zealander should come from the dead, and tell the same story that we did about heaven and hell, he would believe.

19th. Tepapatahi requested us to go again to see his son. At our former visit, supposing him to be deranged, we gave him some medicine. This had the effect of composing him to sleep. His friends thought he was dying, but we found him better in mind, though exceedingly languid in body. His family and friends manifested the most tender solicitude on his behalf. His wife, with an infant at her breast, was most disconsolate.

20th. Taonui, who had engaged to put a fence round the house which Patuone's slaves are building for us, was requested to employ ten men. In the New Zealand language there is the Te kau taki tahi, the single ten, and the Te kau taki rua, the double ten. Intending to overreach us, he took advantage of this ambiguity, and employed Te kau taki rua, double ten, and came this afternoon to say, that the party wished to be paid. We did not notice the error in the number, knowing what excuse he would make; but on examining the fence, we found it was not fastened in the usual manner; upon which we signified our determination to have it properly fastened, before we should pay for it. The party that had been employed to do the work became highly enraged, and threatened to go and cut it all down, which we gave them full liberty to do. Taonui's brother stripping himself naked, made two or three blows at the fence of our present

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and his fencers, Patuone's slaves refused to do any thing more at the house till they were paid also. We referred the matter to Patuone, who advised us to pay them, and promised to send two more men to finish the house. He asked with great concern whether any thing unpleasant had occurred yesterday, as he had heard that we had been robbed. The conduct of this chief, as a New Zealander, has hitherto been kind and honourable; but his brother Nene had the audacity to ask us to-day for a hutu or payment for the place on which our present temporary dwelling stands. He made this demand on the plea of wharfage, Kia penei,' like Port Jackson, said he. We spoke to him with so much warmth on the baseness of this claim, that he said he would not call at our house for a long time, as he saw we were offended with him.

24th. This last week we have been anxiously searching for a situation on which to fix our permanent abode. Patuone has pointed out to us a place called Toke, which possesses some advantages, but the labour which would be requisite to make it at all commodious is more than we could accomplish; and after all, its tenure would be somewhat precarious. There are several good sites for a mission station to be found, but they do not belong to Patuone. The place on which we now reside is low and liable to inundation, but we have sometimes thought of overcoming these natural disadvantages by building upon piles. However, we cannot yet finally determine, and are much perplexed as to what we should do.

From 'Honghi Nehe, Tepui's son, who is living with us, I have learnt many interesting particulars respecting Wangaroa. Matapo's breast was picked by one of the meanest slaves in our valley. That part of the Ngatehunu, the Wangaroa tribe, that still remain there, are living in a state of servile subjection to Honghi Hika.

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Wesleyan Mission in New Zealand.

26th. I went across the river to see a native who is suffering from the catarrh, which has prevailed universally here for the last fortnight. Many are reduced to a most distressing condition by it, and having no correct idea of the cause, they fancy that the white man's God is afflicting them. They say to us "No koutou tenei taru," this evil disease is from you. Every disorder they attribute to the agency of some divinity, either native or European. Their sufferings are greatly aggravated by the total disregard of all counteractive precautions. Instead of soothing the cough, the slightest tickling sensation in the throat will make them bellow like calves, and thus by straining and irritating the tender organs of respiration, a simple cold often lays the foundation of an incurable disease.

28th. Patuone, who is still unwell from the catarrh, spent an hour or two with us to-day. On our presenting to him two large glass ear-drops to put in his ears, he inquired whether king George wore such. Being told that he did not, "Why then," said he, "do you think I should wear them?" He shewed us a fine Meri, a small native weapon, made of green talc, which he said he was keeping for the Rev. Samuel Marsden.

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30th. On speaking this evening to Tepapatahi, and Tewaiti, two chiefs, on the rotundity of the globe, one of them said, Per haps it is true, perhaps not, but Honghi knows, for he has been in England."

December 2d. I visited some of the Wangaroa tribe, who, on the dispersion of that people, fled hither for refuge. Amongst these was Tepui, our old chief, with his family, from whom we have had several visits. One of the natives complained that since the white people came among them, they had been afflicted with disorders to which they were strangers before; that their god ate out their breasts, but did not always kill them; but as for this he-he, this dizziness of the head, it was quite insupportable. And, added Ngahuruhuru, "Ka tae nei anati koutou ka tae hae ki ta koutou te," you have just begun to be stingy with your tea.

13th. We have been again seeking for a suitable spot for a mission station. Patuone shewed us several, but all were ineligible. He and his wife, who is in a deep consumption, and whom he brought a day or two ago to introduce her to Mrs. Hobbs, slept all night in the open air.

19th. We went to Horeke, and saw Mr. Clarke, the superintendent of the establishment. He behaved to us with great kindness, and shewed us the instructions he

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had received from his employers. They They are as follows:

"Should the missionaries have settled in our neighbourhood, we wish you to shew them every attention and civility on our behalf, and to afford them every assistance in your power; and for any work you may do for them, keep an account, and take their bill for the amount on the treasurer of the society here.

"With respect to the conduct of the establishment, we trust you will be able to keep it as regular and orderly as possible; and to this end it would be well to limit the issue of spirits, never giving to any man at one time sufficient to produce a bad effect.

"We request a particular attention to the strict observance of the Sabbath: this has in one or two instances been broken; but never again for the sake of expediting any work of ours, let this be the case.

"The sawyers and carpenters too must be expressly forbidden to work for themselves, as some of them have hitherto done, on that day. We can by no means allow it. The ensign hoisted on that day must be understood to proclaim our wishes in this respect. (Signed)

"THOMAS RAINE. "GORDON D. Browne." "To Mr. Clarke, Superintendent, "Horeke,

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Hokianga." These very excellent and liberal instructions, lay us under very considerable obligations, and demand our most grateful acknowledgments to the gentlemen from whom they emanate. Muriwai was at Ho reke: He said, "Do you like Waihou? You will be overflowed with water as soon as it rains heavy. Is it a good thing to be insolent? The natives of those places are most insolent, where they eat nothing but fern root. If you have but one chief to protect you as you had at Wangaroa, you will experience the same fate as you did there. As soon as the natives of the Bay of Island appeared, Tepui ran off, and left you to shift for yourselves, and you became the spoil of plunderers. If you wish to be safe, secure the friendship of all the chiefs, by giving them liberal presents."

19th. At our return home from Horeke, we found that every one was talking of

war.

A large party of the Ngapui are reported to be on their way from Wangaroa, to seek satisfaction from Ngahuruhuru, for having sold his daughter to a white man, after she had been betrothed to a relative of Honghi's.

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Wesleyan Mission in New Zealand.

20th. Patuone told us it was true that a party of fighting men were coming, as we had heard yesterday. He advised us to remove a mile and a half further up the river, where he himself now lives, and where several Scotchmen, who once belonged to the New Zealand Company's establishment, together with some runaway sailors, are also residing. He said that in case of an attack we should not be safe here. We expostulated with Patuone against the practice which prevails among the chiefs, of selling their daughters to Europeans for muskets and powder. "But," said he, "if I keep my daughter unpolluted, will King George send me powder and muskets, the things I want so much?" In reference to Ngahuruhuru, he said he acted wrong, because he had broken a New Zealand law, in having disposed of his daughter to one man, when she was engaged to another. I accompanied Patuone to his house, and found his wife rapidly hastening to her dissolution. One side of her face was much swollen, and her countenance was very ghastly. After conversing with her, I prayed in the native tongue to the Father of the spirits of all flesh, compassionately to regard this immortal being, on the eve of launching into eternity. My heart sinks at the sight of so many souls, on the right hand and on the left, perishing for lack of knowledge. "Awake, O arm of the Lord, put on strength!" I gave some medicine and a white shirt to the dying woman. She wishes to die in the shirt, that, as she says, her spirit may be clothed in white. O! when shall New Zealanders, "clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands, cry with a loud voice, Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb!"

21st. This morning the natives were all in great consternation, it being reported that a party was coming to murder Tepui secretly. Muriwai and several of his people, all armed, came up the river, as he said, to our help, fearing we might be in danger. "E mea," said he, "te mitiagari ma tana paraikiti ahau e waka mahana i te 'hau," the Missionary is a good thing, his blanket will keep me warm from the wind. "Na ra nei," added he, "i meatu apau ra e mea kine te rangatera kotahi ;" See, did not I tell you it was a bad thing to have but one chief? He declared the natives here would not treat us as they did at Wangaroa, but would fight for us till death. He and his party stationed themselves near our house all night, to protect us. While I am writing this, at

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10 o'clock P. M., I can hear Huru and Muriwai in close conversation on national politics. Several muskets were fired just now down the river, which circumstance has likewise set Ngahuruhuru in motion.

22d. Tepui narrowly escaped death the night before last. A hostile party, who came to murder him treacherously, were prevented from accomplishing their design, by his having accidentally removed from his usual sleeping place. Patuone told us this morning, that he had spent all yesterday in endeavouring to track this party in the woods, but he found it impossible. They sometimes fell into detached parties, and having proceeded some distance, they reunited into one body; having travelled for a while in this manner, they would again spread themselves into small parties, so that no definite track could be followed. this manœuvre they baffled and eluded their pursuers. As I was conversing with Patuone, an alarm of war was given. He instantly started at the sound, exclaiming, kua pai te huake nei emarama! that is, the report of a war party, is it not? and in the same moment, throwing off his dress, he ran off with all speed for his musket.

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December 23. Tepui came this evening. He is a perfect picture of anxiety and fear; he declared that for several nights he had slept upon his knees, leaning on his musket; he eats his food in the same state of trepidation and alarm, sitting behind a tuft of reeds to screen himself from observation, and holding his musket in one hand, while he eats with the other. A party of Tehihutai, the salt nose tribe, arrived to-day to protect him.

26. A man named Horu came over from Wangaroa, to demand from Ngahu. ruhuru the musket he had received for his daughter. His appearance excited the suspicion of Tepui, who thought he was come as a spy, and declared he would shoot him.-"Make haste about it," said Horu. "Why should I not come to spy you out? Do you think the Ngapai, (Honghi's tribe,) will ever let you rest?"

27. Patuone's principal wife died this morning. He sent to us for some nails to fasten the coffin, in which she is to be buried. It is made something like a box, so as to allow of her being placed in the usual sitting posture of the New Zealand dead. We found at Patuone's residence many who had come to condole with him. We all went across the river, and proceeded to a small bank, where the corpse was placed. Being covered with a new blanket, and having the head oiled and dressed in feathers, and the face concealed,

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Wesleyan Mission in New Zealand.

it had every appearance of a living person. An old woman sat near it weeping. She repeated an extemporaneous song of the good qualities of the deceased, and amongst other things, mentioned our having given her a blanket, and such like matters. Patuone, though a lion in battle, was melted down to deep distress. The tears rolled down his cheeks, and he joined with the old woman in singing the virtues of his lamented partner. I have never before seen, even in New Zealand, a more affecting display of real sorrow. We could not help mingling our feelings with those of the mourners. It is remarkable, that in these effusions of grief, they address themselves to the dead body, as if the person were still living, and knew all they said. Patuone seemed gratified by our visit, and requested us to come again to-morrow. Captain Clarke fired several great guns on this occasion.

29. A lamentable accident occurred this morning. The body of Patuone's wife was to be removed to the wahi tapu, or sacred place, which ceremony was to be distinguished by the firing of the guns at Messrs. Raine and Browne's establishment. A rash young man, named Ka, loaded a blunderbuss very heavily, and beat a stick into the mouth of it, till it was tightly jambed in, thinking by this means to make a very loud report. The natives warned him of the danger, and told him that if he fired he would certainly hurt himself; but his pride would not permit him to acknowledge his folly, or hesitate to fulfil his intention. The result was, that the piece burst, and a large fragment entered his thigh, and broke the bone. Still persisting in his bravado, he only laughed at the affair; but in less than four hours he died. This young man was somewhat remarkable, as a New Zealander, for the urbanity of his manners.

1828, Jan. 7. A few days ago, it was reported that 'Honghi was dead. But we ascertained to-day that the rumour was not true. It appears that his son had been eating some narcotic fruit, the effects of which, it was thought by the natives, would prove fatal.

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is centrical, and will enable us to visit without difficulty all the tribes of 'Hokianga. The spot we have pitched upon has a beach about 20 yards wide, to which a boat can come either at low or high water. From this beach the ground gradually rises to about 60 feet, and runs on that level to the northward, over a much larger extent than we shall ever require to occupy. It commands a fine prospect; to the south-east for about 12 miles, and to the north-east for about 5 miles, there is a beautifully diversified landscape; in front there is a fine river, which, at high water, is a mile wide, and where a vessel of 400 tons may lie within a hundred yards of our house. The land is timbered, but not heavily; and there is sufficient perfectly clear, on which to commence building. It is at present the property of Hekemete, and Wanekana, two near relatives of Patuone. We saw them yesterday, and had the boundary line pointed out; they have agreed to take blankets and hardware, as the hutu, or payment.

26. Nothing pleases Patuone so much as to talk to him about fighting. His eyes instantly begin to sparkle, and he expatiates with great fluency, either on his own exploits, or those of his friends. He told me to-day, that his father had been in upwards of a hundred engagements, in all of which he had distinguished himself by killing the first man, and conquering the chief; that he never fought without being wounded, but neither wounds, nor loss of blood, could chill his heroism; and that, if compelled to flee, he was always seen covering the retreat. He spoke of Taonui, the brother of Muriwai, in the most degrading terms. He said that once, when slinking in the rear, he shot his own nephew by mistake, and that whenever his party were beaten, he was always seen a long way off ahead, making the best of his way to a place of safety ;—" last to fight, first to run.'

27. A party from the Bay of Islands, who came over last week, stole, on their return, two male slaves, belonging to Ngahuruhuru, and a musket they had with The circumstance so power-them. The 'Hokianga natives view this as fully affected 'Honghi, whose family losses have been severe, that he resolved, in case of his son's death, to shoot himself. This we found to be the origin of the report.

19. We have at length found a suitable place for a permanent station. It is called Mangungu, and is about 6 miles from Waihou, in a north-westerly direction, and one mile from Messrs. Raine and Browne's establishment. Its situation

a great insult offered to them. Ngahuruhuru and his son, with two others, are gone to recover the spoil; otherwise a large body would have immediately marched off to Wangaroa, to demand its restoration, by robbing their comera plantation, when he was shot. As soon as the report of this young man's death reached the Bay of Islands, it was resolved that it should be revenged; and with this view, 400 fighting

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