Note K, page 23.

On the 1st January we left the Bay in the Mission Schooner "Columbine"; on the 4th we anchored inside of Tauranga harbour (under Maunganui), and remained on shore till the 12th, visiting the various pas there—Maungatapu, Otumoetai, &c., in which were a great number of Maoris some of whom I had formerly seen at Paihia. Here I gained some curious information from old priests. On the 12th we recommenced our voyage, and landed at WHarekahika (Hicks' Bay) on the 16th, there we found Te Houkamau, one of the principal Chiefs of the East Coast district, with a number of his people. I should, perhaps, here mention, that on our leaving the vessel, (which was to proceed to Poverty Bay and there await our arrival overland, by the Coast,)—the steward and others cried! saying "They should never see us again!" Such was their opinion of the East Coast Maoris (from the East Cape Southwards), who had long borne a bad name for being treacherous to shipping and to seamen visiting their shores. From Hicks' Bay we travelled on by the Coast to the Valley of Waiapu; astonished at several things both natural and artificial we there saw. 1. the large amount of grassy plains and hills wholly unknown at the North: 2. the immense size and strength of their war pas, closely filled with houses: 3. the great number of the people, all healthy. We also noticed the absence of some of the commoner and picturesque trees of the North,—especially the shore-loving Maanawa (= Mangrove), and the Pohutukawa; the Kauri, too, was not seen inland in the forests.

We halted at Rangitukia, a very large and well-built pa, where we stayed a few days. Soon after our tents were pitched in an open space or square within it, we found that we could not get outside for any purpose! the Maoris were page 44 so numerous, forming a compact mass of many hundreds-men, women, and children,—all eager to satisfy their curiosity and see and observe the White-man! At last we were obliged to appeal to the head chief, to have a way of egress and ingress left open to us, and he repeatedly spoke to his people, but in vain; the foremost ranks being hemmed in by those in the rear; (for all the world such as I had formerly seen in a dense London mob.) At length, and as a last resource, the Chief threw off his fine dress mat garment, and went naked to work! rushing up and butting like a ram against the people, who were soon tumbling all of a heap on all sides—mainly from the fear and dread of being touched by his head, which, of course, would make them tapu (= sacred) for a season, and so be attended by disagreeable consequences of privation to themselves. However he succeeded in clearing a way for us,—though many high words followed, used by other chiefs of note who were also overthrown pell-mell in the melee!

From Rangitukia we went further up the Waiapu Valley to WHakawhitira, a very large pa, the largest by far that I (or we) had ever seen. Its fence was also three-fold, the massy and combined outer one being twenty-five to thirty feet high; its main posts consisting of entire and straight trees; denuded of their bark, with large carved full-length human figures painted red on their tops,—of these figures there were above a hundred. During our stay there, we measured, by stepping, one of the sides of this pa, and found it to be more than a mile in length! and the huge carved figures we ascertained to be more than six feet high, with their heads fully and deeply tattooed;—this we proved from one that had been broken off and fallen, and placed upright below its big post I took a sketch of this pa (as I had also done of Rangitukia) which I still have.

While at Tokomaru (the large pa at the North end of that bay), being tired of cliff climbing and beach walking! (there being no footpaths nor tracks along the coast from one pa to another,) we gladly accepted the offer of the chiefs to take us by canoe to Uawa (Tolaga Bay); so, one morning we left Tokomaru pa in a big canoe well-manned; but the sea rose high before we had gained the southern headland of the bay, and for some time it was doubtful whether we should] be able to round it—or ever land again, for we were in great danger. Apart from our perilous situation, it was truly a magnificent sight! to see those big ocean billows breaking on the rocks around, and our little bark threading her winding way in the hollows between them. The chiefs, seeing the danger, held a short consultation, whether to go on or to attempt to return to Tokomaru; I believe they would have page 45 returned, but they feared to attempt turning the canoe in the great swell we were in lest it should be upset. I was never more impressed with the admirable skill at navigation possessed by the Maori! how readily the rowers (or paddlers) obeyed every command given by the skilled steersman, and how regularly and ably they wrought! The chiefs, too, and the Kai-tuki (= singer of canoe-songs—which is done both to encourage the paddlers and to enable them to keep time,) retained their standing positions in the canoe and never flinched! On grounding the headland we landed in a delightful little cove, called Te Mawhai, having a curious looking high pillared rock just at its entrance, and there launching a still bigger canoe (which was hauled up high and dry and protected under a long covered shed,) we started afresh for Uawa. On arriving at the bar at the mouth of the river, most of our crew jumped overboard and holding-on took us over the bar in safety. I need not remark how glad we were to get safely on shore; not merely on account of the dangers we had passed, but from being cramped up in the canoe during our very long day's paddling—I suppose quite forty miles! While stopping here I conversed with old chiefs who had seen Capt, Cook and his ships when at anchor here in this bay.

I may also mention, that all along the Coast, in many places, we saw small rafts hauled up above high-water mark, each being eight or ten feet long and three or four feet wide, composed of only a few small poles, roughly and distantly but very strongly lashed together with open spaces between them. On these the East Coast Maoris went out to fish in deep-water, one on each; and also, (when opportunity offered) to a ship with a pig, or two, fastened to the raft! They said, these rafts were quite safe, more so indeed than a small or middle-size canoe, as there was no danger of upsetting.

We were nearly a fortnight in reaching Poverty Bay from our leaving the ship, and great was the joy of our shipmates when they saw us! having given us up. After staying some time at this bay, visiting its neighbouring pas and villages, we left on our return to the Bay of Islands, visiting also Tauranga (a second time) and the upper Thames (Waiheke, &c.,) on our voyage back.—

I have already mentioned my bringing back with me to Paihia nine youths and young men for Instruction, &c.; two of them became useful pressmen, and served well in the Printing-office. At that period the Rev. Dr. John Dunmore Lang (of Sydney), arrived at the Bay, where he stayed some time on the opposite shore of the harbour; during which he once visited the Mission Station at Paihia. It so happened that I alone was at home on that day and so received him at my house; he sat some time with me, made several page 46 enquiries, and partook of refreshments; when he expressed a wish to see the Printing-office, of which he had heard; on our going thither and entering it, he manifested great astonishment and pleasure at seeing the two young Maori pressmen at work, and that, too, by themselves alone in the office. I mention this little incident here, because when Dr. Lang published his account of his visit to the Bay of Islands, be not only said a few unkind things in it of the Church Mission in the Bay, (which he had gathered from the idle and their associates at the port of Kororareka,) but he also carefully abstained from mentioning this circumstance at which he had showed so much satisfaction, or even alluding to it!

I may further remark, that one of those young Maoris learned to write before that he could read! and so, sometime) wrote to his relations and tribe down South. Maoris in our Station School generally learned to read well (beginning with A) in six months; they privately diligently conned their one book in spare hours and in wet weather. In the reading classes in school there was generally great attention and emulation shown to catch one of the older scholars making a mistake—and so taking him down, to which they always good-humouredly submitted.

Another circumstance I should also mention, as forcibly showing the great power of the mind and feelings (superstitions imagination) over a strong healthy man. And this, I have ever believed, is the root of that fearful power formerly so very prevalent among them, and so greatly dreaded, under the name of maakutu (= deadly spells and witchcraft); of which even Settlers of to-day have also heard something. Not very long after our return to the Bay of Islands, a serious epidemic suddenly became common, among Whites as well as Maoris and some of the former and many of the latter died after only a very short illness. The attack began with common feverish symptoms, severe headache and determination of blood to the head, soon followed by swelled and sore throat, which quickly carried off the sufferer. I myself was attacked, and indeed brought very low—all but entirely given up! Mr Maori lads (now eleven in number) were all naturally very anxious about me, and scarcely cared to cook food for themselves, or to eat; at the same time they were all well and had escaped this sickness. On the last day of my very severe illness, when it was known that the crisis was at hand; can of those young men whom I had brought from Tologa Bay,—a stout, strong, healthy, able, fearless Maori,—who was much attached to me,—fully believed that I should die that night; he would not be consoled by nor even listen to the Missionaries present, neither by the Doctor, Ford, who also attended page 47 closely on him, and by the next morning he, poor fellow! was dead,—and the unfavourable crisis was also passed with me. Dr. Ford always maintained, that there was nothing whatever ailing him physically, on the contrary he was perfectly healthy; it was solely the effects of his imagination!! in which I concurred. Possibly, had he been allowed to see me, in my bed, he might have recovered. I have also known of cases somewhat similar occurring among the Maoris; but this is the more striking from the fact, that it was not the fear of maakutu falling on the sufferer himself, but on another to whom he was attached.—