RECEPTION BY THE NATIVES.
As the arrival of a ship is always a profitable occurrence, great
exertions are made to be the first on board. There were several canoes
pulling towards us, and from them a number of muskets were fired, a
compliment we returned with our swivels; one of the canoes soon came
alongside, and an old chief came on board, who rubbed noses with Captain
Kent, whom he recognised as an old acquaintance; he then went round and
shook hands with all the strangers, after which he squatted himself down
upon the deck, seeming very much to enjoy the triumph of being the first
on board. But others very soon coming up with us, our decks were crowded
with them, some boarding us at the gangway, others climbing up the chains
and bows, and finding entrances where they could. All were in perfect
good humour, and pleasure beamed in all their countenances.
I had heard a great deal respecting the splendid race of men I was going
to visit, and the few specimens I had occasionally met with at Sydney so
much pleased me, that I was extremely anxious to see a number of them
together, to judge whether (as a nation) they were finer in their
proportions than the English, or whether it was mere accident that
brought some of their tallest and finest proportioned men before me.
I examined these savages, as they crowded round our decks, with the
critical eye of an artist; they were generally taller and larger men
than ourselves; those of middle height were broad-chested and muscular,
and their limbs as sinewy as though they had been occupied all their
lives in laborious employments. Their colour is lighter than that of the
American Indian, their features small and regular, their hair is in a
profusion of beautiful curls, whereas that of the Indian is straight and
lank. The disposition of the New Zealander appears to be full of fun and
gaiety, while the Indian is dull, shy, and suspicious.
I have known Indians in America from the north to the south--the
miserable, idiotic Botecooda of Brazil, the fierce warrior of Canada, and
the gentle and civilised Peruvian, yet in their features and complexions
they are all much alike. I observed their statures altered with their
different latitudes; the Chilians and the Canadians being nearly the
same, in figure tall, thin, and active, their climate being nearly the
same, although at the two extremes of America; while those living between
the equinoxes are short, fat, and lazy. I am persuaded that these South
Sea Islanders, though so nearly of the same complexion, still are not of
the same race, laziness being the characteristic of the American Indian
from north to south, while the New Zealanders are laborious in the
extreme, as their astonishing and minute carvings prove. The moment the
Indian tasted intoxicating spirits his valour left him, he became an
idiot and a tool in the hands of the white man. Here they have the utmost
aversion to every kind of "wine or strong drink," and very often severely
take us to task for indulging in such an extraordinary and debasing
propensity, or, as they call it, "of making ourselves mad;" but both
nations are equally fond of tobacco.
The first thing which struck me forcibly was, that each of these savages
was armed with a good musket, and most of them had also a cartouch box
buckled round their waists, filled with ball cartridges, and those who
had fired their pieces from the canoes carefully cleaned the pans,
covered the locks over with a piece of dry rag, and put them in a secure
place in their canoes. Every person who has read Captain Cook's account
of the natives of New Zealand would be astonished at the change which has
taken place since his time, when the firing of a single musket would have
terrified a whole village.
As we sailed up the river very slowly, the throng of savages increased to
such a degree that we could scarcely move, and, to add to our confusion,
they gave us "a dance of welcome," standing on one spot, and stamping so
furiously that I really feared they would have stove in the decks, which
our lady passengers were obliged to leave, as when the dance began each
man proceeded to strip himself naked, a custom indispensable among
themselves.
We came to an anchor off a native village called Pakanae, where two
chiefs of consequence came on board, who soon cleared our decks of a
considerable number. We paid great attention to these chiefs, admitting
them into the cabin, etc., and it had the effect of lessening the noise,
and bringing about some kind of order amongst those who still continued
on deck. The names of these chiefs were Moetara and Akaeigh, and they
were the heads of the village opposite to which we had anchored. They
were well known to our captain, who spoke their language. They were
accustomed to the society of Europeans, also to transact business with
them; and as they were flax, timber, and hog merchants, they and the
captain talked over the state of the markets during the evening. They
were clothed in mats, called Kaka-hoos. The ladies joined our party at
supper, and we spent a very cheerful time with our savage visitors, who
both behaved in as polite and respectful a manner as the best educated
gentlemen could have done; their pleasing manners so ingratiated them
into the good opinion of the ladies, that they all declared "they would
be really very handsome men if their faces were not tattooed."
The next day we received a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Butler, English
people, who had taken up their residence here for the purpose of trading,
and we returned with them on shore, taking our female passengers with us,
and leaving them in charge of Mrs. Butler. I determined to stroll through
the village, which is, in fact, a collection of rude huts, huddled
together without system or regularity. Dock leaves and weeds of every
description were growing luxuriantly all round them, and in many places
actually overtopping the houses, few being more than four feet high, with
a doorway about two feet. Scarcely any of them were inhabited, as at this
season of the year the greater part of the population prefer living in
the open air to remaining in their small, smoky ovens of houses.
I had not rambled far before I witnessed a scene which forcibly reminded
me of the savage country in which I then was, and the great alteration of
character and customs a few days' sail will make. The sight to me so
appalling was that of the remains of a human body which had been roasted,
and a number of hogs and dogs were snarling and feasting upon it! I was
more shocked than surprised, for I had been informed of the character of
the New Zealanders long before my arrival amongst them; still, the
coming suddenly and unexpectedly upon a sight like this completely
sickened me of rambling, at least for that day, and I hastened back to
Mr. Butler's, eager to inquire into the particulars of the horrid
catastrophe.
That gentleman informed me that the night of the arrival of our ship, a
chief had set one of his kookies (or slaves) to watch a piece of ground
planted with the kumara, or sweet potato, in order to prevent the hogs
committing depredations upon it. The poor lad, delighted with the
appearance of our vessel, was more intent upon observing her come to an
anchor than upon guarding his master's property, and suffered the hogs to
ramble into the plantation, where they soon made dreadful havoc. In the
midst of this trespass and neglect of orders his master arrived. The
result was certain; he instantly killed the unfortunate boy with a blow
on the head from his stone hatchet, then ordered a fire to be made, and
the body to be dragged to it, where it was roasted and consumed.
It was now time to return on board, and we walked down to the beach for
that purpose, but it was quite low water, and the boat was full two
hundred feet off. She lay at the end of a long, slimy, muddy flat, and
while we were debating how we should manage to get to her, the native
chiefs took up the females in their arms, as though they were children,
and, in spite of all their blushes and remonstrances, carried them to the
boat and placed them safely in it, each seeming to enjoy the task. They
then returned and gave us a passage, walking as easily with us upon their
backs as if we had been no heavier than so many muskets. We took care not
to shock the feelings of the females by letting them know the tragedy so
lately acted in the village, or horrify them by telling them that one of
their carriers was the murderer! It would have been difficult to have
made them believe that such a noble-looking and good-natured fellow had
so lately imbrued his hands in the blood of a fellow creature.
We had now been lying here two days, and the curiosity of the people did
not diminish, nor were our visitors less numerous. Parties were hourly
coming up and down the river to pay their respects to our captain, and
the report of there being numerous passengers on board greatly increased
their desire to hold intercourse with us. They all appeared anxious to
make themselves useful, some chopping wood for our cook, others assisting
the steward, in order to get what might be left on the plates, others
brought small presents of fish; in fact, all availed themselves of any
excuse to get on board; yet, notwithstanding the crowd, and the confusion
attending their movements, there was scarcely any thieving amongst them.
They have seen the detestation that theft is held in by Europeans, and
the injury it does to trade, and have, in consequence, nearly left it
off. None but the meanest slaves will now practise it, and they do so at
the risk of their lives; for, if caught in the act, and the charge is
proved against them, their heads are cut off!