LOADING SPARS AT HOKIANGA.
About nine the next morning we reached the Kerikeri River; and, it being
Sunday, the members of the mission met us on landing, and used all their
endeavours to prevent our travelling on that day; but, independent of the
urgent necessity of our reaching Hokianga, the captain of our vessel, who
was with us, being particularly anxious to return on board, we continued
our journey, and at night came to a bivouac in a dense wood, so that we
now had the luxury of stretching our weary limbs on dry ground. The next
day, as we journeyed towards the river, we fell in with all our old
friends, who inquired into the particulars of our adventures, and seemed
highly delighted at our return.
We found "all right" on board the brig; but as she was chartered to go to
Tongataboo I and my friend Shand determined to remain at New Zealand till
her return. Our principal difficulty seemed to be which side of the
island we should make choice of for a dwelling-place. When it became
known to the natives that we intended to remain with them, several chiefs
came and offered us their protection; and each would have built us a
house, but we preferred making our sojourn at the Bay of Islands. We were
often at a loss how to evade the kind importunities of our savage hosts
without giving them offence. "Is not our country as good as
theirs?"--"Are you not as safe amongst us?"--"Are we not as willing and
as capable of protecting you as Shulitea?" These were the arguments they
used; and, finally, we were obliged to inform them that we had a friend
and countryman (Captain Duke) settled on the other side, who was
preparing a house for our reception. On being informed of this
circumstance they consented to part with us, though evidently with great
reluctance.
While we lay here the ship Harmony, of London, Captain Middleton, arrived
from Sydney for a cargo of spars. So large a vessel entering the port put
the whole district into commotion; and when the chiefs understood the
nature of her wants, and had seen the fine double-barrelled guns and
store of powder to be given as payment for the wished-for freight, they
hastened to the woods, and the axe was soon laid to the roots of the
trees. I saw them pursuing their laborious employ with alacrity. In a few
days a sufficient number of fine logs came floating down the river to
load the ship, and they were all cleared in a workmanlike manner, ready
to stow away. The chief things to induce these people to work are
firearms and powder; these are two stimulants to their industry which
never fail.