THE LAW OF RETALIATION.
This affair was scarcely terminated, when we found that another of a
still more serious nature was likely to arise from it and would threaten
the peace of both villages. When King George sent his messenger to inform
Atoi of the infidelity of his wife, the infuriated husband assaulted the
man, and it was rumoured that he had killed him. This was an offence not
to be forgiven, and George was so exasperated by it that he vowed he
would exterminate the whole of Atoi's tribe. A native, however, arrived
with the intelligence that the man was not dead, but only wounded. This
did not seem to allay George's feelings of resentment, and he instantly
made great preparations for war. When our anxiety was wound up to the
utmost, we were greatly astonished to see Atoi and all his friends
approach our settlement, totally unarmed. George went out to meet them,
looking so full of rage that I thought Atoi stood but a slight chance for
his life. After a great deal of violent pantomimic action and grimace,
the apology offered by Atoi was accepted, and the visit was concluded by
a grand war-dance and sham fight performed in their best manner. King
George, in the fulness of his heart at this complete restoration of
friendship, gave a great feast of kumaras and fish, to which we added
some tobacco; and the whole of the party seated themselves by each other
with the utmost sociality--a convincing proof that animosity is not long
an inmate of their breasts.
I took every opportunity of inquiring into the nature of their laws and
mode of government, and I found that, in general, their method of
redressing wrongs was very summary, and that their ideas of what was
strictly just were, for the most part, simple and equitable. For any
theft, or offence of that sort, committed by one tribe on another, the
parties are called to instant account. If one native takes from another
any part of his possessions, the party injured has a right to retaliate,
and the party retaliated upon must not make the slightest resistance. We
ourselves experienced a proof of this. Some part of our property, which
we supposed had been destroyed by our late fire, we had been told was to
be found in the hut of a neighbouring chief. We one day took advantage of
his absence, searched the hut ourselves, and discovered our things
carefully deposited therein. Thus assured of the fact, we laid our
complaint before King George, who, after hearing our story to the end,
replied, "Well, my friends, you must go to the hut and take away all your
property, and whatever else you may find, which you may think sufficient
payment for the injury you have received." We accordingly proceeded to
the chief's dwelling, whom we found standing at his door. We charged him
with having robbed us, and entered the house to seize our property. He
held down his head, and seemed ashamed and overpowered at this discovery.
He did not attempt to vindicate his conduct, but quietly allowed us not
only to take away all that had belonged to us, but likewise a musket and
double-barrelled gun, which he concluded he had lost for ever. These we
had only taken away temporarily to deter him from theft in future, for a
few days after we brought them back to him, to his infinite delight and
astonishment.
I was frequently shocked during my residence in this country by the
number of accidents which continually happened to the natives from
gunpowder, and not even the saddest experience could render them more
careful. We were doubtful of the strength of a French fowling-piece we
had, so we loaded it to the muzzle and discharged it, in order to prove
it. Some young chiefs, who saw us do this (approving of this method), as
soon as they returned home loaded a musket in the same manner, and then
discharged it; but not managing the affair as we did--by means of a
string fastened to the trigger--the piece burst, and mangled two of them
dreadfully, and we got greatly blamed for showing them what was
considered so bad an example.
A few months since a native came from the interior driving a quantity of
pigs to barter for powder; he obtained several pounds' weight, and set
off to return home. On his journey he passed the night in a hut, and for
safety put the bag of powder under his head as a pillow; and as a New
Zealander always sleeps with a fire close to him, the consequence was, in
the course of the night the fire communicated to the powder, and
destroyed the man and the whole of his family, who were journeying with
him.