THE JOURNEY TO HOKIANGA.
We journeyed on all day by a road I had never been before, my attendants
evidently taking by-paths to avoid meeting stragglers or runaways. I was
well laden, having to carry my musket and my basket of provisions; and
each of my men, in addition to the loads I had placed on his shoulders,
bore a basket of potatoes. Once or twice, during our route, we saw some
persons at a distance, and I was sorry to notice the great alarm it
occasioned to my companions, as I now had every reason to apprehend,
that, in case of danger, they would slip off their burdens, make their
escape, and leave me and my baggage to my fate, which the missionaries
had told me they considered a thing very likely to happen. Once we heard
a great firing of muskets, which I afterwards ascertained to be the _feu
de joie_ fired at the first meeting of the chiefs, at their grand
assembling in the neutral village.
At night, we arrived safe at Patuone's Village, where I had slept on my
first journey across the island; but it now presented a very different
appearance to what it had done then; instead of the tumult I had formerly
heard, all was silence; the numerous families then there, all fully
occupied, were exchanged for a few old surly-looking slaves, and the
huts were all deserted. The inhabitants, in consequence of the rumour of
approaching war, having betaken themselves to one of their fortified pas,
I had no alternative but to pass the night with these suspicious-looking
creatures, who, feeling themselves beyond the control of their cruel
masters, soon gave way to their own vile passions, and became most
impertinent and intrusive--taking every advantage of my loneliness to
indulge their curiosity and familiarity.
On my arrival, I had deposited my things in one of the empty huts, and
spread my bed, hoping to enjoy the luxury of a few hours' repose after
the fatigue and great anxieties of the day; but these fellows would force
themselves into the hut I had chosen, where they lighted a fire, and sat
chattering around it all the night long. Finding that I did not appear
alarmed at their intrusion or noise, they kept doing everything they
could think of to rouse my fears. They threatened to break open my
portmanteau; and one old wretch sharpened his knife, and made motions as
though he were going to cut my throat and eat me. I knew my only chance
of safety was not to betray any sign of apprehension; so I forced a
laugh, and made them believe I considered their tricks an excellent joke.
I gave them all my tobacco to keep them in good humour; but I passed a
most miserable night, nearly suffocated with smoke, distracted with their
noise, and annoyed by vermin of every description.
I was most happy when daybreak gave me an excuse for leaving these brutal
savages, and resuming my journey. Every step I took brought before me
proofs of the horrors of war: villages which had been crowded, were now
entirely desolate, and, in many instances, burned to the ground. On that
spot where I had left a party of enterprising Scotchmen busily employed
in sawing timber, with crowds of natives assisting them, all was quiet
and totally deserted, with the exception of a few nearly starved,
wretched-looking dogs, who, hearing someone approach, came out, and tried
to bark at us, but were too weak to utter a sound.