THE SETTLEMENT AND TRADE OF HOKIANGA.
On April the 14th, our brig being stored with planks, flax, and potatoes,
and ready for sea, I went on board of her. We had fine weather till we
dropped down to the entrance of the river, where we intended taking in
our stock of water for the voyage, when the scene suddenly changed, and a
severe gale came on, right out to sea, which we could not avail ourselves
of; neither could we get the water off, as our rafts of casks got adrift
in the attempt to get them on board. To add to our disasters, one of our
cables parted, and we had to ride out the gale (of two days' continuance)
with one only, the sea rolling heavily right open before us, and we in
momentary expectation of the remaining cable's going; we had not a single
day's allowance of water on board, and at one period all hands (except
the carpenter and passengers) were out of the brig, on shore, filling the
casks. Fortunately for us, the cable proved a tough one; had it parted,
we should have been in a most perilous situation.
April 20th.--For the last week we were stationary at the river's mouth,
waiting for a fair wind to carry us over the bar; and during that time
there was no appearance of any change; we also heard that vessels had
been detained here for six weeks before they could accomplish it. We
were visited daily by parties of natives, who seemed to rejoice at our
being delayed, as it gave them more of our company than they had
calculated upon. They were more delighted with our society than we were
with theirs; in a small vessel they are a serious nuisance, on account of
the swarms of vermin they bring with them, and which they communicate
liberally to all. Myself and all the passengers on board had our leisure
time fully occupied in dislodging these "little familiars" from their
strongholds in different parts of our apparel.
During the time we were lying here, I saw and conversed with several
individuals who had attended the "Great Meeting," and their accounts gave
rise to various opinions respecting the policy of supplying the natives
with firearms. As I had always been an advocate for the measure, I was
gratified by hearing that it was thought to be in consequence of each
party's being possessed of a nearly equal quantity of muskets, that a
general and exterminating war was avoided. Some may suppose that similar
tranquility would have been preserved, had they been equally well
supplied with their native weapons of war; but that would not have been
the case. When they found that each party could furnish forth the same
number of European muskets, they paused, well knowing that it was
contrary to the wish of all the white settlers that they should proceed
to hostilities. Indeed, Europeans intrepidly mingled amongst them, urging
them to a reconciliation, and threatening that, if they failed in their
endeavours, the supplies of arms and ammunition should be discontinued.
This threat had its desired effect on the minds of the natives; no blood
was spilt, and each chief returned quietly to his own home.
On the night we heard of the death of George and his wife, "Revenge and
war" was the universal cry. His party would not believe that it could be
an accident, nor would they hear of any apology being received. At this
time they imagined the tribes of Hokianga were possessed of but very few
firearms; and, as the skirmish took place in that district, it was
determined that an exterminating war should be carried into the heart of
it. However, before all the preparations could be made to carry their
intentions into effect, they received certain information that the people
of Hokianga were even better supplied with muskets than those of the Bay
of Islands. This intelligence occasioned an assemblage of the different
tribes to be proposed, and when it took place the friends of George saw
their opponents so well prepared for the "tug of war" that they deemed it
judicious to come forward and to shake hands and to acknowledge that the
death of Shulitea proceeded either from accident or mistake. A curious
circumstance took place in the midst of their debate. An old chief, who
wished for a fight, and did not approve of the introduction of firearms,
but was an advocate for the old method of New Zealand warfare, proposed
that each party should send away _all_ their muskets and ammunition, and
engage manfully with their own native weapons, and then it could be
easily proved which were the "best men;" but this mode of settling the
dispute, not being agreeable to the majority, was instantly negatived,
and treated with disdain.
The colony of Scotch carpenters, who had formed a settlement at the head
of the river, and of whom I made "honourable mention" on my first
journey, finding themselves so close to what they feared might become
the seat of war, and having no means whatever of defending themselves,
made an arrangement with Mooetara, the chief of Parkunugh (which is
situated at the entrance of the same river), and placed themselves under
his protection. They accordingly moved down here, which gave great
satisfaction to that chief. Neither could their former protector,
Patuone, feel offended at their removal, from the peculiar nature of the
circumstances they were placed in. These hardy North Britons were
delighted to find a reasonable excuse for moving, their former
establishment being situated too far from the sea for them to reap any
advantage from ships coming into port. Nothing can be more gratifying
than to behold the great anxiety of the natives to induce Englishmen to
settle amongst them; it ensures their safety; and no one act of treachery
is on record of their having practised towards those whom they had
invited to reside with them.
Mooetara is a man of great property and high rank, and is considered a
very proud chief by the natives; yet he is to be seen every day working
as hard as any slave in assisting in the erection of houses for the
accommodation of his new settlers. He has actually removed from his old
village of Parkunugh (a strong and beautiful place), and is erecting huts
for his tribe near the spot chosen by his new friends; so that, in a very
short time, a barren point of land, hitherto without a vestige of a human
habitation, will become a thriving and populous village, for it is
incredible how quickly the orders of these chiefs are carried into
effect. I was frequently a witness to the short space of time they took
to erect their houses; and, though small, they are tight, weather-proof,
and warm: their storehouses are put together in the most substantial and
workmanlike manner.
It is very difficult to make the New Zealanders explain the nature of
their religious belief. One superstition seems general with all the
tribes respecting the formation of the world, or, rather, of their own
island, for that is the place of the first importance in their
estimation. They say a man, or a god, or some great spirit, was fishing
in his war-canoe, and pulled up a large fish, which instantly turned into
an island; and a lizard came upon that, and brought up a man out of the
water by his long hair; and he was the father of all the New Zealanders.
Almost all their grotesque carvings are illustrations of this idea in
some way or other. The favourite theme on which (I observed) the
missionaries discoursed to them were "the torments of hell." This has
become a subject of ridicule to most of the natives; they do not deny
that there may be such a place, but they add, it is not for them, for if
Atua had intended it so he would have sent them word about it long before
he sent the white men into their country; and they conclude by stating
that they know perfectly well the situation of the island where they are
to go to after this life.