144 Transactions. 



For these services he was made by the King of France a Chevalier 

 of the Legion of Honour, and received a pension of 4.000 fr. 

 a year. The account of his adventures, and of this search, 

 is of the most enthralling kind, and was published in 1829, 

 followed by a French translation in 1830. 



Returning from this digression, a period of thirtv-one vears 

 elapsed between the visit of Labillardiere in 1793 and that 

 of Lieutenant Duperrey in 1824. But during this period New 

 Zealand had been rapidly emerging from her age-long obscurity. 

 Not only was that faint figure on the map — so like a note of 

 interrogation— which Tasman had allotted to her now replaced 

 by her true position and shape, but the rough whalers and sealers 

 were around her coasts, and for ten years Mr. Marsden and 

 his missionaries had endeavoured to introduce to her the blessings 

 of the Gospel and civilisation, but, alas ! so far with but little 

 success. Duperrey commanded the corvette " La Coquille " 

 during her voyage round the globe, and he spent a fortnight 

 of April in the Bay of Islands, which was the rendezvous of 

 vessels for rest and refreshment. Unfortunately, the history of 

 this portion of his visit was not included in that magnificent 

 work published by the French Government descriptive of the 

 voyage. The atlases contain, however, eight fine plates of the 

 Natives, their implements, &c, and view of the mission premises 

 at Kerikeri. This deficiency is, however, the less to be regretted, 

 being greatly supplied by some personal observations of M. 

 Dumont D'Urville, a junior officer of the expedition, to whom 

 later reference will be made, and a geographical memoir on 

 New Zealand by M. de Blosseville, also a junior officer. Both 

 were most assiduous in collecting information from whaling 

 ■captains, Natives, and other sources, Math the result that much 

 curious and valuable information not met with elsewhere is 

 given on many points. D'Urville describes the secrecy and 

 mystery with which a chief entered his cabin, carefully shut 

 "the door, and then produced from under his mat a beautifully 

 tattooed head, which he offered to sell for a little gunpowder. 

 With great delight he told its story, and pointed out its beauties, 

 showing where and how the fatal blow had been delivered, and 

 where a dog had made off with part of the jaw, beside a few 

 other similar details ; but, as no sale was effected, the chief 

 declared that he would restore the head to the tribe with which 

 he was at war, and so restore peace — another way of offering 

 the olive branch. Whilst the sailors revelled in the haka and 

 other dances of the women, the chief viewed them with sovereign 

 disdain and contempt. But let there be a war-dance, his aspect 

 changed at once, and he could no longer preserve the dignity 

 and constraint he imposed on himself in the presence of his 



