202 NEW ZEALAND. 



black and matted with filth, and when asked how 

 it came to be so dirty, lie replied, with surprise, 

 " Do not you sec it is an old one?" Some of the 

 men have shirts ; but the common dress is one or 

 two large blankets, generally black with dirt, which 

 are thrown over their shoulders in a very inconve- 

 nient and awkward fashion. A few of the princi- 

 pal chiefs have decent suits of English clothes, but 

 these are only worn on great occasions. 



December 23d. — At a place called Waimate, 

 about fifteen miles from the Bay of Islands, and 

 midway between the eastern and western coasts, 

 the missionaries have purchased some land for ag- 

 ricultural purposes. I had been introduced to the 

 Rev. W. Williams, who, upon my expressing a wish, 

 invited me to pay him a visit there. Mr. Bushby, 

 the British resident, offered to take me in his boat 

 by a creek, where I should see a pretty waterfall, 

 and by which means my walk would be shortened. 

 He likewise procured for me a guide. Upon ask- 

 ing a neighbouring chief to recommend a man, the 

 chief himself offered to go ; but his ignorance of 

 the value of money was so complete, that at first 

 he asked how many pounds I would give him, but 

 afterwards was well contented with two dollars. 

 A\nien I showed the chief a veiy small bundle 

 which I wanted carried, it became absolutely ne- 

 cessaiy for him to take a slave. These feelings of 

 pride are beginning to wear away ; but formerly a 

 leading man would sooner have died than under- 

 gone the indignity of canying the smallest burden. 

 My companion was a light, active man, dressed in 

 a dirty blanket, and with his face completely tat- 

 tooed. He had formerly been a gi'eat warrior. 

 He appeared to be on very cordial terms with Mr. 

 Bushby, but at various times they had quarrelled 

 violently. Mr. Bushby remarked that a little quiet 



