452 CHARLES DARWIN 



the short space of two years, annihilated in this northern 

 end of the island, the New Zealand species. In many places 

 I noticed several sorts of weeds, which, like the rats, I was 

 forced to own as countrymen. A leek has overrun whole 

 districts, and will prove very troublesome, but it was im- 

 ported as a favour by a French vessel. The common dock 

 is also widely disseminated, and will, I fear, for ever remain 

 a proof of the rascality of an Englishman, who sold the seeds 

 for those of the tobacco plant. 



On returning from our pleasant walk to the house, I dined 

 with Mr. Williams; and then, a horse being lent me, I re- 

 turned to the Bay of Islands. I took leave of the missionaries 

 with thankfulness for their kind welcome, and with feel- 

 ings of high respect for their gentlemanlike, useful, and 

 upright characters. I think it would be difficult to find 

 a body of men better adapted for the high office which 

 they fulfil. 



Christmas Day. In a few more days the fourth year of 

 our absence from England will be completed. Our first 

 Christmas Day was spent at Plymouth; the second at St. 

 Martin's Cove, near Cape Horn; the third at Port Desire, 

 in Patagonia; the fourth at anchor in a wild harbour in the 

 peninsula of Tres Montes; this fifth here; and the next, I 

 trust in Providence, will be in England. We attended divine 

 service in the chapel of Pahia; part of the service being 

 read in English, and part in the native language. Whilst at 

 New Zealand we did not hear of any recent acts of canni- 

 balism; but Mr. Stokes found burnt human bones strewed 

 round a fire-place on a small island near the anchorage ; but 

 these remains of a comfortable banquet might have been 

 lying there for several years. It is probable that the moral 

 state of the people will rapidly improve. Mr. Bushby men- 

 tioned one pleasing anecdote as a proof of the sincerity of 

 some, at least, of those who profess Christianity. One of 

 his young men left him, who had been accustomed to read 

 prayers to the rest of the servants. Some weeks afterwards, 

 happening to pass late in the evening by an outhouse, he saw 

 and heard one of his men reading the Bible with difficulty 

 by the light of the fire, to the others. After this the party 

 knelt and prayed: in their prayers they mentioned Mr. 



