456 NEW ZEALAND chap. 



Mr. Stokes found burnt human bones strewed round a fireplace 

 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 mentioned 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. Bushby and his family, and the missionaries, each separately 

 in his respective district. 



December 26th. — Mr. Bushby offered to take Mr. Sulivan 

 and myself in his boat some miles up the river to Cawa-Cawa ; 

 and proposed afterwards to walk on to the village of Waiomib, 

 where there are some curious rocks. Following one of the 

 arms of the bay we enjoyed a pleasant row, and passed through 

 pretty scenery, until we came to a village, beyond which the 

 boat could not pass. From this place a chief and a party of 

 men volunteered to walk with us to Waiomio, a distance of 

 four miles. The chief was at this time rather notorious from 

 having lately hung one of his wives and a slave for adultery. 

 When one of the missionaries remonstrated with him he seemed 

 surprised, and said he thought he was exactly following the 

 English method. Old Shongi, who happened to be in England 

 during the Queen's trial, expressed great disapprobation at 

 the whole proceeding : he said he had five wives, and he would 

 rather cut off all their heads than be so much troubled about 

 one. Leaving this village, we crossed over to another, seated 

 on a hill-side at a little distance. The daughter of a chief, 

 who was still a heathen, had died there five days before. The 

 hovel in which she had expired had been burnt to the ground : 

 her body, being enclosed between two small canoes, was placed 

 upright on the ground, and protected by an enclosure bearing 

 wooden images of their gods, and the whole was painted bright 

 red, so as to be conspicuous from afar. Her gown was 

 fastened to the coffin, and her hair being cut off was cast at 



