430 NEW ZEALAND. [ear. xvin1. 
ence, however, they allowed us to examine the whole place. At 
this village we rested some hours, during which time there was 
a long discussion with Mr. Bushby, concerning the right of sale 
of certain lands. One old man, who appeared a perfect genealo- 
gist, illustrated the successive possessors by bits of stick driven 
into the ground. Before leaving the houses a little basketful of 
roasted sweet potatoes was given to each of our party; and we 
all, according to the custom, carried them away to eat on the 
road. I noticed that among the women employed in cooking, 
there was a man-slave: it must be a humiliating thing for a 
man in this warlike country to be employed in doing that which 
is considered as the lowest woman’s work. Slavesare not allowed 
to go to war; but this perhaps can hardly be considered as a 
hardship. I heard of one poor wretch who, during hostilities, 
ran away to the opposite party; being met by two men, he was 
immediately seized; but as they could not agree to whom he 
should belong, each stood over him with a stone hatchet, and 
- seemed determined that the other at least should not take him 
away alive. The poor man, almost dead with fright, was only 
saved by the address of a chief’s wife. We afterwards enjoyed a 
pleasant walk back to the boat, but did not reach the ship till 
late in the evening. 
December 30th.—In the afternoon we stood out of the Bay of 
Islands, on our course to Sydney. I believe we were all glad to 
leave New Zealand. It is not a pleasant place. Amongst the 
natives there is absent that charming simplicity which is found 
at Tahiti; and the greater part of the English are the very refuse 
of society. Neither is the country itself attractive. I look back 
but to one bright spot, and that is Waimate, with its Christian 
inhabitants, 
