416 NEW ZEALAND. 



will, perhaps, excite surprise to learn how he came to exercise the 

 influence he does over his countrymen ; it is entirely owing to his 

 eloquence, by which he is enabled to lead them any where. When 

 Charley was asked the cause of his uncle's influence, he said that 

 Pomare could lead the people wherever he chose ; and to the question 

 as to why he himself was not king, he answered, " Oh, that is 

 maori" (country fashion). 



Some of the gentlemen visited the pa of Pomare, for the purpose 

 of witnessing his return from a visit to one of his allies. The canoe 

 was seen coming up the bay, paddled by forty-five natives, and on 

 the side of the hill all the people of the pa were collected, shouting, 

 waving their garments, and firing muskets, to welcome their friends. 

 When the chief touched the shore, a curious scene ensued. All the 

 boatmen seized their paddles, and ran some distance along the beach, 

 where they halted, and formed themselves into a compact body, in 

 martial array. Those of the pa did the same, and were stationed 

 in front of the canoe ; the former party then returned, and when near, 

 the latter made simultaneously, ten or twelve leaps directly upward, 

 waving their paddles over their heads, and giving at each jump, a 

 hard guttural sound, like hooh. The two parties then changed 

 positions, when the boatmen went through the same motions, after 

 which the whole mingled together. This ceremony was supposed to 

 represent that used on the return of a war-party. Pomare was found 

 shortly afterwards seated in front of his house, surrounded by his 

 people, who were busily engaged in preparing a great feast, for which 

 he was giving directions, and which shortly took place, accompanied 

 by much merry-making. 



The chief, Pomare, on one occasion paid a visit to the gentlemen 

 of the squadron at Mr. Tibbey's, with some fish for sale, and for 

 which he had been fishing- several hours. He first asked a shilling 

 for them, which was handed to him, when he immediately raised his 

 price to two shillings, and when this was refused, he went away in 

 high dudgeon, and complained to me on my arrival, that he had not 

 been treated well. Many instances of the same kind occurred. 



Mr. Hale induced Hoia, Pomare's brother, to give him a list of the 

 various clans of the great Yopaki tribe, which under Shougi had 

 formerly been the terror of all New Zealand From this and other 

 authorities, the number of the tribes were given at one hundred and 

 five, in which were comprised upwards of sixty thousand fighting 

 men. Those who are more acquainted, and have the best oppor- 

 tunities of knowing, state the population at less than three hundred 



