374 SAIL FROM NEW-ZEALAND. [1830. 



Kippy-kippy and his queen. The latter made my wife a present 

 of five beautiful mats, manufactured by the natives, of the silken 

 hemp, which is a natural production of the country ; and which, if the 

 plant was once introduced into the United States, would supply the 

 whole nation with a sufficient quantity of a superior article to any they 

 have ever manufactured. 



This chief is of common stature, stout, muscular, and active ; with 

 a countenance that indicates intelligence, shrewdness, and mental 

 energy. As an areekee, he is in the habit of assuming more dignity, 

 perhaps, than he really feels ; but, though " the milk of human kind- 

 ness" preponderates in his heart, he deserves and commands an un- 

 limited degree of respect from his people. His wife is smaller and 

 more delicately proportioned, with a countenance beaming with kind- 

 ness, tenderness, and benevolence ; I doubt whether it was ever ruffled 

 by an angry or ill-natured sensation. 



From some indefinable cause or other, they both became very much 

 attached to me, and expressed a strong desire to accompany me to 

 America, in order to see the country, acquire some of our useful arts, 

 and then return to teach the same to their people. This was certainly 

 a laudable ambition, not unworthy of Peter the Great, czar of all the 

 Russias. I was obliged to throw a damper on it, however, by telling 

 them that it would be a very long time before my duty would permit 

 me to sail for America, as I must first visit many other islands and 

 countries, and load my vessel with their productions. This unex- 

 pected repulse caused them to look quite dejected for a few minutes ; 

 after which they requested me to stop at their island on my way home, 

 and they would hold themselves in readiness to embark with me, and 

 would fill the Antarctic with hemp, as a remuneration for my trouble. 

 We finally parted with mutual regret. 



January 25th. — Having completed our " wooding and watering," as 

 seamen term it, and taken on board a large supply of hogs and pota- 

 toes, we got under way, on Monday, the 25th, at six, A. M., and pu^ 

 to sea, with the wind at south-east, attended with heavy falls of rain. 

 Captains King, Gray, and M'Auly, and his majesty Kippy-kippy ac- 

 companied me several miles down the bay ; where, at seven, A. M., 

 they took their leave, and in a few minutes their little boat was out 

 of sight astern. I had become quite attached to the three English 

 gentlemen just named, and wished that I could have longer enjoyed 

 their society. They wore no stars, and bore no titles ; but they were 

 noblemen of Heaven's own make. They were simple mariners, like 

 myself ; but real gentlemen in the best sense of the word. It is not 

 probable, scarcely possible, that we shall ever meet again ; but if this 

 humble narrative should happen to meet the eye of either, it will be 

 seen that some impressions fasten strongly on my heart. 



Having been thus far disappointed in procuring a cargo of furs, 1 

 now determined to change the original character of the voyage, and 

 steer for Manilla, to procure a freight for Europe or America. At 

 eight, A. M., we were clear of the bay, and steered to the north, 

 intending to pass between the Feejee Islands and the New-Hebrides, 

 to the east of Charlotte's archipelago, and cross the equator in about 



