574 MISSIONARIES — BONES— -FERX. DeC. 



Augustine in Kent, with forty other missionaries, sent by Gre- 

 gory the Great to convert the Saxons, is described in pictu- 

 resque and affecting language by Bede, the venerable historian 

 of the Anglo-Saxon church. It cannot be doubted that the 

 appearance of men who exposed themselves to a cruel death for 

 the sake of teaching truth, and inspiring benevolence, could 

 not have been altogether without effect among the most faith- 

 less and ruthless barbarians. Liberty of preaching what they 

 conscientiously believed to be Divine truth, was the only boon 

 for which they prayed."'' 



22d. On the little island of Paihia, where our instruments 

 were landed for observations, the remains of half-burned human 

 bones were found : and as the dead are not burned in this 

 country, they must have been the remains of a former meal. 

 It was difficult to decide upon the time which had elapsed since 

 that feast was made, by the appearance of the bones. They 

 might have been covered by earth for some time, and only 

 lately exposed ; or they might have been the remains of a very 

 modern feast, indulged in upon a little island to which it was 

 not probable that a missionary, or any one who might give 

 information to him, could approach unperceived. 



We were much struck by the beautiful appearance of an 

 evergreen tree, resembling an ilex, or a large myrtle, when seen 

 from a distance ; whose bright red flowers, in large clusters, 

 upon the dark green foliage, gave an effect which I longed to 

 see transferred to an English garden. This tree seemed to be 

 common. After landing, the fern attracted more notice than 

 any other vegetable production : every where in New Zea- 

 land this useful plant is found. Why useful ? may be thought. 

 Because it was one principal article of food, before the intro- 

 duction of potatoes. Owing to its abundance, and to the edible, 

 as well as tolerably nutritious, nature of its roots, no man can 

 ever starve in New Zealand who is able to gather fern : but 

 that it is not a pleasant food may be inferred from the fact that 

 no native eats fern-roots when he can get potatoes. Where 

 the fern grows thickly, and high, the soil is known to be 



