1835. 



CAUSES OF DISTURBANCE. 



591 



and by British subjects ; but, not then aware of the peculia- 

 rity of Mr. Busby's position, I referred them to him, under 

 the idea that his office was of a consular nature, and therefore 

 that I ought not to act in these cases, excepting as his sup- 

 porter. Finding him unwilling to take any steps of an active 

 kind, not deeming himself authorised to do so : and the ag- 

 grieved parties still asking for assistance, I referred them to 

 the only real, though not nominal, authority, in the place, 

 that of the missionaries. By the active assistance of Mr. Baker, 

 the more serious quarrels were ended without bloodshed, and 

 those of a more trifling nature, in which the natives were not 

 concerned, were temporarily settled : but I doubt not that in 

 a few days afterwards anarchy again prevailed. 



To give an idea of the nature of some of these quarrels, 

 and of the serious consequences they might entail, I will 

 describe briefly two or three cases which were referred to me. 



Pomare had been beaten while on board a whale ship, by 

 some of her crew. No New Zealander will submit to be struck, 

 but thus to treat a chief is unpardonable. Burning with in- 

 dignation he maltreated the first Englishman whom he met on 

 shore, and was concerting serious measures of revenge, when 

 the master of the ship, and a number of his men, came to ask 

 for assistance and protection. 



Again ; a chief, whose name I do not know, had been re- 

 fused admittance on board a whale ship, where he had heard 

 that one of his female slaves was living. He did not wish to 

 injure her, or even take her away. His only motive, in asking 

 admittance, was to satisfy himself that she was there. Highly 

 affronted at the refusal, he spoke to me, (as he said) previously 

 to collecting his warriors and attacking the ship. 



Another case was unconnected with the natives, but tended 

 to expose a fraudulent system, and to show the necessity of 

 arming British authorities, in distant parts of the world, with 

 a definite degree of control over the licentious, or ill-dis- 

 posed portion of their own countrymen, who, in those remote 

 regions, are disproportionably numerous, and now able to do 

 pretty much what they please. 



