512 



NEW ZEALAND. 



Dec. 1835. 



Peninsula of Tres Montes ; this fifth here ; and the next^ I 

 trust in providence, will be in England. We attended divine 

 service in the chapel of Pahia ; part of the service was read 

 in English, and part in the New Zealand language. 



As far as I was able to understand, the greater number 

 of people in this northern part of the island profess 

 Christianity. It is curious, that the religion even of those 

 who do not profess it, has been modified and is now partly 

 Christian, partly heathen. Moreover, so excellent is the 

 Christian faith, that the outward conduct even of the un- 

 believers is said to have been decidedly improved by the 

 spread of its doctrines. It is beyond doubt, however, that 

 much immorality still exists ; — that there are many who 

 would not hesitate to kill a slave for a trifling offence; 

 and that polygamy is still common, — indeed, I believe, 

 general. 



We did not hear of any recent act of cannibalism ; but 

 Mr. Stokes found burnt human bones, strewed round an 

 old fireplace, on a small island near the anchorage : these 

 remains of some quiet banquet might, indeed, have been 

 lying there for several years. Notwithstanding the above 

 facts, it is probable that the moral state of the people will 

 rapidly improve. Mr. Bushby mentioned one pleasing anec- 

 dote as a proof of the sincerity of some, at least, of those 

 who profess Christianity. One of his young men left him, 

 who had been accustomed to read prayers to the rest of the 

 servants. Some weeks afterwards, happening to pass late 

 in the evening by an outhouse, he saw and heard one of his 

 men reading the bible with difficulty, by the light of the fire, 

 to the others. After this, the party knelt and prayed : in 

 their prayers they mentioned Mr. Bushby and his family, and 

 the missionaries, each separately in his respective district. 



December 26th. — Mr. Bushby offered to take Mr. Suli- 

 van and myself in his boat, some miles up the river to Cawa- 

 Cawa ; and proposed afterwards to Avalk on to the village of 

 Waiomio, where there are some curious rocks. Following 

 one of the arms of the bay, we enjoyed a pleasant rowj 



