514 



NEW ZEALAND. 



Dec. 1835. 



time there was a long discussion with Mr. Bushby, concern- 

 ing the right of sale of certain lands. One old man, who 

 appeared a perfect genealogist, illustrated the successive 

 possessors by bits of stick driven into the ground. Before 

 leaving the houses, a little basketful of roasted sweet- 

 potatoes was given to each of our party; and we all, 

 according to the custom, carried them away to eat on the 

 road. I noticed that among the women employed in cook- 

 ing, there was a man-slave : it must be an humiliating thing 

 for a man in this warlike country to be employed in doing 

 that which is considered as the lowest woman's work. 

 Slaves are not allowed to go to war ; but this perhaps can 

 hardly be considered as a hardship. I heard of one poor 

 wretch who, during hostilities, ran away to the opposite 

 party ; being met by two men, he was immediately seized ; 

 but they not agreeing to whom he should belong, each stood 

 over him with a stone hatchet, and seemed determined that 

 the other at least should not take him away alive. The 

 poor man, almost dead with fright, was only saved by the 

 address of a chiefs wife. We afterwards enjoyed a pleasant 

 walk back to the boat, but did not reach the ship till late in 

 the evening. 



December 30th. — In the afternoon we stood out of the 

 Bay of Islands on our course to Sydney. I believe we were 

 all glad to leave New Zealand. It is not a pleasant place. 

 Amongst the natives there is absent that charming sim- 

 plicity which is found at Tahiti ; and the greater part of the 

 English are the very refuse of society. Neither is the 

 country itself attractive. I look back but to one bright 

 spot, and that is Waimate, with its Christian inhabitants. 



