592 
SAMUEL MARSDEN. 
Zealand ; he took with him several fresh hands to strengthen 
the work there ; and located them at the Keri Keri ; after 
settling the Mission to the best of his power, he returned to 
Sydney. 
At the request of the Governor, he went again to New 
Zealand, to the Thames, in H. M. ship Coromandel , Feb- 
ruary 20th, 1820, only a few months after his return ; he 
there landed, and under the guidance of a Chief, Tamorangi, 
he took what was then a most wonderful journey overland to 
the Bay of Islands ; in several parts they were at open war, 
and the Chief, who afterwards became a believer, often ex- 
pressed his astonishment that he had ever dared to venture 
upon it; when Mr. Marsden reached the Keri Keri, his clothes 
were in rags, covered with mud and red ochre, from his 
continual contact with the natives, who were then constantly 
smeared all over with it and shark'* s oil, and with an old 
dirty nightcap on his head, he made his appearance before 
the astonished Missionaries; he arrived most opportunely, 
for they were on the point of breaking up the Mission, and 
leaving in the Dromedary , (Captain Skinner,) which was 
then in the bay; disheartened by the opposition of the 
natives, and the horrid scenes they witnessed, they despaired 
of success ; when suddenly the father of the Mission stood 
before the affrighted laborers ; it was only a few months 
before, that he had taken leave of them on his way back 
to Sydney ; we can thus only regard the request of Govern- 
ment for him to go in the Coromandel as an over-ruling act 
of Providence. Mr. Marsden alternately reasoned with and 
rebuked the Missionaries, telling them, that though the way 
mighty then appear dark, his faith assured him there would 
never be wanting a seed to serve God in that land ; though 
they all might abandon it, the work would still go on ; his 
firmness strengthened their faith, and increased their courage 
— they resolved to stay — they stood their ground : the Lord 
soon raised up friends ; the dark clouds dispersed, and the 
Mission |began to gain a firmer hold upon the native mind.* 
The chief mistake Mr. Marsden committed, in laying the 
* These particulars I received from old Mr. King. 
