596 
SAMUEL MARSDEN. 
with some degree of safety, although the natives themselves 
were unable to do so. An instance of this occurred at the 
Waikato ; when the brethren first attempted to cross that 
river on moki, or canoes formed of bundles of sedge tied 
together, no other means being presented, the natives 
spied them approaching, and taking them for enemies, im- 
mediately levelled their guns ; the Missionaries tied a white 
handkerchief to the end of a paddle, and hoisted it up ; it 
was no sooner seen than down went the guns, and they were 
permitted to proceed in peace.* Rotorua also was occupied, 
and afterwards Tauranga, although wars still raged, and 
dreadful acts of cannibalism continued to be perpetrated, the 
Gospel, in spite of all opposition, rapidly progressed. All 
these places were occupied between the years 1832-5. 
February 9th, 1837, Mr. Marsden, accompanied by his 
youngest daughter Martha, sailed in the Pyramus, on his 
seventh and last visit. He was then in his seventy-second 
year; with holy joy he beheld how wonderfully the work had 
expanded, stations had been formed at the Thames, at Tau- 
ranga, and in the interior, although war was again raging, 
still there was every prospect of final success ; the aged man’s 
heart rejoiced, he had seen the beginning, he now saw it 
in its increase, and was enabled to bless God ; his feelings 
must have been gratified by the universal respect and love 
manifested towards him ; even the heathen natives viewed 
him as their common friend and benefactor, but the Chris- 
tians, as their beloved father in Christ. At Kaitaia the 
entire native population assembled to see their aged bene- 
factor ; some kept stedfastly looking at him, and when told 
to give place to others, they said, stay, let us still look upon 
our father’s countenance, for this is the last time we shall 
ever see him here ; he visited all the Stations in H. M. S. 
JRattlesnalce , Captain Hobson, afterwards the first Governor 
* A similar thing occurred to the writer when he first visited Patea in the 
interior, being the first European who had done so, a chief rushed down upon 
the little party with a huge blunderbuss, when we told him who we were, down 
went the formidable weapon, and the next minute the Missionary was saluted 
with the hongi, or rubbing noses. 
