Chap. IV. THE PURCHASE. '. 8t 
as he brandished his hatchet against thin air. I repaid 
him his surprise the first day that he came on board. 
I had got an accordion under a large cloak, and kept 
time to its notes with my mouth, so as to deceive him 
and twenty other natives into the idea that I was utter- 
ing the various sounds. They showed a profound re- 
spect for my oratorical talents, until I let them find out 
the trick, a day or two after. The accordion in ques- 
tion was called my mouth for a long time afterwards. 
25th. — This morning, the goods which Colonel 
Wakefield intended to give the natives for their land 
were got upon deck, in the presence of about a hun- 
dred of the natives. Except incessant chattering, they 
offered no obstruction or inconvenience to this process ; 
but as they filled up a good deal of room on deck, 
which was wanted in order to assort the various things, 
my uncle requested Tf^arepori to explain this and get 
them to go ashore until all was ready. He instantly 
addressed them from the hurricane-house, and set the 
example of going on shore himself, which was readily 
and expeditiously followed by all. 
On the 26th, when all the articles had been selected 
and arranged, a message was sent on shore for all the 
chiefs, who came accompanied by their sons. They 
examined the stock of goods strictly and carefully, and 
approved of the quality and quantity. They seemed, 
however, embarrassed as to the distribution among the 
six minor tribes of which the population was com- 
posed. It was therefore proposed to them to divide the 
lots on our deck. Colonel Wakefield also sent for the 
principal native missionary teacher, a young man who 
had been christened Richard Davis, after his master 
and patron at the Bay of Islands, and who had arrived 
in the missionary schooner mentioned formerly. It was 
hoped that his presence as a witness to the transaction 
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