Chap. VIII. ROBBERY BY NATIVES— T/rC^, OR PAYMENT. 2fi7 
and stored the loads in a house appointed for my re- 
ception. 1 was amply provided with provisions of all 
kinds ; and my lish-hooks again procured me plenty of 
water-melons, which were very agreeable in this warm 
weather. I was all day talking to a crowd of natives 
assembled round me, and combating the usual mis- 
sionary calumnies. They told me that Mr. Hadfield 
had christened this joa "England," and that he had paid 
a blanket for a piece of land which they showed me on 
the banks of the river, where he intended to build a 
chapel. Our conversation turned a good deal upon 
ships and soldiers. I found the history of the Alliga- 
tor's expedition in 1834 still fresh in their recollections. 
J'Vmmate^ where the soldiers landed, is about thirty 
miles further along the coast, and inhabited by the 
same tribe. They asked eagerly whether such a thing 
would happen again ; and I of course told them that it 
would only in case of their bad conduct provoking 
retribution. 
In the morning, as I was about to start, J^uhe told 
me that a man had " gone off to the bush," or run 
away, with some of my blankets. I immediately assem- 
bled the inhabitants of the j9«, and inquired whether 
this were the fact. It turned out that Ehina had been 
suspected of adultery with a wahine tapu, or married 
woman, at Te-O last night, and that a man named 
fVikura, a relation of her husband, had taken his load 
as well as his mat in utii, or payment, of the crime. 
Ehina, on being called, stood silent in the middle of the 
court-yard, wrapped in my pea-coat, but neither denied 
nor confessed the charge. As I had already had reason 
to doubt his honesty, I did not attempt his defence, but 
inveighed loudly against the injustice of robbing me for 
his sins. This was allowed by the audience, but they 
said the robber was gone, and could not be found. 
VOL. I. s 
