Chap. VIII. NOTIONS OF MISSIONARY NATIVES. 263 
situate at the foot of a steep conical hill, and em- 
bowered in karaka-trtQ^, we pulled into a small tribu- 
tary of the river, which gives its name, Te-kau-ara- 
pawa, to the pa. On the opposite bank of the creek, 
most of the inhabitants sat or lay basking in the sun 
on a raised stage, on which they had spread their mats. 
Muskets were fired, and loud shouts of welcome re- 
sounded through the crowd. We were handed to the 
pataka, or stage, and abundance of food was set before 
us. A large house was prepared for our accommodation 
for the night, and a chief named E Taua, related to 
E Kuruy killed the customary pig. 
An inferior chief named Te Kuiha, or " the old wo- 
** man," addressed me in the usual strain of mihanere 
censure ; but I answered him with great emphasis from 
the stage, and being in a good humour from the serene 
weather and delighful journey, soon demolished his ab- 
surd arguments, and made friends with the whole au- 
dience. E Kuru sat in silence, enjoying the scene, 
and now and then encouraging me by a look, as much 
as to say " Go along ! that's it ! " or by a word where 
I got puzzled to express myself. Among other absurd 
charges, the man accused me of not being a Christian 
because I smoked tobacco, which he maintained to be 
a creed by itself ! I told him that I considered myself 
as good a Christian as he, but that still I would invite 
all the audience to try my tobacco, and distributed some 
all round. My opponent coming, after a little hesita- 
tion, for his share also, a general laugh greeted his 
sudden recantation. During the next day we stopped 
at this place ; the wind still continuing to drive the 
white scud, though we enjoyed calm, warm weather 
below. E Kuru took my gun to shoot pigeons in the 
woods ; and I climbed to the top of th^ highest hill in 
the neighbourhood, but was repaid by no view, the 
