Chap. VIII. PREPARATIONS FOR WHALING SEASON. 267 
to stakes. Presents and greetings were being inter- 
changed, and the whole place had the appearance of a 
lively fair. Some of the whalers from Kapiti had 
come over to try and buy pigs ; and they told me that 
some boats were going to Port Nicholson soon, with 
pigs and potatoes for sale to the settlers. I determined 
to cross over and get a passage in one of them. E 
Kuru presented me with thirteen pigs, which had 
formed the cargo of his canoe, and told me that his 
slaves should proceed with them to Port Nicholson. 
I left him at TVaikanae until the boats should be 
ready to start, when I promised to send for him ; and, 
bidding adieu to my principal fellow-travellers, I crossed 
to Hiko^ island.j 
Here I found that Captain Lewis, the American 
whaler whom I have formerly mentioned, was absent 
at Manawatu collecting provisions ; but that he and 
his brother would proceed with two boat-loads imme- 
diately on his return. I was entertained hospitably in 
his house during my stay of a week. I constantly saw 
Hiko and Rangihiroa, and once or twice Rauperaha. 
They seemed rather jealous of my making friends 
with the TVanganui natives ; but were, however, very 
friendly and hospitable. 
Active preparations were being made for the ap- 
proaching whaling season. Everything, indeed, was 
ready, and the whales alone were expected. One had 
been killed on the 19th of this month; but this was 
reckoned unusually early ; the season being considered 
to begin on the 1st of May, from which day the written 
agreements of the parties commence, and there being 
rarely whales seen on the north side of the Strait until 
the middle of that month. 
While I was here, four vessels arrived at once on 
one day, and anchored at Long Point at the north end 
