4flD ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. XV. 
Nicholson until the 30th of January, very nearly out 
of water, firewood, and provisions. 
Monseigneur Pompalier, the Roman Catholic Bishop 
of New Zealand, had visited Wellington during my 
absence, on his return from the French settlement at 
Akaroa to his head-quarters at the Bay of Islands. 
The gentlemen of the Club, and others who had en- 
joyed his acquaintance, spoke highly of his urbane 
manners and his philanthropic views with regard to 
the welfare of the natives. 
" A merry Christmas and a happy New Year " had 
been celebrated in old English style. Fat bullocks 
had been slaughtered and dressed with evergreens, and 
the New Year saluted with ringing of bells, firing of 
cannon, and hoisting of flags. 
Two days afterwards, a vessel had arrived from 
Greenock with 200 emigrants ; and these I found 
located in some houses which had been built on 
speculation by old " Dog's-ear " and his tribe at Kai 
JVara TVara. He told me, in his usual comical way, 
that he thought " Wide-awake " had slighted him by 
sending such poor people to his settlement ; for he could 
not understand the bare feet of the Scotch lassies. 
Mr. Churton had gone, with his family and chattels, 
to the Bay of Islands. 
It was determined towards the end of the year, to 
celebrate the first arrival of the settlers, on the 22nd of 
January, by an Anniversary fete. 
So favourable was the state of things in the settle- 
ment, and so bright were the prospects for the future, 
that everybody joined heartily in this idea. 
The harvest was in progress in the valley of the 
Hutt. Consisting chiefly of potatoes, as a good clean- 
ing crop for the newly-cleared land, it had surpassed 
the most sanguine expectations. It had also lieen 
