474 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. XVIII. 
which far exceeded in numbers, means, and vigour, all 
the rest put together. If Captain Hobson had pos- 
sessed the slightest wish to repair his insults to the 
community of Port Nicholson, he would have jumped 
at such an excellent opportunity of reconciliation, and 
of ruling Cook's Strait with pleasure and honour, 
instead of leaving it to be neglected by a Police Magis- 
trate. This very statesmanlike document was signed 
by Colonel Wakefield, Mr. Hanson, Mr. George Hun- 
ter, Mr. Henry St. Hill, Captain Daniell, and Dr. 
Evans. 
Two other ships had arrived from England just be- 
fore the schooner. 
One, bearing the Agent of the Plymouth Company 
and the first batch of settlers for New Plymouth, had 
anchored in Cloudy Bay. The Agent, Mr. Cutfield, 
had crossed to Wellington in a small craft, in order to 
learn from Colonel Wakefield whither he was to pro- 
ceed, and had returned to take the ship to her destina- 
tion. This body of West of England settlers had 
started under the auspices of a very distinguished festi- 
val at Plymouth, at which the first announcement had 
been made of the happy termination of the negotiations 
with the Government. Bearers of good news, they 
had met bright hopes on their arrival ; for each new 
account from the surveying-party and travellers spoke 
more highly of the great capabilities of the Taranaki 
district, and confirmed the reputation which had long 
earned for it among the natives the title of the 
" Garden of the Land." 
Another vessel had brought nearly two hundred 
and fifty more immigrants and passengers to Welling- 
ton. Among the passengers was Mr. Edmund Storr 
Halswell, who had been appointed by the Company 
Commissioner for the management of the Native Re- 
