Chap. I. THE REV. OCTAVIUS HADFIELD. 3 
chiefs of the Ngatiraukawa. TVaianui and part of 
his family had become mihanere, as well as several 
other chiefs of rank ; and Mr. Hadfield had wisely 
managed to introduce the new doctrine without de- 
stroying the native aristocracy. He thus dissuaded 
TVatanul, and through him the great part of the tribe, 
from fighting. Heuheu, I heard, had been furious at 
this successful interference with his designs ; but had 
ended by confessing himself fairly beaten, when Mr. 
Hadfield calmly and courageously presented himself 
before him in the midst of his anger, overthrew his 
reasoning, and reproached the old chief in the conclave 
of his people with a want of the dignity and delibera- 
tion suitable to his place of kaumatua or " patriarch." 
I had not yet been introduced to Mr. Had field's 
acquaintance ; but I already began to feel sorry for 
the prejudices which I had entertained against him on 
first hearing that he had come with Mr, Williams. 
All the natives, whether converts or not, spoke in the 
highest terms of his conduct in every particular. I 
knew, intimately, many of his more immediate fol- 
lowers at JVaikanae, some of them of high rink 
among the tribe ; and could not help imbibing from 
them some of that respectful admiration for his character 
which they were proud of acknowledging. His scholars 
were plainly anxious to deserve his praise and affection, 
rather than bound to their duties by an irksome re- 
straint. In com])aring the persuasion which they had 
adopted with that of the \^^esleyans under the guid- 
ance of Mr. Aldred, they were proud of the difference 
between the tu or " bearing" of the two missionaries, 
because theirs was so distinctly a rangatira. The 
heathen natives, too, who had enjoyed an opportunity 
of observing or conversing with Mr. Hadfield, con- 
fessed that he had all the qualities of a chief, and that 
b2 
