4 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chav. I. 
he was a pakeha ngawari, or " mild white man," who 
did not discourage their ancient customs by anger or 
coarse tokens of disgust, but by gentle reason. They 
also admired his manly courage, of which they had 
noted more than one proof, and his art of gaining the 
love of the natives even before he had converted them 
to his creed. Even the corrupt and profane beach- 
combers and whalers of Kapiti would go out of their 
way to say a good word or do a service for Mr. Had- 
field. " He is a missionary," they would say, with an 
oath ; " but he's a gentleman every inch of him ; and 
" when he can do a poor fellow a good turn with the 
"maories, why he will!" They respected him, too, 
for not interfering, unless applied to, in their dealings 
with the natives. 
\^^ith this voluntary and unanimous testimony from 
all quarters, who could help feeling rejoiced that one 
good missionary had already acquired so much influ- 
ence in the immediate neighbourhood of the settle- 
ments ? 
The whaling was at this time going on with great 
spirit ; and I sailed away from Kapiti one morning in 
the midst of an animated chase, the whale and the boats 
having crossed my bows more than once. 
I now remained at JVanganui for some time ; and 
sent the Sandfly backwards and forwards under the 
charge of a steady sailor whom I had engaged. 
My house was full of goods of various kinds belong- 
ing to the settlers, who had not yet got their houses 
ready to receive them ; and I soon found myself as it 
were forced into keeping what would be called a 
" store" in America, or a " shop" in England. In 
trading with the natives, I was obliged to procure all 
sorts of things from Wellington ; and I had numerous 
applications from peoj)le who wanted small quantities. 
