Chap. I. MISSIONARY AND HEATHEN NATIVES. 15 
chiefs was already much weakened ; but its place was 
supplied, to a certain degree, by the example of law 
and order, and by the stirring spirit of emulation ; that 
is, by the influence of the civilized community. 
In the merely converted tribes, the authority of the 
chiefs was suddenly and totally overthrown, without 
the substitution for it of any political organization, in 
order to save the tribe from anarchy. 
This view was confirmed by my subsequent observ- 
ations, as the consequences of the two systems became 
more and more developed. 
I had occasion to verify the account given me by my 
agent of the Patea natives, during a visit which I soon 
after made to that neighbourhood. It being a matter 
of urgency to me to overtake a party who had travelled 
on foot towards Taranaki, I borrowed Mr. Matthews's 
horse, and rode in a few hours to TV^aitotara. The 
horse was known and cared for at that place ; but I 
thought the people rather more distant in their be- 
haviour to me than they had been before. Luckily, 
I found that liberal payment would buy hospitality from 
these savages of degraded character ; and so I did not 
starve. I overtook the party of Englishmen here, and 
they also loudly complained of the mercenary and sor- 
did spirit of the inhabitants. Having a good store of 
tobacco, however, we procured an abundant supply of 
piarau, or " lamprey," which is taken in large numbers 
in this river and some others in this neighbourhood, 
when the waters are swollen. There was no lack of 
other food ; but that, as well as firewood, house-room, 
and even cold water, had to be paid for through the 
nose. This was in a new pa, built with very strong 
stockades and deep trenches, between the foot of 
Te Ihupuku hill and the river. The pretty grove of 
Karaka trees which I had formerly seen growing round 
