19 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. II. 
intercourse, and took pride in the friendship and ex- 
ample of his rangatira pakeha. Thus he would stay 
with my uncle for an hour, chatting about the im- 
provements which he was carrying on at Pitone, in 
imitation of those in the town, watching with ad- 
miration the progress of the garden, or the preparation 
of the lawn for seed, talking over the news from 
Auckland, learning something of our laws and insti- 
tutions which was not beyond his understanding, and 
becoming more fit, at each visit, for being raised to the 
social station of his friends. He seemed to take especial 
pleasure in having the opportunitity to teach his sons 
and younger relations a lesson in good behaviour by 
these visits to well-behaved people. Epuni himself 
was a gentleman in every sense of the word, and would 
have been recognized as such in any society. I never 
saw him do an action, make use of a gesture,] or 
betray a feeling, inconsistent with the most refined 
good manners. It needed no recommendation from 
Auckland to make one kind to him and his. There 
was an influence in his very look and speech, which 
must have disarmed the most ungenerous despiser of 
savages. i*^ iirrs 1" T'i'<j.i'>t 
On the 25th of July a small trading schooner brought 
the Governor's answer to the address of the Magistrates, 
and other news, direct from Auckland. This was the 
first arrival from that place since the 3rd of May. I^'ci-jfr 
The answer inferred that the " circumstances, tending 
" to disturb amicable relations between him and the 
" settlers of Port Nicholson," were attributable to them. 
His Excellency held it inexpedient to discuss here the 
suggestions which the Magistrates had thought fit to 
offer on the government of the colony ; but he assured 
them that their interests should be cared for according 
to the instructions which he had received from the 
