I(M ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Cnxp. \l. 
hot coal had been thrown in order to remedy the 
omission ; and, while he was looking, the gun went 
off, and severely injured both himself and a sailor who 
was assisting him. It was feared that he would totally 
lose the use of his eyes. 
Captain Liardet had given unbounded satisfaction 
during his short administration of office. High- 
minded and generous, and possessed of great moral as 
well as physical courage, this well-known type of the 
British naval officer had soon ac([uired the devoted 
love and respect of the colonists, whose energies he 
had undertaken to direct. They felt that he was to 
be depended upon in any emergency which might 
befall them ; and while his powers of mind thus 
secured general confidence, his very commanding per- 
sonal appearance combined with the affability of a 
gentleman and the frank-heartedness of a sailor to 
make him the universal favourite of his little society. 
Thus, while all who had enjoyed the advantage of 
his acquainttmce mourned the misfortune of an 
honoured friend, the community which had been under 
his fostering charge had moreover to grieve for the 
loss of a valued leader. 
Soon after my arrival, a vessel came from England, 
bringing a Colonial Treasurer who had been appointed 
there. It was a month before he found an opportunity 
of sailing for the seat of Government, to which there 
was no inducement for vessels to go direct from 
England. It was in the same way that the Chief 
Justice and Attorney-General had gone through Wel- 
lington to their destination, 650 miles off by the 
shortest track ever made by a ship. 
An arrival from Auckland brought news up to the 
16th of February, ])ut not even copies of the Bills 
which had become Ordinances of the Council. 
