358 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND Chap. XIV. 
mittees of the two Missionary Societies at home had 
agreed to divide the island between them ; the Church 
missionaries confining their labours to the Eastern side, 
and the Wesleyans exclusively to the Western side of 
the island. The servants of the missions in the country, 
however, as soon as it became expedient to extend their 
labours to Cook's Strait, seem to have differed about 
the boundary line. The Wesleyans claimed a right 
to convert as far as Port Nicholson, and named Cape 
Palliser as the dividing point ; while the Church mis- 
sionaries considered the spirit of the agreement to allow 
them to extend their efforts as far as Cape Egmont. 
Geographically, I think the Wesleyans were in the 
right ; but, in whatever way that point may be decided, 
it is not to be denied that the dispute gave rise to 
much indecent rivalry between the sects. 
The most disagreeable and saddening remark which 
I made was, that these natives appeared to have entirely 
abandoned their primitive and beautiful hospitality, the 
great redeeming point in the character of the most 
ferocious and treacherous heathen native, whom no in- 
fluence of any sort has yet changed for the better, or 
perverted from the customs of his fathers. Every vil- 
lage reminded me of the " touters " on the pier at 
Boulogne, seeking to pounce on an unfortunate tra- 
veller. Instead of the former dignified reception, with 
a house assigned you by the chief, to whom or to whose 
slaves you made a present for their trouble when yon 
went, here, in these democratic religious communi- 
ties where no man is above another, the whole popula- 
tion rushes at you, and you have to choose between 
five or six different parties, who each jjoint to a house, 
and profess the utmost anxiety to treat you well. But 
you soon find that, whichever you may choose, you 
have to pay for each small kit of potatoes, for the 
