430 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. XVI. 
** return, confirmed all that I had been led to believe 
" to be true ; but Mr. Clarke is a very young man." 
And he was confirmed in this idea by Mr. Macdo- 
nogh, who had gone up to Taranaki in the brig 
soon after Major Richmond's arrival, and had returned 
on horseback. 
" He came," continues the nonchalant Captain, 
" having visited all the pas, and confirmed the state- 
'* ments of Mr. Clarke : of this gentleman I had op- 
" portunities afterwards of seeing a great deal, and 
" was much struck with his zeal and good feeling for 
" those for whom he is employed, and the sound judg- 
*' ment by which he regulates his conduct." 
Mr. Macdonogh, even when he returned, could 
speak but few words of the language ; much less could 
he understand the feelings and customs of the natives, 
or the plausible behaviour which they can put on 
for occasions. 
Judging from these pacific reports, the Captain had 
fixed a day for sailing to Sydney. But Colonel Wake- 
field eagerly remonstrated with Major Richmond on 
the absolute necessity of making a demonstration, at 
least, in the Strait. He also repeatedly applied for 
the recovery of the Company's boat. 
I was in my uncle's room while this conversation 
occurred. In the course of it. Major Richmond made 
an observation that, in a question of land, he had no 
doubt that Rauperaha could assemble all the natives 
on the island. I answered him, that it was a matter 
not of land, but of protection of life and property. I 
mentioned, as an instance of this, that I had to go to 
OtaJci the next day on business, and that I felt bound to 
carry arms, as there was no protection for British sub- 
jects beyond the immediate beach of the town. Major 
Richmond entreated me to carry concealed arms, if I 
