Chap. XVHI. DEPAKTURE OF THE FRIGATE. 481 
•* to them how far my authority really did extend ; that 
" troops were put on board on the express condition 
" that they were on no account to be landed except for 
" the preservation of the lives and properties of the 
" British subjects ; and that I should on no account do 
" anything which was contrary to what my own judg- 
" ment told me was right. I left them ; being requested 
" to state my opinions in writing." 
Which he did, as roughly and plainly as he had 
spoken. 
He concludes with some strong symptoms of having 
caught the " Government fever" during his short 
stay : — 
" On the following morning, I sailed for Port 
" Nicholson, where I arrived on the 16th of October; 
" and I left that place on the 21st of the same month, 
" arriving at Auckland on the 10th instant. 
" From all that I have been able to see, I am of opi- 
" nion that none of the settlements, in the parts of 
" New Zealand which I have lately visited, have any- 
" thing to fear from the natives, so long as they are 
" fairly dealt with. At Nelson, a force is wanted, not 
" to repel the attacks of natives, but to restrain and 
" keep in subjection the English labourers brought over 
** by the New Zealand Company, who have, I believe, 
" been in open rebellion against their employers more 
" than once. 
" At that place, also, the general feeling appears to 
" be more inclined to revenge the death of their 
" friends, than to wish impartial justice to be done ; 
" and vengeance and revenge are words that I hfive 
" heard used when speaking of that affair." 
While at Wellington, the officers of the frigate gave 
a picnic to the ladies at the inn at Aglionby. A ball 
was given to them in return at Barrett's hotel ; and 
VOL. II. 2 I 
