456 
NEW ZEALAND 
CHAP. 
Mr. Stokes found burnt human bones strewed round a fireplace 
on a small island near the anchorage ; but these remains of a 
comfortable banquet might have been lying there for several 
years. It is probable that the moral state of the people will 
rapidly improve. Mr. Bushby mentioned one pleasing anecdote 
as a proof of the sincerity of some, at least, of those who profess 
Christianity. One of his young men left him, who had been 
accustomed to read prayers to the rest of the servants. Some 
weeks afterwards, happening to pass late in the evening by an 
outhouse, he saw and heard one of his men reading the Bible 
with difficulty by the light of the fire to the others. After this 
the party knelt and prayed : in their prayers they mentioned 
Mr. Bushby and his family, and the missionaries, each separately 
in his respective district. 
December 2 6th. —Mr. Bushby offered to take Mr. Sulivan 
and myself in his boat some miles up the river to Cawa-Cawa ; 
and proposed afterwards to walk on to the village of Waiomio, 
where there are some curious rocks. Following one of the 
arms of the bay we enjoyed a pleasant row, and passed through 
pretty scenery, until we came to a village, beyond which the 
boat could not pass. From this place a chief and a party of 
men volunteered to walk with us to Waiomio, a distance of 
four miles. The chief was at this time rather notorious from 
having lately hung one of his wives and a slave for adultery. 
When one of the missionaries remonstrated with him he seemed 
surprised, and said he thought he was exactly following the 
English method. Old Shongi, who happened to be in England 
during the Queen’s trial, expressed great disapprobation at 
the whole proceeding : he said he had five wives, and he would 
rather cut off all their heads than be so much troubled about 
one. Leaving this village, we crossed over to another, seated 
on a hill-side at a little distance. The daughter of a chief, 
who was still a heathen, had died there five days before. The 
hovel in which she had expired had been burnt to the ground : 
her body, being enclosed between two small canoes, was placed 
upright on the ground, and protected by an enclosure bearing 
wooden images of their gods, and the whole was painted bright 
red, so as to be conspicuous from afar. Her gown was 
fastened to the coffin, and her hair being cut off was cast at 
