APPENDIX. 
473 
APPENDIX H. 
The reader will be interested to learn, that the New Zealand Chief Hoani 
Wiremu Hipango, who is so repeatedly mentioned in this work, as the uniform 
friend of the settlers, accompanied the author in this visit to his native land ; 
and further, that he has had the honour of being presented to Her Majesty* 
who so graciously expressed her interest in the welfare of the New Zealand race, 
that the author takes this opportunity of recording the interview which he like¬ 
wise had the honour of sharing. 
, September 4, 1855. 
I received a summons from Sir William Molesworth, to be at Buckingham 
Palace, with the New Zealand chief Hoani Wiremu Te Hipango, to morrow at 
half-past two, to be presented by him to the Queen. We took a cab at the time 
appointed, and with our basket of presents from the New Zealand chiefs, pro¬ 
ceeded to the Palace. After a little delay in discovering the right way of 
entering this abode of royalty, we were ushered through a set of long passages, and 
were showed into an inner room, where we were left. It was elegant, but plain; 
the walls were hung with full-length portraits of the Royal family. I recognised 
George IV., William IV., the Dukes of York and Cumberland, and several 
others. After waiting about ten minutes, Sir William Molesworth made his 
appearance; he was* an intelligent and remarkable looking man; his hair was 
very light and thin; he wore it brushed straight down; it was of unequal 
length, and seemed as though it had never been cut; the crown of his head was 
quite bald. After some desultory talk of about ten minutes, the folding doors 
were thrown open, and Her Majesty was announced with Prince Albert. They 
immediately entered, and came up to us. We bowed. She had on a little 
bonnet, and was dressed remarkably plain; the Prince also, like a plain gentleman. 
The Queen is little in stature, not stout; with a small oval face; her voice is 
extremely sweet, and she has a good-natured smile. Sir William Molesworth 
introduced us. She expressed her satisfaction in seeing us, and put some ques¬ 
tions relative to Te Hipango—how long he had been baptized—whether he 
spoke English—whether he had long worn English clothing—what proportion 
of the native race had embraced Christianity—and how long I had been there— 
all which queries I answered. 
“ I then stated to Her Majesty the object Te Hipango had in desiring to see 
her; that several tribes on the western coast of New Zealand were anxious for 
him to convey the expression of their attachment to her, and their desire of 
being considered as her children. That they had sent two embroidered mats as 
specimens of their native manufacture, and several weapons of war, as proofs 
they were no longer needed. That Hori Kingi te Anaua had sent his green 
stone Mere, the New Zealand emblem of sovereignty, as a token of his allegiance 
to Her Majesty ; that this was the most valuable property he had to give. That 
the finely-embroidered bag had been expressly worked for her by Rawinia, the 
wife ofTe Hipango; that when she was recommended to make it of less dimen¬ 
sions she refused, saying it would not be right to make a little bag for the 
greatest lady in the world—the Queen smiled. I then presented the large cloak 
made of the feathers of the Kiwi ( apterix Australis), and stated that it was the 
most singular bird of New Zealand, and likely soon to be extinct; that it was 
extremely rare to see a cloak made of its feathers ; that this present was sent by 
the Upper Wanganui natives, who had hitherto been opposed to Her Majesty’s 
Government; that their chief Mamaku was one of the commanders in the late 
* He is since dead. 
