202080: Fall 2020 8B-ENG-1101-OB, Representations Pacific Life

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How to cite this source: In-text citation: (Darwin) Works Cited in MLA: Darwin, Charles. The Voyage of the Beagle. CHAPTER XVIII — TAHITI AND NEW ZEALAND. Project Gutenberg. 24 June 2013. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/944/944-h/944- h.htm#link2HCH0018Accessed Accessed on16 June 2020.

CHAPTER XVIII —1

TAHITI AND NEW 2

ZEALAND 3

Pass through the Low Archipelago—Tahiti—Aspect—Vegetation on the Mountains—4

View of Eimeo—Excursion into the Interior—Profound Ravines—Succession of 5

Waterfalls—Number of wild useful Plants—Temperance of the Inhabitants—Their 6

moral state—Parliament convened—New Zealand—Bay of Islands—Hippahs—7

Excursion to Waimate—Missionary Establishment—English Weeds now run wild—8

Waiomio—Funeral of a New Zealand Woman—Sail for Australia. 9

OCTOBER 20th.—The survey of the Galapagos Archipelago being concluded, 10 we steered towards Tahiti and commenced our long passage of 3200 miles. In the course 11

of a few days we sailed out of the gloomy and clouded ocean-district which extends 12

during the winter far from the coast of South America. We then enjoyed bright and clear 13

weather, while running pleasantly along at the rate of 150 or 160 miles a day before the 14

steady trade-wind. The temperature in this more central part of the Pacific is higher than 15

near the American shore. The thermometer in the poop cabin, by night and day, ranged 16

between 80 and 83 degs., which feels very pleasant; but with one degree or two higher, 17

the heat becomes oppressive. We passed through the Low or Dangerous Archipelago, 18

and saw several of those most curious rings of coral land, just rising above the water's 19

edge, which have been called Lagoon Islands. A long and brilliantly white beach is 20

capped by a margin of green vegetation; and the strip, looking either way, rapidly 21

narrows away in the distance, and sinks beneath the horizon From the mast-head a wide 22

expanse of smooth water can be seen within the ring. These low hollow coral islands 23

bear no proportion to the vast ocean out of which they abruptly rise; and it seems 24

wonderful, that such weak invaders are not overwhelmed, by the all-powerful and 25

never-tiring waves of that great sea, miscalled the Pacific. 26

November 15th.—At daylight, Tahiti, an island which must for ever remain classical 27

to the voyager in the South Sea, was in view. At a distance the appearance was not 28

attractive. The luxuriant vegetation of the lower part could not yet be seen, and as the 29

clouds rolled past, the wildest and most precipitous peaks showed themselves towards 30

the centre of the island. As soon as we anchored in Matavai Bay, we were surrounded 31

by canoes. This was our Sunday, but the Monday of Tahiti: if the case had been 32

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reversed, we should not have received a single visit; for the injunction not to launch a 33

canoe on the sabbath is rigidly obeyed. After dinner we landed to enjoy all the delights 34

produced by the first impressions of a new country, and that country the charming 35

Tahiti. A crowd of men, women, and children, was collected on the memorable Point 36

Venus, ready to receive us with laughing, merry faces. They marshalled us towards the 37

house of Mr. Wilson, the missionary of the district, who met us on the road, and gave 38

us a very friendly reception. After sitting a very short time in his house, we separated 39

to walk about, but returned there in the evening. 40

The land capable of cultivation, is scarcely in any part more than a fringe of low 41

alluvial soil, accumulated round the base of the mountains, and protected from the 42

waves of the sea by a coral reef, which encircles the entire line of coast. Within the reef 43

there is an expanse of smooth water, like that of a lake, where the canoes of the natives 44

can ply with safety and where ships anchor. The low land which comes down to the 45

beach of coral-sand, is covered by the most beautiful productions of the intertropical 46

regions. In the midst of bananas, orange, cocoa-nut, and bread-fruit trees, spots are 47

cleared where yams, sweet potatoes, and sugar-cane, and pine-apples are cultivated. 48

Even the brushwood is an imported fruit-tree, namely, the guava, which from its 49

abundance has become as noxious as a weed. In Brazil I have often admired the varied 50

beauty of the bananas, palms, and orange-trees contrasted together; and here we also 51

have the bread-fruit, conspicuous from its large, glossy, and deeply digitated leaf. It is 52

admirable to behold groves of a tree, sending forth its branches with the vigour of an 53

English oak, loaded with large and most nutritious fruit. However seldom the usefulness 54

of an object can account for the pleasure of beholding it, in the case of these beautiful 55

woods, the knowledge of their high productiveness no doubt enters largely into the 56

feeling of admiration. The little winding paths, cool from the surrounding shade, led to 57

the scattered houses; the owners of which everywhere gave us a cheerful and most 58

hospitable reception. 59

I was pleased with nothing so much as with the inhabitants. There is a mildness in 60

the expression of their countenances which at once banishes the idea of a savage; and 61

intelligence which shows that they are advancing in civilization. The common people, 62

when working, keep the upper part of their bodies quite naked; and it is then that the 63

Tahitians are seen to advantage. They are very tall, broad-shouldered, athletic, and well-64

proportioned. It has been remarked, that it requires little habit to make a dark skin more 65

pleasing and natural to the eye of an European than his own colour. A white man bathing 66

by the side of a Tahitian, was like a plant bleached by the gardener's art compared with 67

a fine dark green one growing vigorously in the open fields. Most of the men are 68

tattooed, and the ornaments follow the curvature of the body so gracefully, that they 69

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have a very elegant effect. One common pattern, varying in its details, is somewhat like 70

the crown of a palm-tree. It springs from the central line of the back, and gracefully 71

curls round both sides. The simile may be a fanciful one, but I thought the body of a 72

man thus ornamented was like the trunk of a noble tree embraced by a delicate creeper. 73

Many of the elder people had their feet covered with small figures, so placed as to 74

resemble a sock. This fashion, however, is partly gone by, and has been succeeded by 75

others. Here, although fashion is far from immutable, every one must abide by that 76

prevailing in his youth. An old man has thus his age for ever stamped on his body, and 77

he cannot assume the airs of a young dandy. The women are tattooed in the same 78

manner as the men, and very commonly on their fingers. One unbecoming fashion is 79

now almost universal: namely, shaving the hair from the upper part of the head, in a 80

circular form, so as to leave only an outer ring. The missionaries have tried to persuade 81

the people to change this habit; but it is the fashion, and that is a sufficient answer at 82

Tahiti, as well as at Paris. I was much disappointed in the personal appearance of the 83

women: they are far inferior in every respect to the men. The custom of wearing a white 84

or scarlet flower in the back of the head, or through a small hole in each ear, is pretty. 85

A crown of woven cocoa-nut leaves is also worn as a shade for the eyes. The women 86

appear to be in greater want of some becoming costume even than the men. 87

Nearly all the natives understand a little English—that is, they know the names of 88

common things; and by the aid of this, together with signs, a lame sort of conversation 89

could be carried on. In returning in the evening to the boat, we stopped to witness a very 90

pretty scene. Numbers of children were playing on the beach, and had lighted bonfires 91

which illumined the placid sea and surrounding trees; others, in circles, were singing 92

Tahitian verses. We seated ourselves on the sand, and joined their party. The songs were 93

impromptu, and I believe related to our arrival: one little girl sang a line, which the rest 94

took up in parts, forming a very pretty chorus. The whole scene made us unequivocally 95

aware that we were seated on the shores of an island in the far-famed South Sea. 96

17th.—This day is reckoned in the log-book as Tuesday the 17th, instead of Monday 97

the 16th, owing to our, so far, successful chase of the sun. Before breakfast the ship was 98

hemmed in by a flotilla of canoes; and when the natives were allowed to come on board, 99

I suppose there could not have been less than two hundred. It was the opinion of every 100

one that it would have been difficult to have picked out an equal number from any other 101

nation, who would have given so little trouble. Everybody brought something for sale: 102

shells were the main articles of trade. The Tahitians now fully understand the value of 103

money, and prefer it to old clothes or other articles. The various coins, however, of 104

English and Spanish denomination puzzle them, and they never seemed to think the 105

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small silver quite secure until changed into dollars. Some of the chiefs have 106

accumulated considerable sums of money. One chief, not long since, offered 800 dollars 107

(about 160 pounds sterling) for a small vessel; and frequently they purchase whale-108

boats and horses at the rate of from 50 to 100 dollars. 109

After breakfast I went on shore, and ascended the nearest slope to a height of between 110

two and three thousand feet. The outer mountains are smooth and conical, but steep; 111

and the old volcanic rocks, of which they are formed, have been cut through by many 112

profound ravines, diverging from the central broken parts of the island to the coast. 113

Having crossed the narrow low girt of inhabited and fertile land, I followed a smooth 114

steep ridge between two of the deep ravines. The vegetation was singular, consisting 115

almost exclusively of small dwarf ferns, mingled higher up, with coarse grass; it was 116

not very dissimilar from that on some of the Welsh hills, and this so close above the 117

orchard of tropical plants on the coast was very surprising. At the highest point, which 118

I reached, trees again appeared. Of the three zones of comparative luxuriance, the lower 119

one owes its moisture, and therefore fertility, to its flatness; for, being scarcely raised 120

above the level of the sea, the water from the higher land drains away slowly. The 121

intermediate zone does not, like the upper one, reach into a damp and cloudy 122

atmosphere, and therefore remains sterile. The woods in the upper zone are very pretty, 123

tree-ferns replacing the cocoa-nuts on the coast. It must not, however, be supposed that 124

these woods at all equal in splendour the forests of Brazil. The vast numbers of 125

productions, which characterize a continent, cannot be expected to occur in an island. 126

From the highest point which I attained, there was a good view of the distant island 127

of Eimeo, dependent on the same sovereign with Tahiti. On the lofty and broken 128

pinnacles, white massive clouds were piled up, which formed an island in the blue sky, 129

as Eimeo itself did in the blue ocean. The island, with the exception of one small 130

gateway, is completely encircled by a reef. At this distance, a narrow but well-defined 131

brilliantly white line was alone visible, where the waves first encountered the wall of 132

coral. The mountains rose abruptly out of the glassy expanse of the lagoon, included 133

within this narrow white line, outside which the heaving waters of the ocean were dark-134

coloured. The view was striking: it may aptly be compared to a framed engraving, 135

where the frame represents the breakers, the marginal paper the smooth lagoon, and the 136

drawing the island itself. When in the evening I descended from the mountain, a man, 137

whom I had pleased with a trifling gift, met me, bringing with him hot roasted bananas, 138

a pine-apple, and cocoa-nuts. After walking under a burning sun, I do not know 139

anything more delicious than the milk of a young cocoa-nut. Pine-apples are here so 140

abundant that the people eat them in the same wasteful manner as we might turnips. 141

They are of an excellent flavor—perhaps even better than those cultivated in England; 142

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and this I believe is the highest compliment which can be paid to any fruit. Before going 143

on board, Mr. Wilson interpreted for me to the Tahitian who had paid me so adroit an 144

attention, that I wanted him and another man to accompany me on a short excursion 145

into the mountains. 146

18th.—In the morning I came on shore early, bringing with me some provisions in a 147

bag, and two blankets for myself and servant. These were lashed to each end of a long 148

pole, which was alternately carried by my Tahitian companions on their shoulders. 149

These men are accustomed thus to carry, for a whole day, as much as fifty pounds at 150

each end of their poles. I told my guides to provide themselves with food and clothing; 151

but they said that there was plenty of food in the mountains, and for clothing, that their 152

skins were sufficient. Our line of march was the valley of Tiaauru, down which a river 153

flows into the sea by Point Venus. This is one of the principal streams in the island, and 154

its source lies at the base of the loftiest central pinnacles, which rise to a height of about 155

7000 feet. The whole island is so mountainous that the only way to penetrate into the 156

interior is to follow up the valleys. Our road, at first, lay through woods which bordered 157

each side of the river; and the glimpses of the lofty central peaks, seen as through an 158

avenue, with here and there a waving cocoa-nut tree on one side, were extremely 159

picturesque. The valley soon began to narrow, and the sides to grow lofty and more 160

precipitous. After having walked between three and four hours, we found the width of 161

the ravine scarcely exceeded that of the bed of the stream. On each hand the walls were 162

nearly vertical, yet from the soft nature of the volcanic strata, trees and a rank vegetation 163

sprung from every projecting ledge. These precipices must have been some thousand 164

feet high; and the whole formed a mountain gorge far more magnificent than anything 165

which I had ever before beheld. Until the midday sun stood vertically over the ravine, 166

the air felt cool and damp, but now it became very sultry. Shaded by a ledge of rock, 167

beneath a facade of columnar lava, we ate our dinner. My guides had already procured 168

a dish of small fish and fresh-water prawns. They carried with them a small net stretched 169

on a hoop; and where the water was deep and in eddies, they dived, and like otters, with 170

their eyes open followed the fish into holes and corners, and thus caught them. 171

The Tahitians have the dexterity of amphibious animals in the water. An anecdote 172

mentioned by Ellis shows how much they feel at home in this element. When a horse 173

was landing for Pomarre in 1817, the slings broke, and it fell into the water; immediately 174

the natives jumped overboard, and by their cries and vain efforts at assistance almost 175

drowned it. As soon, however, as it reached the shore, the whole population took to 176

flight, and tried to hide themselves from the man-carrying pig, as they christened the 177

horse. 178

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A little higher up, the river divided itself into three little streams. The two northern 179

ones were impracticable, owing to a succession of waterfalls which descended from the 180

jagged summit of the highest mountain; the other to all appearance was equally 181

inaccessible, but we managed to ascend it by a most extraordinary road. The sides of 182

the valley were here nearly precipitous, but, as frequently happens with stratified rocks, 183

small ledges projected, which were thickly covered by wild bananas, lilaceous plants, 184

and other luxuriant productions of the tropics. The Tahitians, by climbing amongst these 185

ledges, searching for fruit, had discovered a track by which the whole precipice could 186

be scaled. The first ascent from the valley was very dangerous; for it was necessary to 187

pass a steeply inclined face of naked rock, by the aid of ropes which we brought with 188

us. How any person discovered that this formidable spot was the only point where the 189

side of the mountain was practicable, I cannot imagine. We then cautiously walked 190

along one of the ledges till we came to one of the three streams. This ledge formed a 191

flat spot, above which a beautiful cascade, some hundred feet in height, poured down 192

its waters, and beneath, another high cascade fell into the main stream in the valley 193

below. From this cool and shady recess we made a circuit to avoid the overhanging 194

waterfall. As before, we followed little projecting ledges, the danger being partly 195

concealed by the thickness of the vegetation. In passing from one of the ledges to 196

another, there was a vertical wall of rock. One of the Tahitians, a fine active man, placed 197

the trunk of a tree against this, climbed up it, and then by the aid of crevices reached 198

the summit. He fixed the ropes to a projecting point, and lowered them for our dog and 199

luggage, and then we clambered up ourselves. Beneath the ledge on which the dead tree 200

was placed, the precipice must have been five or six hundred feet deep; and if the abyss 201

had not been partly concealed by the overhanging ferns and lilies my head would have 202

turned giddy, and nothing should have induced me to have attempted it. We continued 203

to ascend, sometimes along ledges, and sometimes along knife-edged ridges, having on 204

each hand profound ravines. In the Cordillera I have seen mountains on a far grander 205

scale, but for abruptness, nothing at all comparable with this. In the evening we reached 206

a flat little spot on the banks of the same stream, which we had continued to follow, and 207

which descends in a chain of waterfalls: here we bivouacked for the night. On each side 208

of the ravine there were great beds of the mountain-banana, covered with ripe fruit. 209

Many of these plants were from twenty to twenty-five feet high, and from three to four 210

in circumference. By the aid of strips of bark for rope, the stems of bamboos for rafters, 211

and the large leaf of the banana for a thatch, the Tahitians in a few minutes built us an 212

excellent house; and with withered leaves made a soft bed. 213

They then proceeded to make a fire, and cook our evening meal. A light was procured, 214

by rubbing a blunt pointed stick in a groove made in another, as if with intention of 215

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deepening it, until by the friction the dust became ignited. A peculiarly white and very 216

light wood (the Hibiscus tiliareus) is alone used for this purpose: it is the same which 217

serves for poles to carry any burden, and for the floating out-riggers to their canoes. The 218

fire was produced in a few seconds: but to a person who does not understand the art, it 219

requires, as I found, the greatest exertion; but at last, to my great pride, I succeeded in 220

igniting the dust. The Gaucho in the Pampas uses a different method: taking an elastic 221

stick about eighteen inches long, he presses one end on his breast, and the other pointed 222

end into a hole in a piece of wood, and then rapidly turns the curved part, like a 223

carpenter's centre-bit. The Tahitians having made a small fire of sticks, placed a score 224

of stones, of about the size of cricket-balls, on the burning wood. In about ten minutes 225

the sticks were consumed, and the stones hot. They had previously folded up in small 226

parcels of leaves, pieces of beef, fish, ripe and unripe bananas, and the tops of the wild 227

arum. These green parcels were laid in a layer between two layers of the hot stones, and 228

the whole then covered up with earth, so that no smoke or steam could escape. In about 229

a quarter of an hour, the whole was most deliciously cooked. The choice green parcels 230

were now laid on a cloth of banana leaves, and with a cocoa-nut shell we drank the cool 231

water of the running stream; and thus we enjoyed our rustic meal. 232

I could not look on the surrounding plants without admiration. On every side were 233

forests of banana; the fruit of which, though serving for food in various ways, lay in 234

heaps decaying on the ground. In front of us there was an extensive brake of wild sugar-235

cane; and the stream was shaded by the dark green knotted stem of the Ava,—so famous 236

in former days for its powerful intoxicating effects. I chewed a piece, and found that it 237

had an acrid and unpleasant taste, which would have induced any one at once to have 238

pronounced it poisonous. Thanks to the missionaries, this plant now thrives only in 239

these deep ravines, innocuous to every one. Close by I saw the wild arum, the roots of 240

which, when well baked, are good to eat, and the young leaves better than spinach. 241

There was the wild yam, and a liliaceous plant called Ti, which grows in abundance, 242

and has a soft brown root, in shape and size like a huge log of wood: this served us for 243

dessert, for it is as sweet as treacle, and with a pleasant taste. There were, moreover, 244

several other wild fruits, and useful vegetables. The little stream, besides its cool water, 245

produced eels, and cray-fish. I did indeed admire this scene, when I compared it with 246

an uncultivated one in the temperate zones. I felt the force of the remark, that man, at 247

least savage man, with his reasoning powers only partly developed, is the child of the 248

tropics…. 249

Before we laid ourselves down to sleep, the elder Tahitian fell on his knees, and with 250

closed eyes repeated a long prayer in his native tongue. He prayed as a Christian should 251

do, with fitting reverence, and without the fear of ridicule or any ostentation of piety. 252

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At our meals neither of the men would taste food, without saying beforehand a short 253

grace. Those travellers who think that a Tahitian prays only when the eyes of the 254

missionary are fixed on him, should have slept with us that night on the mountain-side. 255

Before morning it rained very heavily; but the good thatch of banana-leaves kept us dry. 256

November 19th.—At daylight my friends, after their morning prayer, prepared an 257

excellent breakfast in the same manner as in the evening. They themselves certainly 258

partook of it largely; indeed I never saw any men eat near so much. I suppose such 259

enormously capacious stomachs must be the effect of a large part of their diet consisting 260

of fruit and vegetables, which contain, in a given bulk, a comparatively small portion 261

of nutriment. Unwittingly, I was the means of my companions breaking, as I afterwards 262

learned, one of their own laws, and resolutions: I took with me a flask of spirits, which 263

they could not refuse to partake of; but as often as they drank a little, they put their 264

fingers before their mouths, and uttered the word "Missionary." About two years ago, 265

although the use of the ava was prevented, drunkenness from the introduction of spirits 266

became very prevalent. The missionaries prevailed on a few good men, who saw that 267

their country was rapidly going to ruin, to join with them in a Temperance Society. 268

From good sense or shame, all the chiefs and the queen were at last persuaded to join. 269

Immediately a law was passed, that no spirits should be allowed to be introduced into 270

the island, and that he who sold and he who bought the forbidden article should be 271

punished by a fine. With remarkable justice, a certain period was allowed for stock in 272

hand to be sold, before the law came into effect. But when it did, a general search was 273

made, in which even the houses of the missionaries were not exempted, and all the ava 274

(as the natives call all ardent spirits) was poured on the ground. When one reflects on 275

the effect of intemperance on the aborigines of the two Americas, I think it will be 276

acknowledged that every well-wisher of Tahiti owes no common debt of gratitude to 277

the missionaries. As long as the little island of St. Helena remained under the 278

government of the East India Company, spirits, owing to the great injury they had 279

produced, were not allowed to be imported; but wine was supplied from the Cape of 280

Good Hope. It is rather a striking and not very gratifying fact, that in the same year that 281

spirits were allowed to be sold in Helena, their use was banished from Tahiti by the free 282

will of the people. 283

After breakfast we proceeded on our Journey. As my object was merely to see a little 284

of the interior scenery, we returned by another track, which descended into the main 285

valley lower down. For some distance we wound, by a most intricate path, along the 286

side of the mountain which formed the valley. In the less precipitous parts we passed 287

through extensive groves of the wild banana. The Tahitians, with their naked, tattooed 288

bodies, their heads ornamented with flowers, and seen in the dark shade of these groves, 289

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would have formed a fine picture of man inhabiting some primeval land. In our descent 290

we followed the line of ridges; these were exceedingly narrow, and for considerable 291

lengths steep as a ladder; but all clothed with vegetation. The extreme care necessary in 292

poising each step rendered the walk fatiguing. … In this descent we had occasion to use 293

the ropes only once, at the point where we entered the main valley. We slept under the 294

same ledge of rock where we had dined the day before: the night was fine, but from the 295

depth and narrowness of the gorge, profoundly dark. 296

Before actually seeing this country, I found it difficult to understand two facts 297

mentioned by Ellis; namely, that after the murderous battles of former times, the 298

survivors on the conquered side retired into the mountains, where a handful of men 299

could resist a multitude. Certainly half a dozen men, at the spot where the Tahitian 300

reared the old tree, could easily have repulsed thousands. Secondly, that after the 301

introduction of Christianity, there were wild men who lived in the mountains, and 302

whose retreats were unknown to the more civilized inhabitants. 303

November 20th.—In the morning we started early, and reached Matavai at noon. On 304

the road we met a large party of noble athletic men, going for wild bananas. I found that 305

the ship, on account of the difficulty in watering, had moved to the harbour of Papawa, 306

to which place I immediately walked. This is a very pretty spot. The cove is surrounded 307

by reefs, and the water as smooth as in a lake. The cultivated ground, with its beautiful 308

productions, interspersed with cottages, comes close down to the water's edge. From 309

the varying accounts which I had read before reaching these islands, I was very anxious 310

to form, from my own observation, a judgment of their moral state,—although such 311

judgment would necessarily be very imperfect. First impressions at all times very much 312

depend on one's previously acquired ideas. My notions were drawn from Ellis's 313

"Polynesian Researches"—an admirable and most interesting work, but naturally 314

looking at everything under a favourable point of view, from Beechey's Voyage; and 315

from that of Kotzebue, which is strongly adverse to the whole missionary system. He 316

who compares these three accounts will, I think, form a tolerably accurate conception 317

of the present state of Tahiti. One of my impressions which I took from the two last 318

authorities, was decidedly incorrect; viz., that the Tahitians had become a gloomy race, 319

and lived in fear of the missionaries. Of the latter feeling I saw no trace, unless, indeed, 320

fear and respect be confounded under one name. Instead of discontent being a common 321

feeling, it would be difficult in Europe to pick out of a crowd half so many merry and 322

happy faces. The prohibition of the flute and dancing is inveighed against as wrong and 323

foolish;—the more than presbyterian manner of keeping the sabbath is looked at in a 324

similar light. On these points I will not pretend to offer any opinion to men who have 325

resided as many years as I was days on the island. 326

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On the whole, it appears to me that the morality and religion of the inhabitants are 327

highly creditable. There are many who attack, even more acrimoniously than Kotzebue, 328

both the missionaries, their system, and the effects produced by it. Such reasoners never 329

compare the present state with that of the island only twenty years ago; nor even with 330

that of Europe at this day; but they compare it with the high standard of Gospel 331

perfection. They expect the missionaries to effect that which the Apostles themselves 332

failed to do. Inasmuch as the condition of the people falls short of this high standard, 333

blame is attached to the missionary, instead of credit for that which he has effected. 334

They forget, or will not remember, that human sacrifices, and the power of an idolatrous 335

priesthood—a system of profligacy unparalleled in any other part of the world—336

infanticide a consequence of that system—bloody wars, where the conquerors spared 337

neither women nor children—that all these have been abolished; and that dishonesty, 338

intemperance, and licentiousness have been greatly reduced by the introduction of 339

Christianity. In a voyager to forget these things is base ingratitude; for should he chance 340

to be at the point of shipwreck on some unknown coast, he will most devoutly pray that 341

the lesson of the missionary may have extended thus far. 342

In point of morality, the virtue of the women, it has been often said, is most open to 343

exception. But before they are blamed too severely, it will be well distinctly to call to 344

mind the scenes described by Captain Cook and Mr. Banks, in which the grandmothers 345

and mothers of the present race played a part. Those who are most severe, should 346

consider how much of the morality of the women in Europe is owing to the system early 347

impressed by mothers on their daughters, and how much in each individual case to the 348

precepts of religion. But it is useless to argue against such reasoners;—I believe that, 349

disappointed in not finding the field of licentiousness quite so open as formerly, they 350

will not give credit to a morality which they do not wish to practise, or to a religion 351

which they undervalue, if not despise. 352

Sunday, 22nd.—….About two years ago, a small vessel under English colours was 353

plundered by some of the inhabitants of the Low Islands, which were then under the 354

dominion of the Queen of Tahiti. It was believed that the perpetrators were instigated 355

to this act by some indiscreet laws issued by her majesty. The British government 356

demanded compensation; which was acceded to, and the sum of nearly three thousand 357

dollars was agreed to be paid on the first of last September. The Commodore at Lima 358

ordered Captain Fitz Roy to inquire concerning this debt, and to demand satisfaction if 359

it were not paid. Captain Fitz Roy accordingly requested an interview with the Queen 360

Pomarre, since famous from the ill-treatment she had received from the French; and a 361

parliament was held to consider the question, at which all the principal chiefs of the 362

island and the queen were assembled. I will not attempt to describe what took place, 363

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after the interesting account given by Captain Fitz Roy. The money, it appeared, had 364

not been paid; perhaps the alleged reasons were rather equivocal; but otherwise I cannot 365

sufficiently express our general surprise at the extreme good sense, the reasoning 366

powers, moderation, candour, and prompt resolution, which were displayed on all sides. 367

I believe we all left the meeting with a very different opinion of the Tahitians, from 368

what we entertained when we entered. The chiefs and people resolved to subscribe and 369

complete the sum which was wanting; Captain Fitz Roy urged that it was hard that their 370

private property should be sacrificed for the crimes of distant islanders. They replied, 371

that they were grateful for his consideration, but that Pomarre was their Queen, and that 372

they were determined to help her in this her difficulty. This resolution and its prompt 373

execution, for a book was opened early the next morning, made a perfect conclusion to 374

this very remarkable scene of loyalty and good feeling. 375

After the main discussion was ended, several of the chiefs took the opportunity of 376

asking Captain Fitz Roy many intelligent questions on international customs and laws, 377

relating to the treatment of ships and foreigners. On some points, as soon as the decision 378

was made, the law was issued verbally on the spot. …. 379

November 25th.—In the evening four boats were sent for her majesty; the ship was 380

dressed with flags, and the yards manned on her coming on board. She was 381

accompanied by most of the chiefs. The behaviour of all was very proper: they begged 382

for nothing, and seemed much pleased with Captain Fitz Roy's presents. The queen is a 383

large awkward woman, without any beauty, grace or dignity. She has only one royal 384

attribute: a perfect immovability of expression under all circumstances, and that rather 385

a sullen one. The rockets were most admired, and a deep "Oh!" could be heard from the 386

shore, all round the dark bay, after each explosion. The sailors' songs were also much 387

admired; and the queen said she thought that one of the most boisterous ones certainly 388

could not be a hymn! The royal party did not return on shore till past midnight. …. 389

December 19th.—In the evening we saw in the distance New Zealand. We may now 390

consider that we have nearly crossed the Pacific. It is necessary to sail over this great 391

ocean to comprehend its immensity. Moving quickly onwards for weeks together, we 392

meet with nothing but the same blue, profoundly deep, ocean. Even within the 393

archipelagoes, the islands are mere specks, and far distant one from the other. 394

Accustomed to look at maps drawn on a small scale, where dots, shading, and names 395

are crowded together, we do not rightly judge how infinitely small the proportion of dry 396

land is to water of this vast expanse. The meridian of the Antipodes has likewise been 397

passed; and now every league, it made us happy to think, was one league nearer to 398

England. These Antipodes call to one's mind old recollections of childish doubt and 399

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wonder. Only the other day I looked forward to this airy barrier as a definite point in 400

our voyage homewards; but now I find it, and all such resting-places for the 401

imagination, are like shadows, which a man moving onwards cannot catch. A gale of 402

wind lasting for some days, has lately given us full leisure to measure the future stages 403

in our homeward voyage, and to wish most earnestly for its termination. 404

December 21st.—….In the afternoon we went on shore to one of the larger groups of 405

houses, which yet hardly deserves the title of a village. Its name is Pahia: it is the 406

residence of the missionaries; and there are no native residents except servants and 407

labourers. In the vicinity of the Bay of Islands, the number of Englishmen, including 408

their families, amounts to between two and three hundred. All the cottages, many of 409

which are whitewashed and look very neat, are the property of the English. The hovels 410

of the natives are so diminutive and paltry, that they can scarcely be perceived from a 411

distance. At Pahia, it was quite pleasing to behold the English flowers in the gardens 412

before the houses; there were roses of several kinds, honeysuckle, jasmine, stocks, and 413

whole hedges of sweetbrier. 414

December 22nd.—In the morning I went out walking; but I soon found that the 415

country was very impracticable. All the hills are thickly covered with tall fern, together 416

with a low bush which grows like a cypress; and very little ground has been cleared or 417

cultivated. I then tried the sea-beach; but proceeding towards either hand, my walk was 418

soon stopped by salt-water creeks and deep brooks. The communication between the 419

inhabitants of the different parts of the bay, is (as in Chiloe) almost entirely kept up by 420

boats. I was surprised to find that almost every hill which I ascended, had been at some 421

former time more or less fortified. The summits were cut into steps or successive 422

terraces, and frequently they had been protected by deep trenches. I afterwards observed 423

that the principal hills inland in like manner showed an artificial outline. These are the 424

Pas, so frequently mentioned by Captain Cook under the name of "hippah;" the 425

difference of sound being owing to the prefixed article. 426

That the Pas had formerly been much used, was evident from the piles of shells, and 427

the pits in which, as I was informed, sweet potatoes used to be kept as a reserve. As 428

there was no water on these hills, the defenders could never have anticipated a long 429

siege, but only a hurried attack for plunder, against which the successive terraces would 430

have afforded good protection. The general introduction of fire-arms has changed the 431

whole system of warfare; and an exposed situation on the top of a hill is now worse 432

than useless. The Pas in consequence are, at the present day, always built on a level 433

piece of ground. They consist of a double stockade of thick and tall posts, placed in a 434

zigzag line, so that every part can be flanked. Within the stockade a mound of earth is 435

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thrown up, behind which the defenders can rest in safety, or use their fire-arms over it. 436

On the level of the ground little archways sometimes pass through this breastwork, by 437

which means the defenders can crawl out to the stockade and reconnoitre their enemies. 438

The Rev. W. Williams, who gave me this account, added, that in one Pas he had noticed 439

spurs or buttresses projecting on the inner and protected side of the mound of earth. On 440

asking the chief the use of them, he replied, that if two or three of his men were shot, 441

their neighbours would not see the bodies, and so be discouraged. 442

These Pas are considered by the New Zealanders as very perfect means of defence: 443

for the attacking force is never so well disciplined as to rush in a body to the stockade, 444

cut it down, and effect their entry. When a tribe goes to war, the chief cannot order one 445

party to go here and another there; but every man fights in the manner which best 446

pleases himself; and to each separate individual to approach a stockade defended by 447

fire-arms must appear certain death. I should think a more warlike race of inhabitants 448

could not be found in any part of the world than the New Zealanders. Their conduct on 449

first seeing a ship, as described by Captain Cook, strongly illustrates this: the act of 450

throwing volleys of stones at so great and novel an object, and their defiance of "Come 451

on shore and we will kill and eat you all," shows uncommon boldness. This warlike 452

spirit is evident in many of their customs, and even in their smallest actions. If a New 453

Zealander is struck, although but in joke, the blow must be returned and of this I saw 454

an instance with one of our officers. 455

At the present day, from the progress of civilization, there is much less warfare, 456

except among some of the southern tribes. I heard a characteristic anecdote of what took 457

place some time ago in the south. A missionary found a chief and his tribe in preparation 458

for war;—their muskets clean and bright, and their ammunition ready. He reasoned long 459

on the inutility of the war, and the little provocation which had been given for it. The 460

chief was much shaken in his resolution, and seemed in doubt: but at length it occurred 461

to him that a barrel of his gunpowder was in a bad state, and that it would not keep 462

much longer. This was brought forward as an unanswerable argument for the necessity 463

of immediately declaring war: the idea of allowing so much good gunpowder to spoil 464

was not to be thought of; and this settled the point. I was told by the missionaries that 465

in the life of Shongi, the chief who visited England, the love of war was the one and 466

lasting spring of every action. The tribe in which he was a principal chief had at one 467

time been oppressed by another tribe from the Thames River. A solemn oath was taken 468

by the men that when their boys should grow up, and they should be powerful enough, 469

they would never forget or forgive these injuries. To fulfil this oath appears to have 470

been Shongi's chief motive for going to England; and when there it was his sole object. 471

Presents were valued only as they could be converted into arms; of the arts, those alone 472

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interested him which were connected with the manufacture of arms. When at Sydney, 473

Shongi, by a strange coincidence, met the hostile chief of the Thames River at the house 474

of Mr. Marsden: their conduct was civil to each other; but Shongi told him that when 475

again in New Zealand he would never cease to carry war into his country. The challenge 476

was accepted; and Shongi on his return fulfilled the threat to the utmost letter. The tribe 477

on the Thames River was utterly overthrown, and the chief to whom the challenge had 478

been given was himself killed. Shongi, although harbouring such deep feelings of hatred 479

and revenge, is described as having been a good-natured person. 480

…. Looking at the New Zealander, one naturally compares him with the Tahitian; 481

both belonging to the same family of mankind. The comparison, however, tells heavily 482

against the New Zealander. He may, perhaps be superior in energy, but in every other 483

respect his character is of a much lower order. One glance at their respective 484

expressions, brings conviction to the mind that one is a savage, the other a civilized 485

man. It would be vain to seek in the whole of New Zealand a person with the face and 486

mien of the old Tahitian chief Utamme. No doubt the extraordinary manner in which 487

tattooing is here practised, gives a disagreeable expression to their countenances. The 488

complicated but symmetrical figures covering the whole face, puzzle and mislead an 489

unaccustomed eye: it is moreover probable, that the deep incisions, by destroying the 490

play of the superficial muscles, give an air of rigid inflexibility. But, besides this, there 491

is a twinkling in the eye, which cannot indicate anything but cunning and ferocity. Their 492

figures are tall and bulky; but not comparable in elegance with those of the working-493

classes in Tahiti. 494

But their persons and houses are filthily dirty and offensive: the idea of washing either 495

their bodies or their clothes never seems to enter their heads. I saw a chief, who was 496

wearing a shirt black and matted with filth, and when asked how it came to be so dirty, 497

he replied, with surprise, "Do not you see it is an old one?" Some of the men have shirts; 498

but the common dress is one or two large blankets, generally black with dirt, which are 499

thrown over their shoulders in a very inconvenient and awkward fashion. A few of the 500

principal chiefs have decent suits of English clothes; but these are only worn on great 501

occasions. 502

December 23rd.—At a place called Waimate, about fifteen miles from the Bay of 503

Islands, and midway between the eastern and western coasts, the missionaries have 504

purchased some land for agricultural purposes. I had been introduced to the Rev. W. 505

Williams, who, upon my expressing a wish, invited me to pay him a visit there. Mr. 506

Bushby, the British resident, offered to take me in his boat by a creek, where I should 507

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see a pretty waterfall, and by which means my walk would be shortened. He likewise 508

procured for me a guide. 509

…. My companion was a light active man, dressed in a dirty blanket, and with his 510

face completely tattooed. He had formerly been a great warrior. He appeared to be on 511

very cordial terms with Mr. Bushby; but at various times they had quarrelled violently. 512

Mr. Bushby remarked that a little quiet irony would frequently silence any one of these 513

natives in their most blustering moments. This chief has come and harangued Mr. 514

Bushby in a hectoring manner, saying, "great chief, a great man, a friend of mine, has 515

come to pay me a visit—you must give him something good to eat, some fine presents, 516

etc." Mr. Bushby has allowed him to finish his discourse, and then has quietly replied 517

by some answer such as, "What else shall your slave do for you?" The man would then 518

instantly, with a very comical expression, cease his braggadocio. 519

….We now commenced our walk. The road lay along a well beaten path, bordered 520

on each side by the tall fern, which covers the whole country. After travelling some 521

miles, we came to a little country village, where a few hovels were collected together, 522

and some patches of ground cultivated with potatoes. The introduction of the potato has 523

been the most essential benefit to the island; it is now much more used than any native 524

vegetable. New Zealand is favoured by one great natural advantage; namely, that the 525

inhabitants can never perish from famine. The whole country abounds with fern: and 526

the roots of this plant, if not very palatable, yet contain much nutriment. A native can 527

always subsist on these, and on the shell-fish, which are abundant on all parts of the 528

sea-coast. The villages are chiefly conspicuous by the platforms which are raised on 529

four posts ten or twelve feet above the ground, and on which the produce of the fields 530

is kept secure from all accidents. 531

On coming near one of the huts I was much amused by seeing in due form the 532

ceremony of rubbing, or, as it ought to be called, pressing noses. The women, on our 533

first approach, began uttering something in a most dolorous voice; they then squatted 534

themselves down and held up their faces; my companion standing over them, one after 535

another, placed the bridge of his nose at right angles to theirs, and commenced pressing. 536

This lasted rather longer than a cordial shake of the hand with us, and as we vary the 537

force of the grasp of the hand in shaking, so do they in pressing. During the process 538

they uttered comfortable little grunts, very much in the same manner as two pigs do, 539

when rubbing against each other. I noticed that the slave would press noses with any 540

one he met, indifferently either before or after his master the chief. Although among the 541

savages, the chief has absolute power of life and death over his slave, yet there is an 542

entire absence of ceremony between them. Mr. Burchell has remarked the same thing 543

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in Southern Africa, with the rude Bachapins. Where civilization has arrived at a certain 544

point, complex formalities soon arise between the different grades of society: thus at 545

Tahiti all were formerly obliged to uncover themselves as low as the waist in presence 546

of the king. 547

The ceremony of pressing noses having been duly completed with all present, we 548

seated ourselves in a circle in the front of one of the hovels, and rested there half-an-549

hour. All the hovels have nearly the same form and dimensions, and all agree in being 550

filthily dirty. They resemble a cow-shed with one end open, but having a partition a 551

little way within, with a square hole in it, making a small gloomy chamber. In this the 552

inhabitants keep all their property, and when the weather is cold they sleep there. They 553

eat, however, and pass their time in the open part in front. My guides having finished 554

their pipes, we continued our walk. The path led through the same undulating country, 555

the whole uniformly clothed as before with fern. On our right hand we had a serpentine 556

river, the banks of which were fringed with trees, and here and there on the hill sides 557

there was a clump of wood. The whole scene, in spite of its green colour, had rather a 558

desolate aspect. The sight of so much fern impresses the mind with an idea of sterility: 559

this, however, is not correct; for wherever the fern grows thick and breast-high, the land 560

by tillage becomes productive. …. 561

The soil is volcanic; in several parts we passed over shaggy lavas, and craters could 562

clearly be distinguished on several of the neighbouring hills. Although the scenery is 563

nowhere beautiful, and only occasionally pretty, I enjoyed my walk. I should have 564

enjoyed it more, if my companion, the chief, had not possessed extraordinary 565

conversational powers. I knew only three words: "good," "bad," and "yes:" and with 566

these I answered all his remarks, without of course having understood one word he said. 567

This, however, was quite sufficient: I was a good listener, an agreeable person, and he 568

never ceased talking to me. 569

… 570

Late in the evening I went to Mr. Williams's house, where I passed the night. I found 571

there a large party of children, collected together for Christmas Day, and all sitting 572

round a table at tea. I never saw a nicer or more merry group; and to think that this was 573

in the centre of the land of cannibalism, murder, and all atrocious crimes! The 574

cordiality and happiness so plainly pictured in the faces of the little circle, appeared 575

equally felt by the older persons of the mission. 576

December 24th.—In the morning, prayers were read in the native tongue to the whole 577

family. …. The children of the missionaries, who came while young to the island, 578

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understand the language better than their parents, and can get anything more readily 579

done by the natives. 580

A little before noon Messrs. Williams and Davies walked with me to a part of a 581

neighbouring forest, to show me the famous kauri pine. I measured one of the noble 582

trees, and found it thirty-one feet in circumference above the roots. There was another 583

close by, which I did not see, thirty-three feet; and I heard of one no less than forty feet. 584

These trees are remarkable for their smooth cylindrical boles, which run up to a height 585

of sixty, and even ninety feet, with a nearly equal diameter, and without a single branch. 586

The crown of branches at the summit is out of all proportion small to the trunk; and the 587

leaves are likewise small compared with the branches. The forest was here almost 588

composed of the kauri; and the largest trees, from the parallelism of their sides, stood 589

up like gigantic columns of wood. The timber of the kauri is the most valuable 590

production of the island; moreover, a quantity of resin oozes from the bark, which is 591

sold at a penny a pound to the Americans, but its use was then unknown. Some of the 592

New Zealand forest must be impenetrable to an extraordinary degree. Mr. Matthews 593

informed me that one forest only thirty-four miles in width, and separating two 594

inhabited districts, had only lately, for the first time, been crossed. He and another 595

missionary, each with a party of about fifty men, undertook to open a road, but it cost 596

more than a fortnight's labour! In the woods I saw very few birds. With regard to 597

animals, it is a most remarkable fact, that so large an island, extending over more than 598

700 miles in latitude, and in many parts ninety broad, with varied stations, a fine 599

climate, and land of all heights, from 14,000 feet downwards, with the exception of a 600

small rat, did not possess one indigenous animal. The several species of that gigantic 601

genus of birds, the Deinornis seem here to have replaced mammiferous quadrupeds, in 602

the same manner as the reptiles still do at the Galapagos archipelago. It is said that the 603

common Norway rat, in the short space of two years, annihilated in this northern end of 604

the island, the New Zealand species. In many places I noticed several sorts of weeds, 605

which, like the rats, I was forced to own as countrymen. A leek has overrun whole 606

districts, and will prove very troublesome, but it was imported as a favour by a French 607

vessel. The common dock is also widely disseminated, and will, I fear, for ever remain 608

a proof of the rascality of an Englishman, who sold the seeds for those of the tobacco 609

plant. …. 610

Christmas Day.—In a few more days the fourth year of our absence from England 611

will be completed. Our first Christmas Day was spent at Plymouth, the second at St. 612

Martin's Cove, near Cape Horn; the third at Port Desire, in Patagonia; the fourth at 613

anchor in a wild harbour in the peninsula of Tres Montes, this fifth here, and the next, 614

I trust in Providence, will be in England. We attended divine service in the chapel of 615

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Pahia; part of the service being read in English, and part in the native language. Whilst 616

at New Zealand we did not hear of any recent acts of cannibalism; but Mr. Stokes 617

found burnt human bones strewed round a fire-place on a small island near the 618

anchorage; but these remains of a comfortable banquet might have been lying there for 619

several years. It is probable that the moral state of the people will rapidly improve. Mr. 620

Bushby mentioned one pleasing anecdote as a proof of the sincerity of some, at least, 621

of those who profess Christianity. One of his young men left him, who had been 622

accustomed to read prayers to the rest of the servants. Some weeks afterwards, 623

happening to pass late in the evening by an outhouse, he saw and heard one of his men 624

reading the Bible with difficulty by the light of the fire, to the others. After this the party 625

knelt and prayed: in their prayers they mentioned Mr. Bushby and his family, and the 626

missionaries, each separately in his respective district. 627

December 26th.—Mr. Bushby offered to take Mr. Sulivan and myself in his boat 628

some miles up the river to Cawa-Cawa, and proposed afterwards to walk on to the 629

village of Waiomio, where there are some curious rocks. ….The chief was at this time 630

rather notorious from having lately hung one of his wives and a slave for adultery. When 631

one of the missionaries remonstrated with him he seemed surprised, and said he thought 632

he was exactly following the English method. Old Shongi, who happened to be in 633

England during the Queen's trial, expressed great disapprobation at the whole 634

proceeding: he said he had five wives, and he would rather cut off all their heads than 635

be so much troubled about one. Leaving this village, we crossed over to another, seated 636

on a hill-side at a little distance. The daughter of a chief, who was still a heathen, had 637

died there five days before. The hovel in which she had expired had been burnt to the 638

ground: her body being enclosed between two small canoes, was placed upright on the 639

ground, and protected by an enclosure bearing wooden images of their gods, and the 640

whole was painted bright red, so as to be conspicuous from afar. Her gown was fastened 641

to the coffin, and her hair being cut off was cast at its foot. The relatives of the family 642

had torn the flesh of their arms, bodies, and faces, so that they were covered with clotted 643

blood; and the old women looked most filthy, disgusting objects. On the following day 644

some of the officers visited this place, and found the women still howling and cutting 645

themselves. 646

We continued our walk, and soon reached Waiomio. Here there are some singular 647

masses of limestone, resembling ruined castles. These rocks have long served for burial 648

places, and in consequence are held too sacred to be approached. One of the young men, 649

however, cried out, "Let us all be brave," and ran on ahead; but when within a hundred 650

yards, the whole party thought better of it, and stopped short. With perfect indifference, 651

however, they allowed us to examine the whole place. At this village we rested some 652

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hours, during which time there was a long discussion with Mr. Bushby, concerning the 653

right of sale of certain lands. One old man, who appeared a perfect genealogist, 654

illustrated the successive possessors by bits of stick driven into the ground. Before 655

leaving the houses a little basketful of roasted sweet potatoes was given to each of our 656

party; and we all, according to the custom, carried them away to eat on the road. I 657

noticed that among the women employed in cooking, there was a man-slave: it must be 658

a humiliating thing for a man in this warlike country to be employed in doing that which 659

is considered as the lowest woman's work. Slaves are not allowed to go to war; but this 660

perhaps can hardly be considered as a hardship. I heard of one poor wretch who, during 661

hostilities, ran away to the opposite party; being met by two men, he was immediately 662

seized; but as they could not agree to whom he should belong, each stood over him with 663

a stone hatchet, and seemed determined that the other at least should not take him away 664

alive. The poor man, almost dead with fright, was only saved by the address of a chief's 665

wife. We afterwards enjoyed a pleasant walk back to the boat, but did not reach the ship 666

till late in the evening. 667

December 30th.—In the afternoon we stood out of the Bay of Islands, on our course 668

to Sydney. I believe we were all glad to leave New Zealand. It is not a pleasant place. 669

Amongst the natives there is absent that charming simplicity which is found in Tahiti; 670

and the greater part of the English are the very refuse of society. Neither is the country 671

itself attractive. I look back but to one bright spot, and that is Waimate, with its Christian 672

inhabitants. 673

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