TRIP OF HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR AND THE BISHOP OF NEW ZEALAND, TO SOME OF THE ISLANDS IN THE AUSTRALASIAN GROUP.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume V, Issue 130, 15 December 1853, Page 2

TRIP OF HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR AND THE BISHOP OF NEW ZEALAND, TO SOME OF THE ISLANDS IN THE AUSTRALASIAN GROUP.

Translated from the Maori, On Tuesday the Bth of November we sailed in our vessel, the Victoria, For the islands where the black people reside, (purposing to visit also) some uninhabited islands. The Governor-in-Chief of New Zealand, and the Bishop of New Zealand wished, to see these islands, another object was, to land Air. Nihil, a clergyman, with Airs Nihil and daughter, on Mare Island. Messrs. Richmond and accompanied the Governor as secretaries, and the Bishop took with him his two children. Among the pnrty were two natives of New Zealand, named Pirikawau, and Riwai Te Ahu, the Governor and the Bishop being desirous that they also should see the islands of the black people. The course we steered was towards three islands 700 miles distant from New Zealand ; the mime of the largest of these is Sunday. The Governor and the Bishop said, that this would be a good place to found a College fur

the instructioii of Maori youths, as there would be no means of escape, when the children chose to be disobedient and Uhese three islands are nt sumo distance Irom one another; they are all small, and two ol tliein are uninhabited. Sunday the J.'Uh.—Our vessel was in a line with the two small islands, but we couldjiot get near them in consequence of the wind, which was from the north. At noon we got a better view of Sunday Island, the largest of the group, ami we bore nwny accordingly. We received daily lessons from the Bishop I during this trip. Monday, the Nth.—We reached the island in question, but the anchorage being had, we did not drop anchor. The Bishop wns the only gentleman who went on shore. lie sawtwo natives of the island, half-castes, sitting solitarily ; they had been employed in cutting firewood for two whaleships. The Bishop and party quickly returned to our ship. We bad a good view of the island from the vessel ; its appearance was not pleasant to the eye, l) C jn<r very rugged, and the viiountiuus ter-.-vyifoatuig in a cone; they were however clothed with trees, and tiiu birds fluttered among the branches, but we could not discern whether they were sea-birds or pigeons as we «aW them only through a glass. A thought now came into the Governor's mind, he proposed that we should sail round the island, so that nil opportunity might be afforded us, of seeing the coast on "the opposite side. We vainly endeavoured to weather the island; alter going about eight times without making much way the (Jovernor thought that we hail belter turn the head of the vessel to the north, anil sail for Mare Island. The distance from this island (Mare) to the one we left is HSO miles. The wind blew strong during two days, when the weather cleared up. Thursday, the 17th.—We now felt the heat ■which is similar to that experienced by us in our low built native lints. Friday the lit.—We could not see, the Khadow of the body even at the dawn of day the heat being so intense; nor could we see the shadow of the body at noon when the sun poured its rays upon our head. (This may mean the extreme brilliancy of the heavens, peculiar to tropical climates, and so distressing to the sight.) ivitiirdav the l!)th.—A light, air from the South, which after a while strengthened, this •cheered our hearts, as the wind was lair. .Sunday, the '2O. —The wind strong, but itill favourable. .Monday, 21 Wind very s-trong, from the South west. No land discernible till ••.unset when we saw some small islands. Tuesday, 22nd. —At dawn of day saw an island named Matin ; the Jiishop told us that we were near Marc Island. Wednesday, the 23. —Had a view of Marc Island; it Ims no mountains. Late ill the ■afternoon onr vessel reached a .settlement not far from the Chapel. A fire was lighted on shore, and the Bishop informed us that this was to welcome us on our arrival ; fires were nlso kindled in various liltlenooks. We did not wait to drop anchor, but launched the boat ; the Governor, the .Bishop and Mr. and Mrs. Nihil stepped into the boat, and were rowed •on shore. The people of the island came paddling toward us in their canoes, which were very small, and uncomfortable. The islanders collected in great numbers along the bench to receive us on our landing. Men women, and children came round us with cocoanuts, bananas, yams, shells, and various other things, but we had no wish to buy them. The smell arising from the eocoanut oil, which they use for the hair was very disagreeable. There was a large concourse of persons ; they came to salute us, nod to show their love but we could not understand their language. Men, women, and children were without garments; the only covering was the leaf of the cocoannt tree tied round the w«ist. A faw of the men were supplied with shirts and trousers, and a few of the women were dressed in round-abouts. We now went to ice the house that had been erected for the accommodation of Mr. Nihil; the house is laige, ami well built. T/lie Native Teacher showed it to the Goverr(or and the Bishop ; his name is Mnraku, 'tiul comes from Rarotonga. lie is a good iWn; his goodness consists in attention to the spiritual wants of the people, lie says that the inhabitants of New Zealand arc indolent in regard to instructing the tribes, residing at Mare Island and other places ; this word of his is quite true. After this we went to see the Chapel; it is large, and long, and well built. The length is 120 feet, and 30 feet wide ; there are.forms inside for the congregation. The walls of the building are of mud and daubed outside with gravel which is as white as the shells of the pipi. The houses they sleep in are good quite as good as those built by Huropeans ; the mats they use as beds are clean ; their pillows are made of wood. The Teacher has a nice house also]; the Governor and the Bishop dined in it, and the table was covered with native cloth called tapa which came from bis own place, Rarotonga.

This iiian (llu» Teacher) taught tile people to build these good houses. Their own way of constructing houses is very different; the roof is .supported by one pole, and the building is of circular form, .similar to a .stack of J wheat, then, however, look well. The Kuropeain have been residing in Now Zealand lor many years, and have urged the natives to erect good houses, but still the houses (owned by the New Zealanders) are not good. The number of persons who worship in the Chapel we saw is -1 hundred ; '2 hundred men and two hundred women and childicii. These people reside in the immediate vicinity of the Chapel ; there are many other natives on the i>l;'.nd, who may live in fortified villages, they did not come to see us, nor did we visit their settlements. Those people have became good; J they have embraced i luistianity. The fruits of their Christianity we saw in the erection of a house for the worship of (Sod, one for ! their Teacher, and one also for their .Minister ! .Mr. Nihil, so that when thatgentleman arrived > he had nothing to do, hut to take possession | of his house. (11l the evening of the same : day we returned to the ship, and the Gover- , nor brought with liiui the ( liief of the island. \ Thursday, iMtli —The (I'overnor, the Hishop, and ourselves, all went on .shore. IMr. ; Nihil's goods were also lauded, and the (Jo- ; vernor took with him the presents he intended , to give to the Native Teacher, and to the 1 aged people of the Island. The gifts of the (Jovernor consisted of garments, planes, saw s, axes, and other things. When we got on j shore, the Governor spread out the things: I he sun was very hot, hut when the Islanders saw the things, they brought food, as pre- ' seiits to the (Jovernor and the Ilishop, namely—twenty yams, ten sugar canes, similar to stalks of matze, and like it in flavour, twenty cocoa-nuts, ten cobs of corn, and twenty taro. The cocoa-nut tree nourishes here, —we sat under the shade of its leaves during the day alluded to. The dwelling-houses are encircled by these trees, as is the chapel, and there is complete shelter from the sun. When the mouth is parched, recourse is had in the milk of the cocoa-nut. The cocoanut tree in appearance is like the .Viknu. There are many kinds of food at this place also. Kuniara (sweet potatoes), pumpkins, and melons. The Native Teacher gave the Governor a hatchet made of green stone, and some war clubs, used by these people. In the evening we returned to the vessel. When our boats pulled otf from the shore, we cheered All'. Nihil and his people, and bid them (arewell for he (Sir. Nihil) was left there. We sailed the same nigdt, and got to an isljtnd named Tolia, twenty-seven miles distant from the one we left. Friday, the Ufith.—We stood oil' the island, and t-fce (jovernor in company with the Hishop, went on shore, to see the people of the island, and to take them some presents. Here, also, we saw good houses, and a fine Chapel, though it was not large. There are inhabitants on this island ; they' resemble those living on the island we had just lelt. The dress was similar also, merely tied round the waist as if they were about to engage in a dance. These people seem well disposed; they have turned to the Lord. Two mats were given to the Governor tit this place. When the food was cooked I'irikawau and myself went to get some, but both men and women called out to us in auger, and we immediately threw down the food without tasting it. This is the evil of that island, (hey are not kind to strangers. (The New Zealandcr is hospitable in the fullest sense of the word. He not only supplies the present wants of his visitants hut furnishes him with the necessary food for his journey to the next village, lie often leaves himself destitute of food to sorvc strangers.) ' Hut pcrh'ip<> this i? the custom of their f.ire- ! fit lien, not (•> li.- 'i , ..pit vi ii>ir. ,m<l ; strangers. . Our stay here was short; we returned to the ship, and set sail. The produce that grows in New Zealand is likely to flourish on this island (if planted in the winter), as the soil is of a sandy nature; w heat, however, will not groiv here. After leaving this place, oil tile iiutli of November, we visited only tiro other ini habited islands. We did not call at the islands of Hipa, New Caledonia, and others; | but we returned by the way of the Isle of j I'ines, which is situated near New Caledonia. We sailed all/ night, and, on the following morning, Saturday, the i>lith of November, we descried the island in question. On our arrival at that place, the l'ilot boat came oil' to us, he (the l'ilot) is an European, and the boat was rowed by four black people. They wore garments, but one of them was naked. They came on board our vessel The anchorage here is good ; there was one vessel lying at anchor iu the harbour. The Governor and the liishop declined going on shore. There are some professors of Christianity here; their minister is a lioman Catholic. This island is of little co lseqnence it is so small, it lies on the south side of Mare i dnnd

\y . po-,v directed our course towards New JJeilanJ. .Sunday, the 27th—The Bishop pre.-tc.ied from Matthew, vi, 10,—"Thy Kingdom come." He that as Christianity had been sent to New Zcnland by the people of hngland, in like ni:inncr the people of New Zeala-.id should send the truth to New Ci:le.lonia, and tothe nunicvnua other islands in these seas', so that the tribes inhabiting miijht mingle with the other nations of the earth, become one in the kingdom of Christ, and thus be pivpared for his second coming to "Judce Lo'.'i the quick and the tin d." MoVtd IV, the 2'lth.—No land visible, neither on Hie Tuesday or \Ve:hio.-.lay; this is the end nf the month of November. Thursday, Ist of December— We arrived nt t. !, e cr-nvict pl;->ce called Norloli; Island. 'l'lie Governor and the Hishop went 0:1 shore. TilN is a very line Island. Ura|>o<.. peach.-?, and ail other fruits were ripe. Theic are msnv cov/b and 'l l p ue;v, nnu wheat The* I'.i.'it of this ir.latul is imu'vr :tf. They E.;y that littl; sickness prevails, t' c c'i'u.te is" ;:o good. There are many soldiers, Pflth llogiment, they guard the piisiners residing on the island. We sailed from this place tiie same ui&ht. Kund-ty, Itli December —We arrived at the North Cape, of New Zealand, the place ■where the spirits make their exit. (The N"w Zealander believes that the immortal part of man takes its llight from the North Can*? t-i the place of its eternal Tli'e wind being contrary, our pipage to Auckland from the North Cape became protracted : another reason is w.; wi re becalmed. We were seven days in making the pts«.'ge from the North Cape to .Auckland, and \\ e r.rriveil on the 11th of D'.".emb?r. At midnight -.ve entered the harbour of Waiteniat*. We .lid not call at the llav of Islands. On our tiip from Auckland to the Islands we were two .Sabl-aths on the sea, and two also in returning from the islands to Auckland ; the fourth Sabbath v.i: spent otf the North Cape, not far from Auckland. Krom New Zealand to the Island upon which wc lauded Mr. Nihil, the distance is 1000 miles. This is the conclusion of the speeches in reference to our voyp'ye. These are my speeches. (Signed) Unv.u Te Aiiu.