NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY THROUGH PART OF THE NORTHERN ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND, IN 1849.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 386, 26 December 1849, Page 2

NARRATIVE OF A JOU RNEY TH ROUGH PART OF THE NORTHERN ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND, IN 1849.

My Dear Brother,— According to my promise, I will now endeavor to give you some account of a journey which I lately much through the most interesting p irt of New Zealand, with n brief desciiptlon of the phir-es visited, und some r?marks on the condition of the native inhabitants. In the description which I f irmeily gave you of a visit to variout tettlemeots on on the the coasts of this colony, 1 requested your attention to the map of these islinds, and if you will again refer to it you will find tint ncaily in tho centre of the Northern Island thtre is a great lake cilled the " Taupo," from which the river " Waikato" iiiuss and after flowing through the country to the northward of the like, enters the sea oh the weitern coast about 50 milei from Auckland. Between the ' Ti p>nnd the Kastern coast there are many smaller 1 ikes whic» are marcely noticed in the mapi, for no reguhr suivcy of the interior has yel been mudc : they arc mt very remaikablc for the tjcmty of scenery, but a< the country i" which they are situated is in many places in a state of volcanic action, it presents niueu ihrit is wonderful to the ordinary traveller, and obje-fs of great interest fo the naturalist : indeed, a jouraey to the Lakes and the Wuikaio «vo already looked upon at necessary to all who desire to have an acquuntance with the nature cud Gullibilities of the intcri >r of this colony— and the client we made will most probably become the grand tour, when factlitiea arc given for tniviilling with easa und comfuit. II i» tbcrto very low Europeans have ranched the "Taupo Lnke," at they are unwilling to undergo the fatigue of travelling on fo it, and submitting to the discomforts of Bich iiccoinmodati ms ai nuive huts or small lent* cum afford. We indeed (ound that w Iking, diy after day, for screr.il we«'ki, wis at times very wearisome* I will also freely confess that often, when m-kiog shelter for the night, amidst the smoke and filth of native huts, ple,asini; visions of unug English, inns, wi'h their cleanliness and comfort, used to cone before us, und their contrast with our New Z«il»ml fare and lodgin^R, affoided us matter for niuny jokes und humourous comparisons. This country is also far behind the island* of India in these respecs. The New Zeulander ii not leis hospitable than the Indian chief, but he has very ditFercrit ideas us to what consti'ut j s comfort. During our whole journey, we were nuver refused a share of such food and shelter as the natives had for themselves ; and though we sotneiirjoeH piHsed ihe night in one hut with the men and women — grandfathers, grandmothers, children, dogs anil pigs — the be»t cornrr was cheerfu'ly t;iven up to the " pakeha" (strangei), and even there, lying altogether round the flic in the middle of the hilt, and ))sl suing to their remarks and jokes, we were well amused with the study of human nature, which the, hubit-t of these children of nature tiiJonleil vi. liut far more inter-sting wn it to find that in hucli situations, and even by the fire of our encampments in the open wilderness, before wrapping themselves in th"ir blankets for sleep, th« New Testament was invariably drawn from a bag which ioine old man or young teacbir carried, a hymn was sung, the gl 1 1 tidings ran I with reverence, and prayrr offered up to the Father of all, with as much apparent earnestness and Jevotiou as may be obsc-ved in any little assemb'y if Christian worshippers. We could not but feel touched by thu s'nnplo religious obsurvanca* of these once havage people ; and though unarmed and distant Irom any of the usual protection* ot life and property, we felt oursc vua as secure anil slept as soundly as if we had been in the midst of a fortified city. I cannot tell how deep their religious impressisnsmay be, but I can declare that in a journey of several week* over a populous part of the couutiy, I never taw morning and tuning duvot'orid omitted — I never 6aw the Saob^th Day desecrated by Proics'tint native* } I «aw no quaricU— no ill-treutment of each other; nor had I the smalle»t article stolen from me, though many things which they deiire we-e exposed at every halting place. They are generally blamed for their avarice, and, truly, they can drive a hard bargain. We had much reason to regret the dispoiition which they always evinced to get as much of our money as they could for the services they rendered in conveying our baggage, but I fear they have been taught this lesson in some measure by some of our own race, who have often paid them unfairly, and cheated them in their dealings. This practice the natives have discovered, and are now always on their guaid a^'inst imposition Mistrust ot Europeans, add^d to a natural "»c<|ui<dtivene*s, eertiinly gives them in this respect a very unamwble appearance, and is, I repeat, much to be regretted, though it is very probable that their desire to posseia property may be a meant of forwarding their civiliza* tion. Perhaps the greatest proof of the inestimable good which has been done to this people it the almost complete cessation of war amongit the tarioui tribes who were, in days of heathen darkneu, scarcely ever

at peace. Almost every remarkable spot of ground is pointed to by old men as having been the scene of some terrible conflict or stealthy attack, and coldblooded massacre, with the consequent horrors of cannibalism. Contrast such timei with their present condition, and every man who has a spark of love for his fellow creatures must admit that the Missionaries have been, indeed, messengers of glad tidings and peace to this land — once so filled with the habitations of cruelty. Hating m »de these few preliminary remarks, I will now proceed to the narrative of our journey, upon which we set out in tbe month of August 1849. At this season the weather is usually too wet and cold for travelling ; but circumstances forced me to depart so early in spring, and fortunately we had not much bad weather to complain of. Mr. ****** was desirous of accompanying me, and I had much reason to congratulate myself in having an agreeable companion. Our first object was to reach "Tauironga" —a harbour which you will see marked in the Bay of Plenty. For this purpose we embarked on board a small vessel, and arrived there after a short and pleasant passage ; on our way we passed Mercury B*y, to which C.iptain Cook resorted. Ihe arrival of that grrat navigator is said to be remembered by an old Chief yet alive. The entrance to the harbour of Tauran^a is narrow and well marked by a high conical mount on its southern side. The sheet of water iniide 13 ve-y spacious but so shoal and fu'l of sand banks as to render the anchoiage very limited indeed. There are several villages on the shoies inhabited by natives who possess STine small schooners with which they maintain a coasting trad<> in pigs, potatoes, Indian corn and fl ix, with the capital, 'j here are two Mission stations — one belonging to the Church of England, presided over by the venerable Archdeacon Brown; and Ihe other a Boman Catholic station. Both of these stations have a pleasinr aypeamiue from the water, especially the latter, from there being a spire to the Mission chapel. The operations of the Missionaries [1 not confined to this locality only ; but they have a district to care for, and a ureat extent of country to travel over during their visitations. (To be continued.)