AUCKLAND AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 642, 9 June 1852, Page 2

AUCKLAND AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD.

light, and sunk in heathen darknesscould be raised from their state of social degrada j tion and permanently maintained and preserved as a civilised people i Or, whether those desolate portions of our fellow creatures must be for ever left in a state of hopeless barbarism \ Whether, in fact, it were possible to bring two distinct portions of the human race, in the opposite conditions of ' .civilisation and barbarism, into immediate contact, without the destruction of the uncivilised race ! And whether, in rendering the colonisation of a barbarous country possible, by his religious teaching, the Christian Missionary is not also at the same time the pioneer of the destruction of its heathen people? Such were the questions involved in the colonisation of New Zealand. While the Novelist was delighting his readers with imaginary pictures of moving incident, striking change, and high-flown sentiment, a few of our countrymen were taking part in a reality, and witnessing a " Past and Present," in the remote Islands of New Zealand, too startling even for the pages of Romance. Although but twelve years have elapsed since the undertaking was commenced, yet the modem traveller, now arriving in the country since light has dawned upon the land, seeing the neighbourhood of itsCapital cultivated like an English landscape — the colonist living in the midst or peace and plenty- Ithe New Zealanders supplying the markets with the produce of their industry — the two races , dwelling together in uninterrupted harmony — ' English laws regularly administered — order prevailing — and Christian teaching eagerly received — can, with difficulty, now imagine that so bright a " Morning" was preceded, and so recently, by so long and dark a " Night" — and can hardly realize the difficulties, the anxieties, and the grave responsibilities of its early founders. To appreciate fully the contrast between the " Night and Morning" of New Zealand, it is not sufficient to call to mind some general vague - impression that once upon a time these Islands, on account of the savage character of their people, were so dreaded by the mariner, that nothing Dut the last necessity would induce him to land upon their shores. A yet nearer and a clearer view of their condition must be presented to the mind. Go back but sixteen years — not to view a picture drawn from imagination, but to view a stern reality. The conflict ended — traverse a Native field of battle. Horror-struck, you may be: thankful, indeed, you ought -to be, that you have lived yourself in a blaze of Christian light ; but repress all feeling of self-exultation — remember the revolting barbarities once committed in the streets of the boasted capital of refinement and civilisation — and learn, with all humility, to what depths we ourselves might fall if, like, the inhabitants of New Zealand, we should be left for ages without all knowledge of a God. Taks, then, for instance, the scene at R* * * Time, 1836. The bodies of fallen men, weltering in their blood, are here and there strewn about the ground. Here " a number of bodies are laid out, previously to their being cut up for the oven." You '• turn away in disgust, and sick at heart ;" but whichever way you look, "some, sight of horror salutes you." By-and-by, a body, apparently that moment killed, is dragged into the camp. " The head is cut off almost before you can look round — the breast is opened, and the heart, streaming with warmth, pulled out and carried off." At every turn you are exposed to the most revolting scenes. " Halves of bodies, quarters, legs, and heads, are carried away, 1 and some of them are purposely thrust into your face." You now visit the spot where the opposite pariy is encamped, and where " for two days after the battle they remained to gorge on sixty human bodies." " Bones of all kinds, the remains of their cannibal feast, are spread about in all directions.'* " Two long lines of native ovens mark the soot where the bodies were cooked : and a smaller oven, with a wreath around its edge and pointed sticks by the side, on the one of 'which was a,pot'atoe, and on the' other! a lock ot , hair, points' out the place where they set apart a. portion of their horrid meal for the Evil Spirit.'* Retired somewhat apart is a little child, " nursingin his lap, as if a plaything, one of the slain chief's hands." Such were the frightful scenes to be witnessed in these Islands but. sixteen years ago. Standing in the midst of them, the appalled spectator might hardly have been persuaded, though one rose from the dead to assure him of the fact, that he himself should live to witness, within less than sixteen years, Native children of New Zealand, neatly clad in English dresses, assembled for Christian worship on the Sabbathday, chanting the " Magnificat" and the " Nune Dnrrittis" — and sinking, in English, the Evening Hymn, in a manner to put to shame many an English congregation. With the battle-field of R * *• * fresh painted on its pages, what author of Romance would venture to represent the, actors in these scenes, after so brief an interval j assembled together at a Meeting to promote the spread of Christianity among the heathen people of the neighbouring Islands — gratefully acknowledging the benefits they had received from their , own Chiistian teachers — quoting from Scripture the command to "Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature" — animating each other to speed the Christian work, and contributing, according to their means, in aid of the newly-founded " Melanesian Missioii." If niade the subject of romance, a contrast so striking would be deemed to outrage probability. But fact is stronger than fiction : and there are those now living who can bear witness to its truth. Jowett Kumumobio, addressing the Native ' Missionary Meeting at Taipiri, may b& taken as a striking illustration of the " Past and Present" of New Zealand, and as a living personification of its i " Night and Morning ;" — " My Friends, — Although I am not an old man, 111 1 have tasted human flesh ; some years ago it was sweet ; the Gospel came, and I would not receive it. I then went to Taranaki^ and ag£un tasted human flesh — but it was no longer sweet. Why was it not as sweet as before ] — it was now bitter to my taste. The reason is, the Gospel told me it was wrong : and if any one in this, assembly should again taste of human flesh it w6uld no longer" be sweet to him. Although/ he may not " believe in Christ, yet he would find that his old habits and customs were no longer sweet, because he has heard the truth and the Scriptures, and the Holy Spirit would speak to his heart. The light had come, and he would be unhappy. The Bishop and myself have been to the islands near to us : many of the islanders are cannibals ; five Europeans had been killed a few months ago, and perhaps eaten. What are we to do ? We must send the Gospel of Christ. It has already begun to work ; thirteen children of the chiefs of those Islands have been given to the Bishop to educate. You must do the same ; send your children- to the schools at Kactotche, Maraitai, and Auckland. They send their children a great distance, while you are but a short distance from the schools, and yet some of you do not send your children. At one of the Islands we had a near escape. We landed to get fresh water ; when inland, the people came around us, stopped our path, but let \is pass when we came in 'the midst of them ; they then went aside, and some of them threw stones at us. They had their hands on their bows ready to send their arrows : we were obliged to leave our water-casks. When we reached the sea, the Bishop and all of us had to swim in our clothes to the boat, which was some distance from the shore : we reached the boat and ship in safety. And why ? Because God protected us ; He will protect all His servants who make known His Gospel. Why did He not allow an arrow to be shot at us I Why did we not sink whilst we were swimming to the boat \ I had coat and shoes on — they were heavy — but God strengthened us all. The Bishop says he will not give np the Islands — he will persevere to carry the Gospel — and if he says! shall go with him and remain there, lam willing ; but what am I doing \ I am boasting, which is not good. That is all my speech."