A.—No. 5

they would complete the payment for all they had taken from the captain. I inquired of him why hi* people robbed the vessel. He said the Taranaki people began plundering at Taranaki; had carried it to Taupo, where they robbed my house ; and from thence brought their law (tikanga) to this place. On my inquiring why they had all gone over to this new religion which allowed of murder plunder and adultery, he told me that the Jews had told him that this new religion was the religion of the Jews ; but answered me that he had not joined it. I feel quite sure that this man did not approve of the murder of poor Volkner. My chief object in venturing out so far as to Waikohika was to see Eparaima before he went to Turanga. Things looked so very gloomy that the prospect of my liberation appeared further oft" than ever, and I feared the return of the Taranaki Natives from Turanga, when according to report I was to be taken off to Taranaki. I had sent letters on to Bishop Williams and I now thought it best to make up all the notes of my journal in a small packet, and send them also by Eparaima to the Bishop to be forwarded to Auckland. They are rather a curiosity, being written in pencil very small on little scraps of paper. It appeared very likely this would be the last that would be heard of me. I found Eparaima at Waikohika, and sat down beside him. Immediately other Natives came and sat down with us. After this I got up and walked about and in a little while called Eparaima to come and speak to me, when Timoti got up and said, if I had anything to say to Eparaima I must say it before them all. I saw we were being watched and was afraid they would perhaps search him and take from him the two letters he had already. I did not now dare to give him my journal. The people seemed sulky yet civil. They gave me some water-melon. After this I stayed about an hour. The pole or rather flagstaff was not finished. They were working very hard at it, and it was to be consecrated in the afternoon. There were about 300 people present ; scarcely any Natives were left in Opotiki proper, from whence I had I come. Thinking it better to leave before the excitement became great I shook hands with a good many and then returned. On my way back I met the captain, his brother, and Tiwai, going to see the consecration of the post. The vessel had not been able to get out of the river and was at the heads. Evening. —Another storming from the captain for going out to "VVaikohika this evening ; told me that it would have served me right if they had hung me up to one of the yard-arms of the post. The Natives of Waikohika were so late with their feast that only a very few have returned. No wind for the vessel to get out. They hope to sail in the morning. The sailors came up and were desirous to serve me, by taking letters or seeing Mrs. Grace for me. I gave them a letter for Archdeacon Brown in case they went to Tauranga, or for Mrs. Grace if they went to Auckland ; after which I wrote another for the Bishop of New Zealand, which I had hoped to give them the next morning. 16th.—Thursday. As I was dressing, Tiwai came to the door and said, " there is a vessel outside." After dressing I walked outside the enclosure, and distinctly saw her three masts. About half-past seven, just as we were commencing breakfast, Captain Levy went on to the top of the house ;on coming back, he said, she has come to. He left the breakfast and went out. I heard him sa-v, give me a paddle. I immediately got up and went out to the bank of the river. Saw the captain and his brother getting into a canoe close below me; I said, take me with you. I protested strongly that it was not right to leave me. They pushed oft", and in a moment, without a word further, paddled down the river with all speed. This act placed the vessel and crew in jeopardy. I went back and took a little breakfast, when it was announced that some one had landed from the steamer away to the right of where I was, the river bearing away to the left. I went out of the enclosure with Tiwai and ~\\~m. King (an assessor from a distance) ; Dr. Agassiz was also there. They were all in a state of excitement, and were going off to meet the messengers from Turanga. I begged first of Tiwai, and then of "VVm. King, for one of them, both being Government officers, to stay with me, as I should be carried oft', and no one would know where I was. They refused saying they would be killed, and told me to stay where I was. 'I felt forsaken on every hand. I now went into my room, and committed myself to the care of our Heavenly Father, and afterwards made the following note : —" I consider that I should not have been left here, but hare been kept in the front, or put on board our own vessel, which there has been nothing to prevent up to this time. lam left here to tempt the NatiTes to take me oft"." Great excitement was going on all this time outside—men flying off in all directions on horseback to call the people together : the bell of the Eoman Catholic chapel ringing for a meeting of the few present, while the shouting and noise was incessant. I walked about for upwards of an hour and a half expecting every moment to be seized and killed. There was no one near where I was but an old woman, nearly all the Natives were away inland, four miles oft", and the rest were gathering at a distance to meet the Turanga messengers. 1 walked about, waved my hat to the schooner for them to come for me, but all to no purpose. At length to my surprise 1 saw the boat coming up the river with the captain, the mate, John Moore, and Lewis Montague. ]t came to, at the store of Mr. Levy, about forty yards below where 1 was. Shortly young Montague came to me and said: if you will go round to the point where you were yesterday we will take you in. The old woman was in the yard at the time. I walked quietly out and passed the store where Captain Levy and the mate were getting out goods as fast as possible. 1 now saw that to go to the point named was to run into the greatest danger, as I must have to pass through a number of small villages ; I therefore only worked my way through one, and then got down on the bank of the river, and when about fifty yards below the store, where the boat still was, John Moore, I think it was, called out " stop." In a couple of minutes they dropped down to me, and without anyone but the old woman seeing me, I got into the boat and lay down and was quickly rowed down to the schooner without any opposition. The goods saved from the store were now deposited in the schooner, and another of the sailors, Owen Jones, with the greatest willingness came on board the boat, and in ten minutes more I was safely on board 11.M.5..5. " Eclipse." Captain Fremantle immediately sent out his boats to tow out the schooner, and in o short time all were safe. The two Turanga messengers were still on shore, and after great perseverance on the

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DESPATCHES FROM THE GOVERNOR OF NEW