| On
the 13th we set up two tents, one from each ship, on the same spot where
we had pitched them formerly. The observatories were at the same time
erected; and Messrs. King and Bayly began their operations immediately, to
find the rate of the time-keeper, and to make other observations. For the
protection of the party on shore, I appointed a guard of ten marines, and
ordered arms for all the workmen; and Mr. King, and two or three petty
officers constantly remained with them. A boat was never sent to any
considerable distance from the ships without being armed, and under the
direction of such officers as I could depend upon, and who were well
acquainted with the natives. During my former visits to this country, I
had never taken some of these precautions; nor were they, I firmly
believe, more necessary now than they had been formerly. But after the
tragical fate of the Adventure's boat's crew in this Sound, and of
Captain Marion du Fresne, and of some of his people, in the Bay of
Islands, it was impossible totally to divest ourselves of all apprehension
of experiencing a similar calamity. If the natives entertained any
suspicion of our revenging these acts of barbarity, they very soon laid it
aside. For, during the course of this day, a great number of families came
from different parts of the coast, and took up their residence close to
us, so that there was not a spot in the cove where a hut could be put up,
that was not occupied by them, except the place where we had fixed our
little encampment. This they left us in quiet possession of; but they came
and took away the ruins of some old huts that were there, as materials for
their new erections.
It is curious to observe with what facility they
build these occasional places of abode. I have seen above twenty of them
erected on a spot of ground that, not an hour before, was covered with
shrubs and plants. They generally bring some part of the materials with
them; the rest they find upon the premises. I was present when a number of
people landed, and built one of these villages. The moment the canoes
reached the shore, the men leaped out, and at once took possession of a
piece of ground, by tearing up the plants and shrubs, or sticking up some
part of the framing of a hut. They then returned to their canoes, and
secured their weapons, by setting them up against a tree, or placing them
in such a position, that they could be laid hold of in an instant. I took
particular notice that no one neglected this precaution. While the men
were employed in raising the huts, the women were not idle. Some were
stationed to take care of the canoes; others to secure the provisions, and
the few utensils in their possession; and the rest went to gather dry
sticks, that a fire might be prepared for dressing their victuals. As to
the children, I kept them, as also some of the more aged, sufficiently
occupied in scrambling for beads, till I had emptied my pockets, and then
I left them.
Besides the natives who took up their abode close
to us, we were occasionally visited by others of them, whose residence was
not far off; and by some who lived more remote. Their articles of commerce
were, curiosities, fish, and women.
Amongst our occasional visitors was a chief named
Kahoora, who, as I was informed, headed the party that cut off Captain
Furneaux's people, and himself killed Mr. Rowe, the officer who commanded.
To judge of the character of Kahoora by what I heard from many of his
countrymen, he seemed to be more feared than beloved amongst them. Not
satisfied with telling me that he was a very bad man, some of them even
importuned me to kill him; and I believe they were not a little surprised
that I did not listen to them; for, according to their ideas of equity,
this ought to have been done. But if I had followed the advice of all our
pretended friends, I might have extirpated the whole race; for the people
of each hamlet or village, by turns, applied to me to destroy the other.
On the 15th I made an excursion in my boat to
look for grass, and visited the Hippah, or fortified village, at the
south-west point of Motuara, and the places where our gardens had been
planted on that island. There were no people at the former; but the houses
and palisades had been rebuilt, and were now in a state of good repair;
and there were other evident marks of its having been inhabited not long
before.
When the Adventure arrived first at Queen
Charlotte's Sound, in 1773, Mr. Bayly fixed upon this place for making his
observations; and he and the people with him, at their leisure hours,
planted several spots with English garden-seeds. Not the least vestige of
these now remained. It is probable that they had been all rooted out to
make room for buildings, when the village was re-inhabited; for, at all
the other gardens then planted by Captain Furneaux, although now wholly
overrun with the weeds of the country, we found cabbages, onions, leeks,
purslane, radishes, mustard, &c., and a few potatoes. These potatoes,
which were first brought from the Cape of Good Hope, had been greatly
improved by change of soil; and, with proper cultivation, would be
superior to those produced in most other countries. Though the New
Zealanders are fond of this root, it was evident that they had not taken
the trouble to plant a single one (much less any other of the articles
which we had introduced); and if it were not for the difficulty of
clearing ground where potatoes had been once planted, there would not have
been any now remaining.
On the 16th, at daybreak, I set out with a party
of men, in five boats, to collect food for our cattle. Captain Clerke, and
several of the officers, Omai, and two of the natives, accompanied me. We
proceeded about three leagues up the Sound, and then landed on the east
side, at a place where I had formerly been. Here we cut as much grass as
loaded the two launches. As we returned down the Sound, we visited Grass
Cove, the memorable scene of the massacre of Captain Furneaux's people.
Whilst we were at this place, our curiosity prompted us to inquire into
the circumstances attending the melancholy fate of our countrymen; and
Omai was made use of as our interpreter for this purpose. The natives
present, answered all the questions that were put to them on the subject,
without reserve, and like men who are under no dread of punishment for a
crime of which they are not guilty. For we already knew that none of them
had been concerned in the unhappy transaction. They told us, that while
our people were sitting at dinner, surrounded by several of the natives,
some of the latter stole, or snatched from them, some bread and fish, for
which they were beat. This being resented, a quarrel ensued, and two New
Zealanders were shot dead, by the only two muskets that were fired. For
before our people had time to discharge a third, or to load again those
that had been fired, the natives rushed in upon them, overpowered them
with their numbers, and put them all to death. Besides relating the
history of the massacre, they also made us acquainted with the very spot
that was the scene of it, and also showed us the place where the boat lay;
which appeared to be about two hundred yards distant from that where the
crew were seated. One of their number, a black servant of Captain
Furneaux, was left in the boat to take care of her. We were afterwards
told that this black was the cause of the quarrel, which was said to have
happened thus: One of the natives stealing something out of the boat, the
negro gave him a severe blow with a stick. The cries of the fellow being
heard by his countrymen at a distance, they imagined he was killed, and
immediately began the attack on our people; who, before they had time to
reach the boat, or to arm themselves against the unexpected impending
danger, fell a sacrifice to the fury of their savage assailants.
The first of these accounts was confirmed by the
testimony of many of the natives, whom we conversed with at different
times, and who, I think, could have no interest in deceiving us. The
second manner of relating the transaction rests upon the authority of the
young New Zealander, who chose to abandon his country and go away with us,
and who, consequently, could have no possible view in disguising the
truth. All agreeing that the quarrel happened when the boat's crew were
sitting at their meal, it is highly probable that both the accounts are
true, as they perfectly coincide. For we may very naturally suppose, that
while some of the natives were stealing from the man who had been left in
the boat, others of them might take the same liberties with the property
of our people who were on shore.
Be this as it will, all agree that the quarrel
first took its rise from some thefts, in the commission of which the
natives were detected. All agree, also, that there was no premeditated
plan of bloodshed, and that, if these thefts had not been, unfortunately,
too hastily resented, no mischief would have happened. For Kahoora's
greatest enemies, those who solicited his destruction most earnestly, at
the same time confessed that he had no intention to quarrel, much less to
kill, till the fray had actually commenced. It also appears that the
unhappy victims were under no sort of apprehension of their fate;
otherwise they never would have ventured to sit down to a repast at so
considerable a distance from their boat, amongst people who were the next
moment to be their murderers. What became of the boat I never could learn.
Some said she was pulled to pieces and burnt; others told us that she was
carried, they knew not whither, by a party of strangers.
We stayed here till the evening, when, having
filled the rest of the boats with grass, celery, and scurvy-grass, we
embarked to return to the ships, where some of the boats did not arrive
till one o'clock the next morning; and it was fortunate that they got on
board then, for it afterwards blew a perfect storm. In the evening the
gale ceased, and the wind having veered to the east, brought with it fair
weather.
By this time more than two-thirds of the
inhabitants of the Sound had settled themselves about us. Great numbers of
them daily frequented the ships, and the encampment on shore: but the
latter became, by far, the most favourite place of resort, while our
people there were melting some seal blubber. No Greenlander was ever
fonder of train-oil, than our friends here seem to be. They relished the
very skimmings of the kettle, and dregs of the casks; but a little of the
pure stinking oil was a delicious feast, so eagerly desired, that I
supposed it is seldom enjoyed.
Having got on board as much hay and grass as we
judged sufficient to serve the cattle till our arrival at Otaheite, and
having completed the wood and water of both ships, on the 23rd we struck
our tents, and carried everything off from the shore; and next morning we
weighed anchor, and stood out of the cove. But the wind not being very
fair, and finding that the tide of ebb would be spent before we could get
out of the Sound, we cast anchor again a little without the island
Motuara, to wait for a more favourable opportunity of putting into the
strait. While we were unmooring and getting under sail, many of the
natives came to take their leave of us, or rather to obtain, if they
could, some additional present from us before we left them. Accordingly, I
gave to two of their chiefs a male and female goat with kid; and two pigs,
a boar and a sow. They made me a promise not to kill them; though I must
own I put no great faith in this. The animals which Captain Furneaux sent
on shore here, and which soon after fell into the hands of the natives, I
was now told were all dead; but I could get no intelligence about the fate
of those I had left in West Bay, and in Cannibal Cove, when I was here in
the course of my last voyage. However, all the natives whom I conversed
with agreed, that poultry are now to be met with wild in the woods behind
Ship Cove; and I was afterward informed, by the two youths who went away
with us, that Tiratou, a popular chief amongst them, had a great many
cocks and hens in his separate possession, and one of the sows.
We had not been long at anchor near Motuara,
before three or four canoes, filled with natives, came off to us from the
south-east side of the Sound; and a brisk trade was carried on with them
for the curiosities of this place. In one of these canoes was Kahoora,
whom I have already mentioned as the leader of the party who cut off the
crew of the Adventure's boat. This was the third time he had
visited us, without betraying the smallest appearance of fear. I was
ashore when he now arrived, but had got on board just as he was going
away. Omai, who had returned with me, presently pointed him out, and
solicited me to shoot him. Not satisfied with this, he addressed himself
to Kahoora, threatening to be his executioner, if ever he presumed to
visit us again. The New Zealander paid so little regard to these threats,
that he returned, the next morning, with his whole family, men, women, and
children, to the number of twenty and upwards. Omai was the first who
acquainted me with his being alongside the ship, and desired to know if he
should ask him to come on board. I told him he might; and accordingly he
introduced the chief into the cabin, saying, "There is Kahoora; kill
him!" But, as if he had forgot his former threats, or were afraid
that I should call upon him to perform them, he immediately retired. In a
short time, however, he returned; and seeing the chief unhurt, he
expostulated with me very earnestly, saying, "Why do you not kill
him? You tell me, if a man kills another in England, that he is hanged for
it. This man has killed ten, and yet you will not kill him; though many of
his countrymen desire it, and it would be very good". Omai's
arguments, though specious enough, having no weight with me, I desired him
to ask the chief, why he had killed Captain Furneaux's people? At this
question, Kahoora folded his arms, hung down his head, and looked like one
caught in a trap; and I firmly believe, he expected instant death. But no
sooner was he assured of his safety, than he became cheerful. He did not,
however, seem willing to give me an answer to the question that had been
put to him, till I had, again and again, repeated my promise that he
should not be hurt. Then he ventured to tell us, that one of his
countrymen having brought a stone hatchet to barter, the man to whom it
was offered took it, and would neither return it nor give anything for it;
on which the owner of it snatched up the bread as an equivalent; and then
the quarrel began.
The remainder of Kahoora's account of this
unhappy affair differed very little from what we had before learned from
the rest of his countrymen. He mentioned the narrow escape he had during
the fray, a musket being levelled at him, which he avoided by skulking
behind the boat; and another man, who stood close to him, was shot dead.
As soon as the musket was discharged, he instantly seized the opportunity
to attack Mr. Rowe, who commanded the party, and who defended himself with
his hanger (with which he wounded Kahoora in the arm) till he was
overpowered by numbers.
Mr. Burney, who was sent by Captain Furneaux the
next day with an armed party, to look for his missing people, upon
discovering the horrid proofs of their shocking fate, had fired several
volleys amongst the crowds of natives who still remained assembled on the
spot, and were, probably, partaking of the detestable banquet. It was
natural to suppose that he had not fired in vain; and that, therefore,
some of the murderers and devourers of our unhappy countrymen had suffered
under our just resentment. Upon inquiry, however, into this matter, not
only from Kahoora, but from others who had opportunities of knowing, it
appeared that our supposition was groundless, and that not one of the shot
fired by Mr. Burney's people had taken effect, so as to kill, or even to
hurt, a single person.
It was evident, that most of the natives we had
met with since our arrival, as they knew I was fully acquainted with the
history of the massacre, expected I should avenge it with the death of
Kahoora. And many of them seemed not only to wish it, but expressed their
surprise at my forbearance. As he could not be ignorant of this, it was a
matter of wonder to me that he put himself so often in my power. When he
visited us while the ships lay in the Cove, confiding in the number of his
friends that accompanied him, he might think himself safe. But his two
last visits had been made under such circumstances, that he could no
longer rely upon this. We were then at anchor in the entrance of the
Sound, and at some distance from any shore; so that he could not have any
assistance from thence, nor flatter himself he could have the means of
making his escape, had I determined to detain him. And yet, after his
first fears, on being interrogated, were over, he was so far from
entertaining any uneasy sensations, that, on seeing a portrait of one of
his countrymen hanging up in the cabin, he desired to have his own
portrait drawn; and sat till Mr. Webber had finished it, without marking
the least impatience. I must confess, I admired his courage, and was not a
little pleased to observe the extent of the confidence he put in me. For
he placed his whole safety in the declarations I had uniformly made to
those who solicited his death, that I had always been a friend to them
all, and would continue so, unless they gave me cause to act otherwise;
that as to their inhuman treatment of our people, I should think no more
of it, the transaction having happened long ago, and when I was not
present; but that, if ever they made a second attempt of that kind, they
might rest assured of feeling the weight of my resentment.
For some time before we arrived at New Zealand,
Omai had expressed a desire to take one of the natives with him to his own
country. We had not been there many days, before he had an opportunity of
being gratified in this; for a youth, about seventeen or eighteen years of
age, named Taweiharooa, offered to accompany him, and took up his
residence on board. I paid little attention to this at first, imagining
that he would leave us when we were about to depart, and after he had got
what he could from Omai. At length, finding that he was fixed in his
resolution to go with us, and having learnt that he was the only son of a
deceased chief, and that his mother, still living, was a woman much
respected here, I was apprehensive that Omai had deceived him and his
friends, by giving them hopes and assurances of his being sent back. I
therefore caused it to be made known to them all, that if the young man
went away with us, he would never return. But this declaration seemed to
make no sort of impression. The afternoon before we left the cove,
Tiratoutou, his mother, came on board, to receive her last present from
Omai. The same evening, she and Taweiharooa parted, with all the marks of
tender affection that might be expected between a parent and a child who
were never to meet again. But she said she would cry no more; and, sure
enough, she kept her word. For, when she returned the next morning, to
take her last farewell of him, all the time she was on board she remained
quite cheerful, and went away wholly unconcerned.
That Taweiharooa might be sent away in a manner
becoming his birth, another youth was to have gone with him as his
servant; and, with this view, as we supposed, he remained on board till we
were about to sail, when his friends took him ashore. However, his place
was supplied, next morning, by another, a boy of about nine or ten years
of age, named Kokoa. He was presented to me by his own father, who, I
believe, would have parted with his dog with far less indifference. The
very little clothing the boy had, he stripped him of, and left him as
naked as he was born. It was to no purpose that I endeavoured to convince
these people of the improbability, or rather of the impossibility, of
these youths ever returning home. Not one, not even their nearest
relations, seemed to trouble themselves about their future fate. Since
this was the case, and I was well satisfied that the boys would be no
losers by exchange of place, I the more readily gave my consent to their
going.
From my own observations, and from the
information of Taweiharooa and others, it appears to me that the New
Zealanders must live under perpetual apprehensions of being destroyed by
each other; there being few of their tribes that have not, as they think,
sustained wrongs from some other tribe, which they are continually upon
the watch to revenge. And, perhaps, the desire of a good meal may be no
small incitement. I am told that many years will sometimes elapse before a
favourable opportunity happens, and that the son never loses sight of an
injury that has been done to his father. Their method of executing their
horrible designs, is by stealing upon the adverse party in the night; and
if they find them unguarded (which, however, I believe, is very seldom the
case), they kill every one indiscriminately, not even sparing the women
and children. When the massacre is completed, they either feast and gorge
themselves on the spot, or carry off as many of the dead bodies as they
can, and devour them at home, with acts of brutality too shocking to be
described. If they are discovered before they can execute their bloody
purpose, they generally steal off again; and sometimes are pursued and
attacked by the other party in their turn. To give quarter, or to take
prisoners, makes no part of their military law; so that the vanquished can
only save their lives by flight. This perpetual state of war, and
destructive method of conducting it, operates so strongly in producing
habitual circumspection, that one hardly ever finds a New Zealander off
his guard, either by night or by day. Indeed, no other man can have such
powerful motives to be vigilant, as the preservation both of body and of
soul depends upon it.
I asked whether they ate the flesh of such of
their friends as had been killed in war, but whose bodies were saved from
falling into the enemy's hands? They seemed surprised at the question,
which they answered in the negative, expressing some abhorrence at the
very idea. Their common method of disposing of their dead, is by
depositing their bodies in the earth; but if they have more of their
slaughtered enemies than they can eat, they throw them into the sea.
Nothwithstanding the divided and hostile state in
which the New Zealanders live, travelling strangers, who come with no ill
design, are well received and entertained during their stay; which,
however, it is expected will be no longer than is requisite to transact
the business they come upon. Thus it is that a trade for poenammoo,
or green talc, is carried on throughout the whole northern island. For
they tell us, that there is none of this stone to be found, but at a place
which bears its name, somewhere about the head of Queen Charlotte's Sound,
and not above one or two days' journey, at most, from the station of our
ships. I regretted much that I could not spare time sufficient for paying
a visit to the place; as we were told a hundred fabulous stories about
this stone, not one of which carried with it the least probability of
truth, though some of their most sensible men would have us believe them.
One of these stories is, that this stone is originally a fish, which they
strike with a gig in the water, tie a rope to it, and drag it to the
shore, to which they fasten it, and it afterwards becomes stone. As they
all agree that it is fished out of a large lake, or collection of waters,
the most probable conjecture is, that it is brought from the mountains,
and deposited in the water, by the torrents. This lake is called by the
natives Te-wai-poenamu; that is, the Water of Green Talc.
Polygamy is allowed amongst these people; and it
is not uncommon for a man to have two or three wives. The women are
marriageable at a very early age; and it should seem, that one who is
unmarried is but in a forlorn state. She can with difficulty get a
subsistence; at least she is, in a great measure, without a protector,
though in constant want of a powerful one.
Their public contentions are frequent, or rather
perpetual; for it appears, from their number of weapons, and dexterity in
using them, that war is their principal profession. Before they begin the
onset, they join in a war-song, to which they all keep the exactest time,
and soon raise their passions to a degree of frantic fury, attended with
the most horrid distortion of their eyes, mouths, and tongues, to strike
terror into their enemies; which, to those who have not been accustomed to
such a practice, makes them appear more like demons than men, and would
almost chill the boldest with fear. To this succeeds a circumstance,
almost foretold in their fierce demeanour, horrid, cruel, and disgraceful
to human nature, which is, cutting in pieces, even before being perfectly
dead, the bodies of their enemies, and, after dressing them on a fire,
devouring the flesh, not only without reluctance, but with peculiar
satisfaction.
One day, on our inquiring of Taweiharooa how many
ships, such as ours, had ever arrived in Queen Charlotte's Sound, or in
any part of its neighbourhood? he began with giving an account of one
absolutely unknown to us. This, he said, had put into a port on the
north-west coast of Teerawitte, but a very few years before I arrived in
the Sound in the Endeavour, which the New Zealanders distinguish by
calling Tupia's ship. At first, I thought he might have been mistaken as
to the time and place; and that the ship in question might be either
Monsieur Surville's, who is said to have touched upon the north-east coast
of Eaheinomauwe, the same year I was there in the Endeavour, or
else Monsieur Marion du Fresne's, who was in the Bay of Islands, on the
same coast, a few years after; but he assured us that he was not mistaken,
either as to the time or as to the place of this ship's arrival, and that
it was well known to everybody about Queen Charlotte's Sound and
Teerawitte. He said, that the Captain of her, during his stay here,
cohabited with a woman of the country; and that she had a son by him still
living, and about the age of Kokoa; who, though not born then, seemed to
be equally well acquainted with the story. We were also informed by
Taweiharooa, that this ship first introduced the venereal disease amongst
the New Zealanders. I wish that subsequent visitors from Europe may not
have their share of guilt, in leaving so dreadful a remembrance of them
amongst this unhappy race. The disorder now is but too common here, though
they do not seem to regard it, saying, that its effects are not near so
pernicious at present as they were at its first appearance. The only
method, as far as I ever heard, that they make use of as a remedy, is by
giving the patient the use of a sort of hot bath, which they produce by
the steam of certain green plants laid over hot stones.
I regretted much that we did not hear of this
ship while we were in the Sound; as, by means of Omai, we might have had
full and correct information about her from eye-witnesses. For
Taweiharooa's account was only from what he had been told, and therefore
liable to many mistakes. I have not the least doubt, however, that his
testimony may so far be depended upon, as to induce us to believe that a
ship really had been at Terrawitte prior to my arrival in the Endeavour,
as it corresponds with what I had formerly heard. For in the latter end of
1773, the second time I visited New Zealand, during my last voyage, when
we were continually making inquiries about the Adventure, after our
separation, some of the natives informed us of a ship's having been in a
port on the coast of Teerawitte. But, at that time, we thought we must
have misunderstood them, and took no notice of the intelligence. The
arrival of this unknown ship has been marked by the New Zealanders with
more cause of remembrance than the unhappy one just mentioned. Taweiharooa
told us their country was indebted to her people for the present of an
animal, which they left behind them. But as he had not seen it himself, no
sort of judgment could be formed, from his description, of what kind it
was. We had another piece of intelligence from him, more correctly given,
though not confirmed by our own observations, that there are snakes and
lizards there of an enormous size. He described the latter as being eight
feet in length, and as big round as a man's body. He said, they sometimes
seize and devour men; that they burrow in the ground; and that they are
killed by making fires at the mouths of the holes. We could not be
mistaken as to the animal; for with his own hand he drew a very good
representation of a lizard on a piece of paper; as also of a snake, in
order to show what he meant.
On the 25th of February we sailed from New
Zealand, and had no sooner lost sight of the land than our two young
adventurers repented heartily of the step they had taken. All the soothing
encouragement we could think of availed but little. They wept both in
public and private, and made their lamentations in a kind of song, which
was expressive of their praises of their country. Thus they continued for
many days, but at length their native country and their friends were
forgot, and they appeared to be as firmly attached to us as if they had
been born amongst us. |
