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crowds of natives thronged around us, with an idle but by no means ceremonious curiosity, and some time elapsed before we could proceed from the beach to the houses of our friends.

The Missionaries had on the preceding day invited me to officiate for them, and I was happy to have an opportunity of preaching the gospel on the shores of New Zealand. Several of the natives appeared in our little congregation, influenced probably by curiosity, as the service was held in a language unintelligible to them. I could not, however, but indulge the hope that the time was not distant, when, through the influence of the schools already established, and the general instructions given by the Missionaries, my brethren would have the pleasure of preaching, on every returning Sabbath, the unsearchable riches of Christ, to numerous assemblies of attentive Christian hearers. The circumstance of its being exactly two years, this Sabbath day, since Mr. Marsden, who visited New Zealand in 1814 -1815, for the purpose of establishing a Christian Mission among the people, preached, not far from this spot, the first sermon that was ever delivered in New Zealand, added to the feelings of interest connected with the engagements of the day.

Circumstances detaining us about a week in the Bay of Islands, afforded me the means of becoming more fully acquainted with the Missionaries, of making excursions to different parts of the adjacent country, and witnessing several of the singular manners and customs of the people.

An unusual noise from the land aroused us early on the morning of the 25th, and, on reaching the deck, a number of war-canoes were seen lying along the shore, while crowds of natives on the

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beach were engaged in war-dances, shouting, and firing their muskets at frequent intervals. inquiry, we found that on the day we had visited Waikadie, a chief of Rangehoo had committed suicide, by throwing himself from a high rock into the sea. This event had brought the chiefs and warriors of the adjacent country, to investigate the cause of his death-armed, and prepared for revenge, in the event of his having been murdered. A council was held for some hours on the beach, when the strangers, being satisfied as to the cause and manner of the chief's death, preparations for war were discontinued, and the people of Rangehoo repaired to their fields, to procure potatoes for their entertainment. It was Christmas-day, and about twelve o'clock we went on shore, to dine with one of the Mission families. In the afternoon, I walked through the encampment of the strangers, which was spread along the sea-shore. Their long, stately, and in many instances beautifully carved canoes, were drawn up on the pebbly beach, and the chiefs and warriors were sitting in circles, at a small distance from them. Each party occupied the beach opposite their canoes, while the slaves or domestics, at some distance further from the shore, were busied round their respective fires, preparing their masters' food. Near his side, each warrior's spear was fixed in the ground, while his patapatu, a stone weapon, the tomakawk of the New Zealander, was hanging on his arm. Several chiefs had a large iron hatchet or bill-hook, much resembling those used by woodmen, or others, in mending hedges in England. These, which in their hands were rather terrifying weapons, appeared to be highly prized; they were kept clean and polished, and

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generally fastened round the wrist by a braided cord of native flax. The patupatu was sometimes placed in the girdle, in the same manner as a Malay would wear his knife or dagger, or a Turk his pistol. The men were generally tall and wellformed, altogether such as it might be expected the warriors of a savage nation would be. Several of these fighting-men were not less than six feet high; their limbs were muscular and firm, and their bodies stout, but not corpulent. The dress of the chiefs and warriors consisted, in general, of a girdle round the loins, and a short cloak or mantle, worn over the shoulders, and tied with cords of braided flax in front. The rank of the chief appeared to be sometimes indicated by the number of his cloaks fastened one upon the other; that which was smallest, but generally most valuable, being worn on the outside: the whole resembled in this respect the capes of a travelling-coat.

Their physiognomy, indicating any thing but weakness or cowardice, often exhibited great determination. They wore no helmet, or other covering for the head. Their black and shining hair sometimes hung in ringlets on their shoulders, but was frequently tied up on the crown of their heads, and usually ornamented by a tuft of waving feathers. Their dark eyes, though not large, were often fierce and penetrating; their prominent features in general well-formed; but their whole countenance was much disfigured by the practice of tatauing. Each chief had thus imprinted on his face, the marks and involutions peculiar to his family or tribe; while the figures tataued on the faces of his dependants or retainers, though fewer in number, were the same in form as those by

which the chief was distinguished. The accompanying representation of the head and face of 'Honghi, the celebrated New Zealand warrior,

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who was among the party that arrived this morning at the settlement, will convey nó inaccurate idea of the effect of this singular practice. The tatauing of the face of a New Zealander, answering the purpose of the particular stripe or colour of the Highlander's plaid, marks the clan or tribe to which he

The bust, from which, by the kindness of the Secretary of the Church Missionary Society, the drawing of the above is taken, was executed with great fidelity by 'Honghi during a visit to Port Jackson.

belongs. It is considered highly ornamental; and, in addition to the distinguishing lines or curves, the intricacy and variety of the pattern, thus permanently fixed on the face, constitutes one principal distinction between the chiefs and common people, and it may be regarded as the crest, or coat of arms, of the New Zealand aristocracy. Tatauing is said to be also employed as a means of enabling them to distinguish their enemies in battle. In the present instance, its effect on the countenance, where its marks are more thickly implanted than in any other part of the body, was greatly augmented by a preparation of red ochre and oil, which had been liberally applied to the cheeks and the forehead. Quantities of oil and ochre adhered to my clothes, from close contact with the natives, which I found it impossible to prevent; but this was the only inconvenience I experienced from my visit.

The warriors of New Zealand delight in swaggering and bravado, for while my companion was talking with some of Korokoro's party, one of them came up to me, and several times brandished his patupatu over my head, as if intending to strike, accompanying the action with the fiercest expressions of countenance, and the utterance of words exceedingly harsh, though to me unintelligible. After a few minutes he desisted, but when we walked away, he ran after us, and, assuming the same attitude and gestures, accompanied us till we reached another circle, where he continued for a short time these exhibitions of his skill in terrifying, &c. When he ceased, he inquired, rather significantly, if I was not afraid. I told him I was unconscious of having offended him, and that, notwithstanding his actions, I did

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