Page:Report from the Select Committee of the House of Lords, appointed to inquire into the present state of the Islands of New Zealand.pdf/61

 Rh : Sacrifice. I did not see the Man killed, but I know he was killed during the Night; and the following Morning the Widow of the great Chief who had been killed had his Entrails as a Necklace about her Neck, and his Heart was cut into several Pieces to be sent to different Tribes, Allies of the Ropera. On our Arrival at Sydney I related the Circumstances, and they tried the Captain for Murder; but there was no Evidence against him. He has since met his Death, having been washed off his Ship coming round Cape Horn; at least so I have understood.

It is stated, in the Publication of the New Zealand Association, that a Hook was fastened under his Chin, and he was kept in that State for Two or Three Days on board the Brig; is that correct?
 * It is incorrect; but he was confined cruelly enough, for his Legs were in a State of Mortification. He slept in the next Room to me several Nights. I had repeated Conversations with him about the Crew of the Warspite; he denied it. He was resigned to his Fate; he knew he would be killed.

You say you had Conversations with him; in what Language?
 * In his Language. I understood it sufficiently to converse with him.

During the Time you were in New Zealand had you an Opportunity of being on shore and communicating with the Natives?
 * Yes. The first Harbour I landed at in the Island we entered by Chance, a Port called Kaffea on the Western Side, where very few Europeans have visited.

What is the Nature of the Country round that; what is the Soil?
 * The Soil in that particular Part was generally good, and the Country bore a most beautiful Appearance; it is rather a sandy Soil near the Coast, but it is the most beautifully picturesque Country I ever visited, and far surpasses any I have ever seen, and I have been over most Parts of the World.

Is there much Cultivation going on there?
 * There is a little Cultivation in the Harbour, but the Natives cultivate only sufficient for the Shipping or their own Use; but they have large Villages, I am told, in the Interior where they cultivate extensively.

In the Part you saw does there appear to be much Land capable of Cultivation?
 * A great deal. I went up several Rivers, and saw about Eight or Ten small Villages; we went up as far as our Boat would allow us (drawing so much Water). We saw from 1,000 to 1,500 Acres under Cultivation; in fact, Nature has supplied them bountifully with every thing. They are the most lazy idle People I ever saw. They have the Fern Root growing there, which is their principal Food, and that is almost equal to Flour; Abundance of Pigs, Fish, and many Vegetables originally introduced by our great Cook the Navigator.

You say they are an idle People; do you think that if they were engaged to labour for Payment they would be unwilling to do so, or that they do not labour from not finding a Necessity for it?
 * They do not labour because Nature has provided them so abundantly.

Have you been yourself cognizant of any Purchases of Land made by Europeans?
 * I have not purchased Land myself, but when I was at Kaffea I obtained a Grant of Land from a Chief, which I have here; it is a very small Quantity: it was under a Condition that I should establish a mercantile Establishment there. I did not purchase it; it was given to me.

Are there only Natives there?
 * No; there were Two or Three White Men, but I suspect they are runaway Convicts from New South Wales. We have in a very great measure lost our Character with the New Zealanders, in consequence of the very bad Character of some runaway Convicts, refractory Seamen, and others who are now residing there. I think, with the Exception of myself and some others, very few Gentlemen have ever visited the Country. There are a great many bad Characters on the Island; but they are well able to distinguish between the Gentlemen and the Individuals alluded to. (123.2.)