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/73

 Rh You state that the Line of Demarcation of the Land which was given you was burnt out; in what Way?
 * It was first marked out by pitching Trees or small Plants, and then they set fire to them, and lying in a Train in very dry Weather it burnt quickly.

In the course of a few Years will not the Trees grow up again and obliterate that Line?
 * It is fenced in by an European Trader I had, who was there for Two Years; they never molested him, but treated him in the best possible Way.

What Countryman was he?
 * An Englishman.

Have you visited any of the Society Islands?
 * No. I have visited almost all Australia; I was there Eight Years.

You have spoken of some of the Tribes being very numerous; do you know the Size of the largest Tribe you visited?
 * No. One we visited, called the Wyccurbobo, all I learned was, that they belonged to a Place near the burning River. There is a burning River in New Zealand. I thought so highly of the Country, that when I went out to New South Wales His Majesty George the Fourth granted me 5,000 Acres of Land,– I would readily have changed it for 1,000 in New Zealand.

What was the Size of that Tribe?
 * I should think some Thousands.

The Story told respecting Captain Stewart was, that he confined a Chief on board his Ship with a Hook put through the fleshy Part of his Chin; is that correct?
 * It is impossible for me to say more than the Captain himself related to me; I was on board the Ship subsequently; the Story is bad enough without Aggravation. I saw the Chief; he was as fine a Man as ever I saw in my Life; had there been any Appearance of the Hook alluded to it could not have escaped my Notice.

Another Part is that the Daughter came to speak to him, and that the Sailors threw her down with so much Violence as to kill her?
 * There was some Story of that Kind.

Did he appear, when you saw him, to have any Wound in his Neck?
 * No, none whatever; the only Part affected was his Legs; they were in a State of Mortification. I spoke to the Captain when I went on board, saying, that as a British Subject I could not suffer him to be ironed. I would not allow him to give him up, but I could not prevent his doing as he thought fit.

The State of his Legs arose from the Irons the Captain had put upon them?
 * Yes. I had them struck off; but still he was kept confined on board, being afraid of our own Lives while he was on board, after his Treatment.

You state that you think it would be better the English should have Possession of the Islands; do you mean better for the English or the Natives?
 * I think it would be better for all Parties. I have seen the Savages of New Holland; they are a very unimportant Number, for they may be all put into a Basket, compared to those in New Zealand; they are Persons hardly deserving of any Trouble; they are just like so many Beasts of the Field; they come and sleep on my Land To-night, and go to another Farm To-morrow Night; they live on a few Slugs or Caterpillars, or any thing; but the New Zealanders are capable of great Attainments.

You do not think they would be willing to part with their Land or their Authority without an Equivalent?
 * Decidedly not.

That Equivalent being what we should consider a valuable Consideration?
 * Yes.

In our Eyes as well as theirs?
 * I should think 20,000l. or 30,000l. would do the whole, by their receiving very handsome Presents; making them Presents of Ships, perhaps, to give them little Power; making them an important Body in their own Estimation. (123.2.)