remain a proof of the rascality of an Englishman, who sold the seeds
for those of the tobacco plant.
On returning from our pleasant walk to the house, I dined with Mr.
Williams; and then, a horse being lent me, I returned to the Bay of
Islands. I took leave of the missionaries with thankfulness for their
kind welcome, and with feelings of high respect for their
gentlemanlike, useful, and upright characters. I think it would be
difficult to find a body of men better adapted for the high office
which they fulfil.
Christmas Day.--In a few more days the fourth year of our absence from
England will be completed. Our first Christmas Day was spent at
Plymouth, the second at St. Martin's Cove, near Cape Horn; the third at
Port Desire, in Patagonia; the fourth at anchor in a wild harbour in
the peninsula of Tres Montes, this fifth here, and the next, I trust in
Providence, will be in England. We attended divine service in the
chapel of Pahia; part of the service being read in English, and part in
the native language. Whilst at New Zealand we did not hear of any
recent acts of cannibalism; but Mr. Stokes found burnt human bones
strewed round a fire-place on a small island near the anchorage; but
these remains of a comfortable banquet might have been lying there for
several years. It is probable that the moral state of the people will
rapidly improve. Mr. Bushby mentioned one pleasing anecdote as a proof
of the sincerity of some, at least, of those who profess Christianity.
One of his young men left him, who had been accustomed to read prayers
to the rest of the servants. Some weeks afterwards, happening to pass
late in the evening by an outhouse, he saw and heard one of his men
reading the Bible with difficulty by the light of the fire, to the
others. After this the party knelt and prayed: in their prayers they
mentioned Mr. Bushby and his family, and the missionaries, each
separately in his respective district.
December 26th.--Mr. Bushby offered to take Mr. Sulivan and myself in
his boat some miles up the river to Cawa-Cawa, and proposed afterwards
to walk on to the village of Waiomio, where there are some curious
rocks. Following one of the arms of the bay, we enjoyed a pleasant
row, and passed through pretty scenery, until we came to a village,
beyond which the boat could not pass. From this place a chief and a
party of men volunteered to walk with us to Waiomio, a distance of four
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