第72章
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  TofulfilthisoathappearstohavebeenShongi’schiefmotiveforgoingtoEngland;andwhenthereitwashissoleobject。Presentswerevaluedonlyastheycouldbeconvertedintoarms;ofthearts,thosealoneinterestedhimwhichwereconnectedwiththemanufactureofarms。WhenatSydney,Shongi,byastrangecoincidence,metthehostilechiefoftheThamesRiveratthehouseofMr。Marsden:theirconductwasciviltoeachother;butShongitoldhimthatwhenagaininNewZealandhewouldneverceasetocarrywarintohiscountry。Thechallengewasaccepted;andShongionhisreturnfulfilledthethreattotheutmostletter。ThetribeontheThamesRiverwasutterlyoverthrown,andthechieftowhomthechallengehadbeengivenwashimselfkilled。Shongi,althoughharbouringsuchdeepfeelingsofhatredandrevenge,isdescribedashavingbeenagood-naturedperson。

  IntheeveningIwentwithCaptainFitzRoyandMr。Baker,oneofthemissionaries,topayavisittoKororadika:wewanderedaboutthevillage,andsawandconversedwithmanyofthepeople,bothmen,women,andchildren。

  LookingattheNewZealander,onenaturallycompareshimwiththeTahitian;

  bothbelongingtothesamefamilyofmankind。Thecomparison,however,tellsheavilyagainsttheNewZealander。Hemay,perhapsbesuperiorinenergy,butineveryotherrespecthischaracterisofamuchlowerorder。

  Oneglanceattheirrespectiveexpressions,bringsconvictiontothemindthatoneisasavage,theotheracivilizedman。ItwouldbevaintoseekinthewholeofNewZealandapersonwiththefaceandmienoftheoldTahitianchiefUtamme。Nodoubttheextraordinarymannerinwhichtattooingisherepractised,givesadisagreeableexpressiontotheircountenances。

  Thecomplicatedbutsymmetricalfigurescoveringthewholeface,puzzleandmisleadanunaccustomedeye:itismoreoverprobable,thatthedeepincisions,bydestroyingtheplayofthesuperficialmuscles,giveanairofrigidinflexibility。But,besidesthis,thereisatwinklingintheeye,whichcannotindicateanythingbutcunningandferocity。Theirfiguresaretallandbulky;butnotcomparableinelegancewiththoseoftheworking-

  classesinTahiti。

  Buttheirpersonsandhousesarefilthilydirtyandoffensive:theideaofwashingeithertheirbodiesortheirclothesneverseemstoentertheirheads。Isawachief,whowaswearingashirtblackandmattedwithfilth,andwhenaskedhowitcametobesodirty,hereplied,withsurprise,“Donotyouseeitisanoldone?”Someofthemenhaveshirts;butthecommondressisoneortwolargeblankets,generallyblackwithdirt,whicharethrownovertheirshouldersinaveryinconvenientandawkwardfashion。

  AfewoftheprincipalchiefshavedecentsuitsofEnglishclothes;buttheseareonlywornongreatoccasions。

  December23rd——AtaplacecalledWaimate,aboutfifteenmilesfromtheBayofIslands,andmidwaybetweentheeasternandwesterncoasts,themissionarieshavepurchasedsomelandforagriculturalpurposes。I

  hadbeenintroducedtotheRev。W。Williams,who,uponmyexpressingawish,invitedmetopayhimavisitthere。Mr。Bushby,theBritishresident,offeredtotakemeinhisboatbyacreek,whereIshouldseeaprettywaterfall,andbywhichmeansmywalkwouldbeshortened。Helikewiseprocuredformeaguide。

  Uponaskinganeighbouringchieftorecommendaman,thechiefhimselfofferedtogo;buthisignoranceofthevalueofmoneywassocomplete,thatatfirstheaskedhowmanypoundsIwouldgivehim,butafterwardswaswellcontentedwithtwodollars。WhenIshowedthechiefaverysmallbundle,whichIwantedcarried,itbecameabsolutelynecessaryforhimtotakeaslave。Thesefeelingsofpridearebeginningtowearaway;butformerlyaleadingmanwouldsoonerhavedied,thanundergonetheindignityofcarryingthesmallestburden。Mycompanionwasalightactiveman,dressedinadirtyblanket,andwithhisfacecompletelytattooed。Hehadformerlybeenagreatwarrior。HeappearedtobeonverycordialtermswithMr。

  Bushby;butatvarioustimestheyhadquarrelledviolently。Mr。Bushbyremarkedthatalittlequietironywouldfrequentlysilenceanyoneofthesenativesintheirmostblusteringmoments。ThischiefhascomeandharanguedMr。Bushbyinahectoringmanner,saying,“greatchief,agreatman,afriendofmine,hascometopaymeavisit——youmustgivehimsomethinggoodtoeat,somefinepresents,etc。”Mr。Bushbyhasallowedhimtofinishhisdiscourse,andthenhasquietlyrepliedbysomeanswersuchas,“Whatelseshallyourslavedoforyou?”Themanwouldtheninstantly,withaverycomicalexpression,ceasehisbraggadocio。

  Sometimeago,Mr。Bushbysufferedafarmoreseriousattack。Achiefandapartyofmentriedtobreakintohishouseinthemiddleofthenight,andnotfindingthissoeasy,commencedabriskfiringwiththeirmuskets。

  Mr。Bushbywasslightlywounded,butthepartywasatlengthdrivenaway。

  Shortlyafterwardsitwasdiscoveredwhowastheaggressor;andageneralmeetingofthechiefswasconvenedtoconsiderthecase。ItwasconsideredbytheNewZealandersasveryatrocious,inasmuchasitwasanightattack,andthatMrs。Bushbywaslyingillinthehouse:thislattercircumstance,muchtotheirhonour,beingconsideredinallcasesasaprotection。ThechiefsagreedtoconfiscatethelandoftheaggressortotheKingofEngland。

  Thewholeproceeding,however,inthustryingandpunishingachiefwasentirelywithoutprecedent。Theaggressor,moreover,lostcasteintheestimationofhisequalsandthiswasconsideredbytheBritishasofmoreconsequencethantheconfiscationofhisland。

  Astheboatwasshovingoff,asecondchiefsteppedintoher,whoonlywantedtheamusementofthepassageupanddownthecreek。Ineversawamorehorridandferociousexpressionthanthismanhad。ItimmediatelystruckmeIhadsomewhereseenhislikeness:itwillbefoundinRetzch’soutlinestoSchiller’sballadofFridolin,wheretwomenarepushingRobertintotheburningironfurnace。ItisthemanwhohashisarmonRobert’sbreast。Physiognomyherespokethetruth;thischiefhadbeenanotoriousmurderer,andwasanarrantcowardtoboot。Atthepointwheretheboatlanded,Mr。Bushbyaccompaniedmeafewhundredyardsontheroad:Icouldnothelpadmiringthecoolimpudenceofthehoaryoldvillain,whomweleftlyingintheboat,whenheshoutedtoMr。Bushby,“Donotyoustaylong,Ishallbetiredofwaitinghere。”

  Wenowcommencedourwalk。Theroadlayalongawellbeatenpath,borderedoneachsidebythetallfern,whichcoversthewholecountry。Aftertravellingsomemiles,wecametoalittlecountryvillage,whereafewhovelswerecollectedtogether,andsomepatchesofgroundcultivatedwithpotatoes。

  Theintroductionofthepotatohasbeenthemostessentialbenefittotheisland;itisnowmuchmoreusedthananynativevegetable。NewZealandisfavouredbyonegreatnaturaladvantage;namely,thattheinhabitantscanneverperishfromfamine。Thewholecountryaboundswithfern:andtherootsofthisplant,ifnotverypalatable,yetcontainmuchnutriment。

  Anativecanalwayssubsistonthese,andontheshell-fish,whichareabundantonallpartsofthesea-coast。Thevillagesarechieflyconspicuousbytheplatformswhichareraisedonfourpoststenortwelvefeetabovetheground,andonwhichtheproduceofthefieldsiskeptsecurefromallaccidents。

  OncomingnearoneofthehutsIwasmuchamusedbyseeingindueformtheceremonyofrubbing,or,asitoughttobecalled,pressingnoses。

  Thewomen,onourfirstapproach,beganutteringsomethinginamostdolorousvoice;theythensquattedthemselvesdownandhelduptheirfaces;mycompanionstandingoverthem,oneafteranother,placedthebridgeofhisnoseatrightanglestotheirs,andcommencedpressing。Thislastedratherlongerthanacordialshakeofthehandwithus,andaswevarytheforceofthegraspofthehandinshaking,sodotheyinpressing。Duringtheprocesstheyutteredcomfortablelittlegrunts,verymuchinthesamemannerastwopigsdo,whenrubbingagainsteachother。Inoticedthattheslavewouldpressnoseswithanyonehemet,indifferentlyeitherbeforeorafterhismasterthechief。Althoughamongthesavages,thechiefhasabsolutepoweroflifeanddeathoverhisslave,yetthereisanentireabsenceofceremonybetweenthem。Mr。BurchellhasremarkedthesamethinginSouthernAfrica,withtherudeBachapins。Wherecivilizationhasarrivedatacertainpoint,complexformalitiessoonarisebetweenthedifferentgradesofsociety:

  thusatTahitiallwereformerlyobligedtouncoverthemselvesaslowasthewaistinpresenceoftheking。

  Theceremonyofpressingnoseshavingbeendulycompletedwithallpresent,weseatedourselvesinacircleinthefrontofoneofthe-hovels,andrestedtherehalf-an-hour。Allthehovelshavenearlythesameformanddimensions,andallagreeinbeingfilthilydirty。Theyresembleacow-

  shedwithoneendopen,buthavingapartitionalittlewaywithin,withasquareholeinit,makingasmallgloomychamber。Inthistheinhabitantskeepalltheirproperty,andwhentheweatheriscoldtheysleepthere。

  Theyeat,however,andpasstheirtimeintheopenpartinfront。Myguideshavingfinishedtheirpipes,wecontinuedourwalk。Thepathledthroughthesameundulatingcountry,thewholeuniformlyclothedasbeforewithfern。Onourrighthandwehadaserpentineriver,thebanksofwhichwerefringedwithtrees,andhereandthereonthehillsidestherewasaclumpofwood。Thewholescene,inspiteofitsgreencolour,hadratheradesolateaspect。Thesightofsomuchfernimpressesthemindwithanideaofsterility:

  this,however,isnotcorrect;forwherevertheferngrowsthickandbreast-

  high,thelandbytillagebecomesproductive。Someoftheresidentsthinkthatallthisextensiveopencountryoriginallywascoveredwithforests,andthatithasbeenclearedbyfire。Itissaid,thatbydigginginthebarestspots,lumpsofthekindofresinwhichflowsfromthekauripinearefrequentlyfound。Thenativeshadanevidentmotiveinclearingthecountry;forthefern,formerlyastaplearticleoffood,flourishesonlyintheopenclearedtracks。Thealmostentireabsenceofassociatedgrasses,whichformssoremarkableafeatureinthevegetationofthisisland,mayperhapsbeaccountedforbythelandhavingbeenaboriginallycoveredwithforest-trees。

  Thesoilisvolcanic;inseveralpartswepassedovershaggylavas,andcraterscouldclearlybedistinguishedonseveraloftheneighbouringhills。Althoughthesceneryisnowherebeautiful,andonlyoccasionallypretty,Ienjoyedmywalk。Ishouldhaveenjoyeditmore,ifmycompanion,thechief,hadnotpossessedextraordinaryconversationalpowers。Iknewonlythreewords:“good。”“bad。”and“yes:“andwiththeseIansweredallhisremarks,withoutofcoursehavingunderstoodonewordhesaid。This,however,wasquitesufficient:Iwasagoodlistener,anagreeableperson,andheneverceasedtalkingtome。

  AtlengthwereachedWaimate。Afterhavingpassedoversomanymilesofanuninhabiteduselesscountry,thesuddenappearanceofanEnglishfarm-house,anditswell-dressedfields,placedthereasifbyanenchanter’swand,wasexceedinglypleasant。Mr。Williamsnotbeingathome,IreceivedinMr。Davies’shouseacordialwelcome。Afterdrinkingteawithhisfamilyparty,wetookastrollaboutthefarm。AtWaimatetherearethreelargehouses,wherethemissionarygentlemen,Messrs。Williams,Davies,andClarke,reside;andnearthemarethehutsofthenativelabourers。Onanadjoiningslope,finecropsofbarleyandwheatwerestandinginfullear;andinanotherpart,fieldsofpotatoesandclover。ButIcannotattempttodescribeallIsaw;therewerelargegardens,witheveryfruitandvegetablewhichEnglandproduces;andmanybelongingtoawarmerclime。Imayinstanceasparagus,kidneybeans,cucumbers,rhubarb,apples,pears,figs,peaches,apricots,grapes,olives,gooseberries,currants,hops,gorseforfences,andEnglishoaks;alsomanykindsofflowers。Aroundthefarm-yardtherewerestables,athrashing-barnwithitswinnowingmachine,ablacksmith’sforge,andonthegroundploughsharesandothertools:inthemiddlewasthathappymixtureofpigsandpoultry,lyingcomfortablytogether,asineveryEnglishfarm-yard。Atthedistanceofafewhundredyards,wherethewaterofalittlerillhadbeendammedupintoapool,therewasalargeandsubstantialwater-mill。

  Allthisisverysurprising,whenitisconsideredthatfiveyearsagonothingbutthefernflourishedhere。Moreover,nativeworkmanship,taughtbythemissionaries,haseffectedthischange;——thelessonofthemissionaryistheenchanter’swand。Thehousehadbeenbuilt,thewindowsframed,thefieldsploughed,andeventhetreesgrafted,byaNewZealander。Atthemill,aNewZealanderwasseenpowderedwhitewithflower,likehisbrothermillerinEngland。WhenIlookedatthiswholescene,Ithoughtitadmirable。ItwasnotmerelythatEnglandwasbroughtvividlybeforemymind;yet,astheeveningdrewtoaclose,thedomesticsounds,thefieldsofcorn,thedistantundulatingcountrywithitstreesmightwellhavebeenmistakenforourfatherland:norwasitthetriumphantfeelingatseeingwhatEnglishmencouldeffect;butratherthehighhopesthusinspiredforthefutureprogressofthisfineisland。

  Severalyoungmen,redeemedbythemissionariesfromslavery,wereemployedonthefarm。Theyweredressedinashirt,jacket,andtrousers,andhadarespectableappearance。Judgingfromonetriflinganecdote,Ishouldthinktheymustbehonest。Whenwalkinginthefields,ayounglabourercameuptoMr。Davies,andgavehimaknifeandgimlet,sayingthathehadfoundthemontheroad,anddidnotknowtowhomtheybelonged!Theseyoungmenandboysappearedverymerryandgood-humoured。IntheeveningIsawapartyofthematcricket:whenIthoughtoftheausterityofwhichthemissionarieshavebeenaccused,Iwasamusedbyobservingoneoftheirownsonstakinganactivepartinthegame。Amoredecidedandpleasingchangewasmanifestedintheyoungwomen,whoactedasservantswithinthehouses。Theirclean,tidy,andhealthyappearance,likethatofthedairy-maidsinEngland,formedawonderfulcontrastwiththewomenofthefilthyhovelsinKororadika。Thewivesofthemissionariestriedtopersuadethemnottobetattooed;butafamousoperatorhavingarrivedfromthesouth,theysaid,“Wereallymustjusthaveafewlinesonourlips;elsewhenwegrowold,ourlipswillshrivel,andweshallbesoveryugly。”

  Thereisnotnearlysomuchtattooingasformerly;butasitisabadgeofdistinctionbetweenthechiefandtheslave,itwillprobablylongbepractised。Sosoondoesanytrainofideasbecomehabitual,thatthemissionariestoldmethatevenintheireyesaplainfacelookedmean,andnotlikethatofaNewZealandgentleman。

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