Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

580 WARIPOAKA — VICIOUS SETTLERS. DeC. without shuddering. Being told in the evening, that " before morning their house would be in flames ;" and that " stones were heating for the oven in which they themselves were to be cooked," was a quieting farewell, from a mob of angry na- tives, on more than one occasion. But Mr. King always found a trusty friend in a chief, whose name has been often noticed ' Waripoaka.'' I met him near the house, in company with a young chief, whose sense of propriety was so delicate that he would not appear before Mrs. King, because he was not dressed ' well enough I' Waripoaka was satisfied with his own attire, and went with us. To my prejudiced eye, the dress of the young man, a mat, or mantle of the country, loosely wrapped around a fine figure, appeared far more suitable than the long- tailed old coat, thread-bare pantaloons, and worn-out hat, which utterly disguised and disfigured the old chief. Mr. King's son talked of his sheep, and I found that though not more than eighteen or twenty, he was already a farmer, possessing land and a flock of sheep. Returning by a different route, we landed upon an island lately bought from the natives by two persons who had been masters of whale-ships. This island, purchased for a trifling price, will become very valuable, as the trade to the Bay of Islands increases ; and I regretted to see a spot of such future consequence in the hands of men, whose verbal attacks upon the missionaries, and illiberal aspersions of Mr. Busby's character, disgusted me so much that I had hardly patience to make the inquiries which were the object of my visit ; or to wait while Mr. Baker told them of a plan which was in contemplation among the settlers, for the prevention, or at least restriction, of the sale of spirits. Such men as these, strongly prejudiced, deaf to reason, and too often habitually vicious; run-away convicts, whose characters may be imagined ; and democratic seceders from regular govern- ment, cause the principal difficulties against which honest, upright settlers, and the whole missionary body, have to con- tend. One of the men, whose share in the property of the island I have been regretting, was partly intoxicated while we were with him ; but Waripoaka, who accompanied us, significantly warned me of his state as I entered the house. i