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

1835. POMARE ESTUAUY. SiSl 24th. I went with Mr. Baker to a scattered village, called Cawa-cawa. Leaving the ship early, we followed the windings of an estuary which forms Kororareka Harbour, until its shores contracted it to the limits of a fresh-water river. Three good houses on the eastern shore, lately built by respectable English settlers, attracted our notice in passing; and afterwards the ' Pah'* of Pomare,-|- a well-known chief, appeared like a cattle- enclosure upon a hill. Pomare is the man who killed and ate a part of his female slave, when Mr. Earle was there ; he has still large possessions, and had larger, but has sold much for ammunition, muskets, and spirits. His honourable office at this time was that of supplying the numerous whale-ships which visited the harbour with his slaves ; and he found such an employment of his female vassals answer better than the horrible one well described by Mr. Earle. Dismal alternative ! On board each of the ships we passed there were many of these women ; but before we notice the ' mote,' let us consider the great ' beam,' — think of what our own seaports were in times of war, and be charitable to the South Sea Islanders. Pomare was heard to say that his son would be a greater man than himself: and the New Zealanders in general are im- pressed with the idea that their sons will be better^ or greater men, than themselves. The estuary, or arm of the sea, whose windings we were following, forms an excellent harbour for ships not larger than third-class frigates ; or to speak in a more definite manner, for those which do not draw more than seventeen feet of water. On each side the land rises to five or six hundred feet, shel- tering the anchorage without occasioning those violent squalls alternating with calms, that are found under the lee of very high land, over which strong wind is blowing. As far as I know, there are very iew shoals or banks in the wide space which forms the inner harbour. A slight stream of current and * Or Paa ; by Cook called Hippah. t This chief said that his father had adopted the name of ' Pomare,' because he had heard of a very distinguished warrior at Otaheite, who bore that appellation.