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

CHAPTER XXV. Waimate— Cultivation— Flax— Apteryx—Gardens— Missionaries— Farm —Barn — Mill— Grave of Shunghi— Horses— Kauri Pine— Keri-keri — Children— Waripoaka— La Favorite— Political condition— Relics- Images, or Amulets — Mats — Leave New Zealand — Remarks — Inter- course—Convicts—Effects of Missionary exertion — Irregular Settle- ments — Trade — Residents and Consuls — Missionary Embarrassments — Society's Lands— Discontent of Settlers— Purchase of Land — Influ- ence of Missionaries — Their sphere of action. 28th. AccoMPA^JiED by Mr. Baker, I set out to go to Wai- mate, a settlement formed by the missionaries with the view of introducing agriculture and mechanical arts among the natives, in addition to the truths of the Gospel. Entering one of the numerous creeks (Waitangi) by which the north-eastern shores of New Zealand are intersected, we went a little way in a boat, then landed and got on horseback.* Two natives, who had been waiting with the horses, ran by their side during the rest of the day with much ease, though we trotted or cantered rather fast. One of them even carried a bundle weighing about thirty pounds. The men did this by choice, for the sake of riding back from Keri-keri, a place we were afterwards to visit, and whence Mr. Baker and I would return by water. While running thus easily and cheerfully, by the side of our horses, they reminded me of inen at Madeira ; and still more of the Maltese, whom they both resembled in feature, figure, and colour. To see fern every where, was a remarkable peculiarity. In some places it grew thickly, and to the height of a man, in others it was scantily scattered. It is said to be an index to the quality of the soil, which is productive in pro- portion to the quantity of fern. After ascending the first low hills, I was a little disappointed by the uniform and unpic- turesque appearance around me. A rather level or irregularly imdulating country, in which extensive plains were more * A few horses had been brought over from Sydney.