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

618 I'INE-FORKSTS. Dec. some tribes who were inclined to part hastily with extensive tracts of valuable pine forests. The real value of those trees was explained to the natives; and they were shown distinctly how a careful management of such stores of spars would ensure a future property, and sufficient maintenance for the native children who would otherwise be deprived of their birthright. Did this show a desire to monopolize ? But I must hasten to a conclusion of the subject. When authorized agents of European or American governments assume active functions in New Zealand (where at present they are little more than cyphers), I hope they will have the good sense to ask for advice from the missionaries ; who, no doubt, willdulyreraember, that, however they mayhave been called upon to act during emergencies, the duties of their office are, or ought to be, separated as much as possible from affairs of a secular nature. Neither in politics, nor in any kind of hostilities or dissensions, ought they to take a part, excepting as peace- makers, if an officer or authorized executive agent of govern- ment is within their reach. Among many omissions which I am obliged to make in the subsequent chapter, are the following: — On the 7th of January, while more than two hundred miles from any known land, we saw a boatswain-bird and two white tern. To those who are interested about the distances to which birds fly from land, this remark may be worth notice : as some persons say that tern never fly far. Mr.Chafl^ers obtained the jaw of a huge blue shark, at Hobart Town, which had been killed by the boat's crew of Mr. James Kelly's whaling vessel. The extreme length of the monster was thirty-seven feet. Its iaw is now in the United Service Museum. About Van Diemen's Land, the barometer ranged higher than I had witnessed in the southern hemisphere.