Sunday, February 18th, 1844, I therefore preached my farewell sermon to a large and weeping auditory, and urged upon them especially the transfer of their respect and affection to my successor, their present Missionary. And this they faithfully promised to do.

20th. Having engaged twenty natives to carry Mrs. Turton and the two children, with the clothes, food, and bedding, I sent them off in a canoe. We had then to tear ourselves away from the embraces of our people as well as we could; and, leaving Mr. Wallis on the beach, who had kindly come over to see us set out, we stepped hastily into the boat. Never shall I forget the lamentable howl which the people set up as we pulled away from the shore, and which was continued without abatement so long as we were in sight. It was an affectionate farewell; for, though the New-Zealanders can, at any time, weep as mechanically as a Popish statue, yet I believe, on this occasion, their tears were tears of sincerity, and their love "without dissimulation."

21st. The whole of this day was spent in crossing the forest-hills, which divide Waipa from the coast. At night we pitched our tent near the outskirts of the bush. The hot days of a NewZealand summer are succeeded by cold nights, on which account we were afraid because of our children, the youngest being only a few months old.

22d. By break fast-time we reached the Mission-station, where we were most affectionately received by our worthy friends, Mr. and Mrs. Buddle, in whose agreeable company we spent the four following days, to our great comfort. I found the work steadily advancing under Mr. Buddle's charge, and was more pleased with the good conduct of his natives, than on former visits.

27th. We set off in two canoes up the Waipa, Mr. Buddle kindly accompanying us three days until we reached the confines of his extensive and scattered Circuit. After much difficulty in bringing our heavy canoes up the shallows, we encamped for the night on the river-side.

28th. From an early hour we pulled up the stream until we reached the landing-place at two o'clock P. M.

Here we

dined, and proceeded three hours overland to Pukamapau, where there are about fifty natives. With them we spent a good portion of the night in divine service and conversation.

29th. After travelling for about nine hours along a circuitous valley, we ar

rived at our station of Wakatumutumu about five P. M. This is one of the outposts of the Kawhia Circuit; and here we found Mr. Miller, the salaried Teacher, partly engaged in completing his house. He seems to be a good, simple-hearted man, and will doubtless, if diligent, be made useful in his neighbourhood.

March 1st. After holding morning service, and exhorting the Chief to treat his Teacher kindly, Mr. Buddle and I separated; he returning home by another route, whilst we pursued our journey towards the Mokau, where we arrived, (that is, at Motukaramee, the landingplace,) after a very hard day's work, about eight in the evening. 2d.

The canoe which we had previously ordered from the Heads having arrived, we started early, being obliged to send most of our party over the mountains, for want of more canoes. The whole day was spent in pulling down the stream, and passing over the rapids of this romantic river, until seven o'clock, when we pitched our tent ashore on an awkward declivity on the mountain-side.

In this solitary place we spent the Sabbath, engaged in our usual services, and in giving suitable advice to my native Teachers, as to the manner in which they were to conduct themselves to my successor, their present Missionary, on their return.

4th. Another day's pulling down the river brought us by six o'clock P. M. to our Mission station at the Heads, where I immediately held divine service, most of the Pikopo natives coming to hear me. Mr. Schmachenberg is expected here with his wife in a few days. He was lately married at Sydney, and is now returning to his former station, with every prospect of success. He is a very pious man, well acquainted with the language, and much interested in the duties of his station. His wife also seems well adapted for her present position.

5th. This day we travelled many miles on the beach, fixing our tent at night in as sheltered a situation as we could find.

6th. By eight o'clock we reached the Parininihi cliff, where travellers have to lower themselves down to the beach by means of a rope. The height is about eighteen feet, many parts of which are perpendicular, so that the rope is your only dependence; and as it is simply tied to a stake driven into the top of the cliff, if that gives way, the common law of gravitation soon brings you to the

bottom. The natives now fastened on some new flax ropes, which they had twisted the night before; and, taking the children in their arms, soon landed them safely on the beach. Mrs. Turton

was soon after them. They had proposed letting her down in a basket; one obliging creature kindly offered to carry her safely on his back; but seizing hold of the rope with both hands, she soon let herself down without assistance and without accident, to the great merriment of them all. The tide was now flowing; but it was still low enough, we conjectured, to allow us to get past a long range of shelving rocks upwards of two miles in extent. This we very narrowly effected, though we ran as fast as our dripping clothes would let us. By the time we reached the last rock, the springtide had risen so high as almost to preclude all hope of getting round it, the sand having been greatly washed away by the recent bad weather. To climb the rocks was impossible, to go back was hopeless; so there I was, with my wife and children and people, up to my breast in water, hemmed in with the sea, with but the bare possibility of an escape, which my already exhausted strength was only just sufficient to attempt. O the feelings of that moment! Poor Bumby drowning in the Thames, and Peter sinking in Tiberias, both flashed across my mind; but I saw by faith the invisible hand of Jesus stretched out to me, and I determined to make the venture. Thrice was I thrown off my feet by the rebounding waves, and was only saved from being washed out to sea, by fixing my spear firmly in the sand, and holding on by the base; but the third wave had passed, so that I had just time to struggle out of danger, before the next arrived and there I found my children wet through, and crying most pitifully. But Mrs. Turton, with her eight carriers, were still behind the rocks. When they saw me washed down, they set up a dreadful yell, thinking I was lost; nor were their fears diminished on seeing my cap floating by, on the top of the surf, expecting to see my body next. "Let us all die together," they exclaimed: "why should we live after our father is drowned ?" and they relaxed their efforts immediately. I sent more natives back to help them, when, on hearing that I was safe, they made one general effort, lifted up my wife on the chair as high as their hands could raise it, and rushed through the surf, sometimes rising above their heads, until at length they rounded the rock and reached

us in our place of safety, where we returned thanks to God for his merciful deliverance. This place is called Te matenga o te Tatona, "The Turton's death," to this day.

After staying here about two hours to dry our clothes, we proceeded on our journey. The children we were obliged to wrap up in shawls, &c., as all their spare clothes had been washed into the sea. By five o'clock we reached Urenui, where we were met by Mr. Skevington, and three horses, by the help of which we were enabled to reach Oranoi, where we stayed for the night, truly grateful for the mercies of the past day.

7th. We set off by starlight at four o'clock, so as not be hindered by the tide. This we found to be miserable work for our young children, who felt the cold severely. By eight o'clock we arrived at Waitara, where we breakfasted, and then journeying ten miles on a good English road soon brought us to the settlement of New-Plymouth, our present station. The Mission-house is situated in an isolated spot, about two miles from the town; which is a great disadvantage, both for the native and European work; but as the station was selected before the English settlement was thought of, of course no blame can be attached to any

one.

NEW-PLYMOUTH.

In this district there are about one thousand Europeans, and six hundred natives; but many more intend returning hither shortly from the southward, having been driven away by the Waikatos. The land in this neighbourhood is as level and fertile as most visiters have described it, and indeed is better suited for agriculture than any other district in New-Zealand. I was sorry to find the natives in a state of great excitement about their claim to the land, as to the validity of which, according to real native usage, I have not yet made up my mind. There are many intricacies connected with the question, which require to be duly considered by persons well acquainted with Maori as well as civilized law; but the great difficulty, in my opinion, arises from the almost impossibility of reconciling the two systems, and of deciding in what particular cases to apply the one, and when to apply the other. To require either the European or the native implicitly to submit to the usages of the opposite party, would be most unreasonable; and still it appears to be the opinion of each that it ought to

be so, which therefore becomes the source of much misunderstanding, and much bad feeling. Without proper consideration, each party looks upon his own claim as the best, and so the worst feelings towards each are engendered, whilst the settlement of the general question is thereby retarded. I think it would have been greatly to the benefit of the colony, and especially for the aboriginal part of it, had Governor Hobson been directed to hold a general convocation on his first arrival in the country, and before he had involved himself in difficulties by any official acts. Such a meeting might have comprised all the officers of the Government, the oldest or most intelligent of the Missionaries, together with the most impartial and judicious gentle men from the various settlements; (of whom, I am happy to say, we have a goodly number;) and under their united consideration might have been brought nearly every point of perplexity which can possibly arise between the two races, with suggestions of the most valuable character as to the best means of their removal, &c. In such a case, a welldigested code of laws, suited to the transition-state of the New-Zealanders, might have been adopted and acted upon from the first; and thus that system of ever-changing policy, which is so much to be regretted, would have been avoided by the Government at the very outset of their career; nor, under the circumstances, would such a course have been at all dishonourable.

At New-Plymouth, we have a good small stone chapel; but it is still unfinished. In this place we have two services on the Sabbath. The want of a church is at present supplied by a temporary raupo building. The natives are supplied twice on the Sabbath, and visited regularly during the week, though I can neither attend to them nor the Europeans with any degree of satisfaction. Where the work is divided, it appears to me that it must necessarily be defective. I shall, however, do my best to promote the spiritual interests of both, and, if possible, to induce a better feeling and a stronger connexion between the two races of this settlement. At present, all is fear, distrust, and jealousy; and in such a soil, the Gospel cannot fully thrive. At any rate, the Committee may rest assured, that if I can do no good, I will at least endeavour to do no harm. I am sorry to say, that the presence of the military is now absolutely necessary to the continuance of peace in New-Zealand, and to preserve our

past labours from being entirely destroyed. We dread the immoral influence which they will probably exert on our people; but we cannot help it. Their presence may be better than the destruction of many, and the eventual annihilation of this interesting community. The Europeans are in a state of danger without protection, which of itself is enough to tempt the natives to acts of plunder and hostility. It is my firm conviction that unless assistance be speedily rendered, this promising colony will, ere long, become the scene of bloodshed and every calamity. Under our present Governor, there is no fear of any abuse of military power. The very display of it would, in my opinion, be sufficient to prevent its use; but without that display, there is no calculating how soon our most distressing fears may be realized: let a systematic warfare be once commenced in New-Zealand, and farewell to every hope of spiritual and civil advancement for twenty years to come. May God support us in our difficulties, and dissipate the gloomy fears which becloud the prospects of this Mission!

II. JOURNEY TO WAIMATE. (TARANAKI SOUTH.)

On April 7th, being Easter Sunday, the Rev. John Whiteley, who had arrived from Kawhia, preached our Sabbath-school anniversary sermons, and attended a public tea-meeting the following day, at which about eighty individuals were present. In the NewPlymouth and Wickston Branch schools, we have about one hundred and twenty children; but the latter school has been lately broken up for want of a suitable rooni. The parents are too heedless to provide a place themselves, (though they could easily build one of raupo in a few days,) and the balance of the fund is on the wrong side of the sheet to provide one for them; and so their children are allowed to run wild and untutored during the whole of the Sabbath-day.

It being arranged that Mr. Whiteley and I should visit Waimate, the station of Mr. Skevington, we set out together on Wednesday, 10th, sleeping in a Maori hut at night, having passed several small villages in the course of the day. We had heard much of the divided state of the natives on this coast, and were now determined to see for ourselves. I must, however, first remark, that when Mr. Ironside and his companions visited this district in May, 1840, there was no Missionary settled between Kawhia and Wanganui. Mr.

On

Mason, who had just arrived at the latter place, they found living in his tent. the 14th of January, 1841, Mr. Waterhouse landed Mr. Creed at Ngamotu, whose labours extended from Waitara on the north to Waitotara on the south, comprising the whole Ngatiowa and Ngatiruanui districts. All the natives along this line of coast were visited by Mr. Creed, and they received him as their legitimate Pastor. At Waitotara and its immediate neighbourhood, he baptized upwards of one hundred and forty individuals. Many more were baptized by Mr. Ironside. Soon afterwards one of another spirit left his own district at Wanganui, and intruded into this of Mr. Creed, spreading his High-Church notions as far north as Otumatua, eighteen miles on this side of Waimate. In 1842, Mr. Skevington arrived, and was appointed to reside at Waimate; and the people received him gladly as their Missionary. From this time everything went on peaceably, until Bishop Selwyn travelled the coast from Wanganui to New-Plymouth, in October, 1842. In that journey he made a formal separation of all such as had been baptized by the Church brethren, receiving at the same time many of our own natives, and directed them to have separate huts in which to worship, to discontinue all further spiritual communion with their Wesleyan brethren, and not to attend the services of their Ministers when they might visit them. That the Bishop really did and said such things, we have the evidence of scores of his own natives and Teachers, who are ready at any time to testify what they heard and saw.

In the latter part of the year 1843, the Rev. Mr. B. was stationed at NewPlymouth by the Bishop, with orders to visit all the places at which proselytes had been made, once in two months, shutting up the English church on that Sabbath. Soon after Mr. B.'s arrival at New-Plymouth, the Rev. R. Taylor, successor to the late Mr. Mason, travelled from Wanganui to this place, proselyting as he came along, by crossing the foreheads of many of our uncrossed but baptized Wesleyans, giving them to believe that without that their baptism was incomplete. This plan took amazingly, and many were the converts to the crossing church. In this state of animosity and division I found the natives on my arrival at New-Plymouth, which was only certified by our journey to Waimate.

11th.-About nine we reached a vilVOL. I.-FOURTH SERIES.

lage called Wareatea, and found the natives at service, which they abruptly concluded, to prevent our joining them. They immediately introduced polemics, telling us all that the Bishop had advised them to do, and offering such insults as we had never before experienced. They showed us a paper printed at Dr. Selwyn's press, in which the rite of "confirmation" is urged and enforced. When Mr. Whiteley began to address them, as soon as they found him quoting Scripture, they rose up and left the place with much insulting language, saying that he was no Minister, but a "false prophet," had not been properly ordained, &c. ; whilst two of the more zealous of them made a rush to take away his book, for so, they said, they had been commanded. After they had come together again, and been cautioned as to their behaviour to the powerful Wesleyan Waikato Chief, Te Roto, who was coming after us, Mr. Whiteley proposed prayer, when they made another rise, with the use of similar language, and continued their mockery until the prayer was over. Only one aged man was bold enough to worship with us. To pray without notes they had been told was wrong. After such a specimen of the fruits of Puseyistic teaching, we left the above-mentioned village with no common feelings of sur. prise and pity :-pity that the confidence of the natives should be thus abused; and surprise that they should thus abuse us in return, when most of them had been baptized by ourselves, and through the means of Wesleyan influence had been relieved from Waikato slavery.

He

Two hours more brought us to a village called Warea, where the Teacher was for playing the same game; but as there were some Heathens in the place who wished to hear the Gospel, they would have Mr. Whiteley to preach. The Teacher asserted that he had received directions not to allow us to preach within the limits of the fence; but that, if we would preach, we were to do so on the beach outside the enclosure. gave me his name, (Werimu Tamchana,) and stated his readiness to come forward at any time and confirm what he had now said. There were also other parties who made the same testimony. The heathen Chief of the place, Parikaniga, whom we afterwards met, and who is indeed the great Chief of the Taranaki district, was very wroth indeed at what had been done, and said that he would allow of no such conduct at his village; that the Wesleyans were the means of Taranaki being re-peopled; and that he

4 Q

respected them much more than he did their opponents, and would always hear what they had to say. This is the common feeling; and the haughty and foolish Puseyites have really much to learn from their more despised and heathen neighbours.

12th. Mr. Whiteley preached at many villages in the course of the day, some of them belonging to the other party, but not yet brought under its full influence. Having outsped our natives, we were benighted at Kanpukonui, where we were glad to creep into an empty house, and rest on the bare floor, without food, until the morning, when we prosecuted our journey, and reached Waimate by breakfast-time. There we found Mr. and Mrs. Skevington in good health, and in a comfortable house. On the Sabbath Mr. Whiteley preached to the natives twice; and in the evening Mr. Hough, our Catechist at Patea, preached his trial-sermon at the Mission-house. He is of a most amiable and humble disposition, very wishful to acquire the language, and zealous in the labours of the Circuit.

III. JOURNEY TO KAWHIA.

August 27th, 1844.-I set out with Mr. Skevington to attend our District Committee-Meeting at Kawhia. Leaving our horses at Waitara, we reached Onairo by six P. M., where we waited for the tide. By midnight we arrived at the river Urenui; but found it too much swollen with the late rains to admit of our fording it; so, wrapping ourselves up in the tent, we reclined amongst the roots of the forest until daybreak. We then made a raft, by tying broken pieces of dried timber together, which the natives pulled after them as they swam across the river. Safe on the other side, we pushed forward as fast as we could; but were benighted again in the bush, where we slept.

29th. We reached Mokau, where, the rain coming on, we spent the night.

30th. We were delayed until noon by the tide at Awakino, so that it was late before we reached Waikowao. After service with the natives, we lay down in the open air by the fire-side until four the next morning, when we started in the dark. At Puketoa we married a young couple, and reached Marokopa by

seven P. M.

Sunday, Sept. 1st.-Leaving our natives at the village, we proceeded to Kawhia, preaching on the way, and arrived on the Mission-station as the English service concluded. Here we were introduced to our newly-arrived General Superintendent, the Rev. Walter

Lawry, whom we had never seen before, except in portrait. At six the native evening service was held, when about four hundred were present, to whom Mr. Lawry delivered a good discourse, which was interpreted by Mr. Whiteley. After this, the sacrament of the Lord's supper was administered to about seventy natives.

On the following morning the DistrictMeeting commenced, and continued until the Saturday evening. The communications of the Committee on financial and other matters were considered, and the new scale of expenditure brought down to the lowest amount. If it be reduced any more, we shall begin to look with very sombre faces upon our poor children, as to what is to become of their education. Miserable enough in quality as New-Zealand education is, it costs much to obtain it; but with such an education I have no desire to ruin my children; and to educate them myself is what my other duties will not allow.

Sunday, 8th.-The whole Missionparty went over in the boats to Kawhia, (north side,) to open a neat wooden chapel, which had been erected for the Europeans; and certainly it was much needed, if we may judge by their conduct. The sermon was preached by Mr. Lawry, and upwards of £10 subscribed at the collection. Messrs. Lawry, Wallis, and myself then proceeded to Aotea, my old station. On leaving the boat, the road from the beach to the Missionhouse was lined with natives, waiting to shake hands with us; and it was with great difficulty that some of them were prevented from rubbing noses too. They set up a most pitiful cry; and most of them, I believe, were, for once in their lives, sincerely affected at the return of their old Missionary, though I also think they were sincere in their regrets when I left them six months ago; and I was equally glad to see them. They affectingly reminded me of many past scenes, and sorrows, and successes, which none could duly appreciate but myself. May God preserve them unto everlasting life!

On

In the evening I preached to a crowded congregation from my old pulpit, after which Mr. Wallis delivered an address, and Mr. Lawry baptized many adults and children. We were then entertained for the night by Mr. and Mrs. Smales, who are now stationed at Beechamdale. the Monday morning, I left again for Kawhia, remaining there, busied with District-writing, &c., until the Thursday, when I started again for Taranaki, accompanied by Messrs. Watkin, Ironside, and Skevington. The usual inci