Rev. R. Taylor, Wanganui, Reporting on journey with Mr. McLean, to Taupo, Rotorua, and Waikato. Copy forwarded to Auckland by J. Symonds. The state of excitement in which the Native and European population of Wanganui has been thrown, from the apprehension of another hostile visit from Taupo, rendered it desirable that some steps should be taken to ascertain what ground there was for it, and how far it might be allayed. One source of alarm was a message sent by Rangitauria, an influential old Chief of Wanganui, to Here Kie Kie, the son of Tauteka, who was killed in a former fight at Waitotara; the purport of which was to invite him to come again this summer, to seek satisfaction for his father's death; and promising to feed his people with the sheep and cattle of the settlers. We thought it best, therefore, to see Rangitauira, before we commenced our journey into the Interior. Mr. McLean went to him. He acknowledged having used the words imputed to him, although he affirmed he had no intention of doing any injury to the Europeans. He was evidently ashamed of what he had done; and was obliged to own his conduct had justly exposed him to our suspicion; and this was further confirmed by another Chief connected with the former, having hindered a present from being sent to Te Heu Heu; stating that its object in being given was only to allay the hostile feeling, which it was supposed, the Taupos had toward the Europeans, as well as the natives, on account of the reported successes of Hone Heki in the North. Such being the general expectation of a war, the Wanganui natives lost no time in freshly fortifying their Pa's; and the more timid portion of the population either left or made preparations for leaving the place. On the 5th. of November 1845, we started from the Mission House at Wanganui, and ascended the river as far as Hikurangi, by canoe, whence we proceeded by the Rangi-po road to Rotoairo. We slept the first three nights in the forest, the road through which, with the exception of one or two precipitous places at the commencement, is good and level. We noticed a large number of the Tawai, a king of beech tree, at least 100 feet in height, and 5 feet in diameter. After leaving the forest, we entered the Mania, an extensive plain covered with grass, and entirely destitute of fern. We passed by the South side of Tongariro over plains of fine ashes, interspersed with a few clumps of Pines; which, from the force of the winds, appear to be converted into creepers running many yards along the ground, and not attaining a height of more than 3 or 4 feet. We reached Rotoairo on the 12th, where we had a long conversation with the principal men, who appeared to be most peaceably inclined, and testified their desire to live in the fear and nurture of the Lord. It was our decided opinion that unless a great provocation were given, they would not unite in a body in any attack on the Europeans. Poutu is beautifully situated at the extremity of the Lake, where the Waikato flows out a deep narrow stream. The land here is rich. The principal timber is the Matai, which is of large size. We left on the 15th. and reached Tokana the same day. This is the Pa of Here Kie Kie, an influential young Chief, on whose account the late Taua against Waitotara was professedly undertaken. He received us with great assurance of friendship for the Europeans, and desire to live in peace with the natives of the Coast, but we could not help doubting his sincerity, and thinking his words were as hollow as the ground his place stands upon; which adjoins the hot springs. We strongly exhorted him to live in peace, and pointed out in a noral and religious way, the advantage of doing so. The land between this place and Te Rapa is a low flat, gained by the retiring of the Lake; and is, in places, very rich and covered with grass. On the 14th, we proceeded to the last mentioned place, this morning; where we experienced a most friendly reception from Te Heu Heu and his brother, Iwikau; which I (Mr. Taylor) could not help contrasting with the one received at the same place on our first visit, when rudely welcomed with a War dance. On this oceasion a salute was fired by the entire Tribe bade us welcome, dressed in their best mats. We spent the Sabbath here, and remained until the 17th. In the repeated conversations we held with Te Heu Heu, we could not but admire the natural dignity of this influential Chief, and his open conduct. He candidly acknowledged the power of the European influence over him; and that his desire was now to live for peace with all men; he was sensible of the advantage of having Missionaries amongst them; and pointed out to us the most beautiful spot in his neighbourhood, which he said should be set apart for the residence of a Minister, when the Bishop appointed one. He likewise expressed his sense of obligation to the Governor in placing Mr. E. Shortland as a Protecter in that district; as that gentleman had been instrumental, with Messrs. Brown and Chapman, in bringing about a general peace between the Natives of Rotorua and those of Tauranga. Te Heu Heu repeatedly declared he had no intention of attacking Waitotara; and as for Wanganui, if all the other settlements of the Island should share the fate of Kororareka. Wanganui should be the last, for he would defend it himself. Relative to the affair in the North, he said although he entertained no very favourable feelings towards the Ngapuhi Tribe, since in former days when they exclusively possessed fire-arms, they cut off several of his relatives; still he could not divest himself of a friendly feeling towards Heki, as being a Chief of the same country and colour with himself; that this feeling pervaded all the Tribes who were anxiously awaiting the result of the present long protracted War; and that it was causing such an excitement throughout the Island that he found it difficult to keep the Tribes around him in proper subjection. But as a token of his own sentiments towards both Europeans and natives, he was then sending his women and children to Wellington, with mats and Red Ochre, as presents to his friends there; and that he regretted the Bishop had not yet complied with his request, and placed a Missionary at his place. His brother Iwikau told us he should not conceal his desire of heading another Expedition against the Waitotara, when his Aitua would be satisfied; after which he would renounce War, and listen to our instruction, which he said even now disarmed him. His bold bearing, and frank conduct, raised our admiration, and called forth the prayer that yet his feet may tread in the paths of peace and righteousness. On the 17th. the friendly old Chief himself, and his principal wife, accompanied us across the Lake to Wai-taha-nui, where there is a large Pa; in which his people assemble in time of war. It is at present in a very decayed state. Here he took his leave of us with evident emotion. We next visited Wai-marino, the state of which appears very satisfactory; which is mainly to be attributed to the good conduct and example of their Teacher, Hakopa, an elderly man, who has evidently taken great pains in instructing his people. We were not so well pleased with the state of the natives at Motutero, to which place we came next. The Chief, Maniapoto, is married to a daughter of Te Heu Heu, and has considerable influence in his Tribe. The natives here appear to have retrograded in their Christian profession; their former Teacher, a well-informed man, having fallen into sin. At Orona, which is a Christian Pa, where we arrived on the 18th, we found they entertained a doubt of Te Heu Heu's sincerity; but they assured us they should carefully watch his conduct; and should their doubts be confirmed, they would not fail in giving us timely notice. This is the last Pa adjoining the Lake, which we visited; and as Te Heu Heu recommended our seeing the Chiefs of Rotorua and Waikato, we therefore decided on doing so. The country between Taupo and Tarawera is extremely barren; being, in a great measure, only covered with moss. At the head of the Lake, we noticed a kind of burr-stone, which at some future day may prove valuable for mill stones. As we approached Tarawera the country improved in appearance, although it became more mountainous. We reached the Ngae, on the Rotorua Lake, the Station of the Rev. T. Chapman, on the 22nd; and accompanied by that gentleman, we crossed the Lake to see Hikuiro, the leading Chief of Rotorua, of whom Mr. Chapman spoke most highly. He expressed himself very strongly in favour of peace, and appeared quite sensible of the evils of War. He alluded to the peace which had recently been made between them and the Tauranga natives; and stated it as his wish to establish peace also with the Nga-ti-rua-nui Natives. He talked of assembling a very large force to visit Waitotara for that purpose. We recommended that a small number of the principal Chiefs only, should go; lest the Nga-ti-rua-nui Tribe should mistake the object of their coming. We were also so fortunate as to meet with Pukuatua, a Chief of Maketu; who wrote a friendly letter to Waitotara. At Ohinemutu, which we reached on the 26th. we had a similar expression of feeling. This Pa is one of the most interesting and remarkable we visited, on account of many boiling springs, which it contains. They are used for all purposes of cooking, and even warming their houses. They are so numerous as to create an artificial climate, warmer by many degrees than that around other parts of the Rotorua Lake. The fig-tree, which will not grow at the Ngae, here flourishes, attains a large size, and when we were there, had its fruit very nearly ripe. Iron pyrites are formed in the hot springs; and a fine pipe-clay rock, which approaches to Porcellanite in character, and is produced from a deposit of the hot springs, from which the natives very ingeniously manufacture pipes. From this place we commenced our homeward course by the Mokau; passing over very extensive grass plains, on which we slept two nights. We reached Arouena, near the Waikato, on the 29th. Thence I (Mr. Taylor) proceeded to Otawao, where we experienced a most friendly reception from those Natives we had previously regarded as enemies. At the Piri Piri we met again, - Mr. McLean proceeded direct thence, from Arouena to Nga Waka's, one of the Chiefs who visited Wanganui last year as an enemy; now received us as his chief friends, and assured us he should not again join in any hostile attack on either Waitotara or Wanganui. Taunui, whose place we next reached, and who also was one of the hostile visitors of Wanganui, told us that if Heki came to Auckland, all the Waikato's would unite (to a man) against him. He likewise informed us that Tai- area, Chief of Otako, had sent a message, wishing him to unite in cutting off the Wanganui Europeans; that Heki might not have all the glory to himself. That Chief has certainly been long intending to visit Wanganui, in his two ships; but it is most probable the message brought to Taunui was never sent by Taiaroa, as he has always been on good terms with the Europeans; from whom indeed he has derived all his consequence. The name of Rauperaha was also included in the message. Here the lime-stone formation commences. We crossed the Mokau at Ruakaka, and arrived at Mutu Karamu, where Mr. Reimensohneider, a German Missionary, has commenced a Station. Hence we were accompanied by the wife of Kuri, the eldest son of Taunui, and Chief of Mutu Karamu, down to the mouth of the Mokau. The land on both sides appears extremly rich; and we noticed several veins of good coal cropping out of the cliffs adjoining the river. Here we finished the object of our journey. We reached New Plymouth on the 10th. December, and thence by the new road to the East of Mount Egmont, I (Mr. Taylor) reached my home on the 19th. The result of this journey we cannot but hope will be beneficial, having personally seen the Chiefs of the various influential tribes we have visited, and heard their sentiments; and we have been enabled to notice and encourage what was good, and check what was bad. In this way we believe we have counteracted erroneous impressions formed by intercourse with some of our dissolute countrymen, who wander amongst them, and led them to entertain more correct views of the object of Government. We feel persuaded that were the more influential Chiefs to be thus occasionally visited, and a few presents distributed amongst them by accredited Agents of the Government, they would then see more clearly the advantage of living under British authority; and contribute their aid to its support. With scarcely an exception we found all attached to the Europeans. It only remains to teach them to look up to the Queen as their great Mother, which may be easily effected by making them the recipients of her bounty; although, at the same time, we feel called upon to express our conviction of the necessity which now exists, of proving to the Aboriginal race, that the British Government has the power of constraining that obedience; which it would rather should flow from love, and from a knowledge of advantages to be derived by their intercourse with Europeans. (Signed) Richard Taylor.