of Journal, from New Plymouth to Mokau and Taupo. April 22nd. 1845 May 19th. 1845. Capt. King, Messrs, Cutfield, Webster, and Brown, visited Katori, the Chief at Maungaraka, to see the land he offered for sale, but could make no definite bargain with him. After talking with that Chief for some time, I proceeded on my journey to Mokau. The afternoon being wet, I remained at the Waitara. Proceeded on my journey, and came to Pohipi's, and slept in a potato garden for the night. Arrived in the evening at Tikipoti. Heard all the natives were at Awakino, feasting. On my arrival this evening at Mokau, found the natives were out feasting. The mail arrived. Received a letter from Mr. Clarke. Went to Chapel with Mr. Snachenberg. The natives appeared to be in a sad. deluded state, being inattentive to what was being said during the whole time Divine Service lasted. Went to Ngarini Pah, to have a conversation with the natives. Conversed with them for some time. Found their prevailing and predominant desire was to have Europeans amongst them. Having told them that I heard that several of them had ill-treated the Europeans, who were living amongst them, and also had badly treated several travellers passing to and fro through the country. This they acknowledged, and stated that they had been frequently imposed upon ny Europeans. It is very evident that such has too frequently been the case. The whole of the natives not being collected, their Missionary, however, told them that I was their Protector; that they were in future to apply to me for redress. I explained to them that I would at all times be their friend. The Meeting was adjourned till next day, until all the natives were assembled. At this Meeting all the Chiefs of Mokau assembled, except Kaharoa, which was owing to the death of his wife, supposed to have been caused by his ill-treatment of her. They all appeared to evince a favourable feeling towards Europeans, though they were ignorant of the nature of Government, or what its motives were regarding them. They were anxious to know the intentions of the Europeans. I told them murder met with our great abhorrence, and we could not countenance who were guilty of such strocious acts; and appealed to the Chiefs present whether they considered the murder of an unprotected female, consistant with their own laws and customs; or in the least partaking of the feelings they were taught, or inherited from their ancestors; to which they replied that it met generally with their disapprobation; but as the woman was a slave captured by her husband in former wars, they considered he had despotic rule over all her actions. I showed them that the British Government would not tolerate such offences; that the murderer who sat opposite me at the extreme end of the house, had frequently tried to hold an interview with me; and preferred my civilities to my native attendants. These civilities I was always proud of receiving from proper sources, and wished to encourage their hospitality and kindness towards strangers. But from a murderer I would not accept these civilities; not yet allow any of my party to shake hands with him, or hold the slightest or most distant intercourse with him. No, - I would feel my conscience upraided, did I not, by every means in my power, discountenance such horrible deeds. "It is true! It is true! McLean!" was sounded by the Chieftains and natives from one end of the house to the other. "All you have said is correct. We will remember your words." Having then remarked on the untidy state of the Chapel, which was open to all winds, I recommended that it should be improved by my next visit, as well as attention paid to the instructions of their Missionary; and hoped that no more complaints by Europeans travelling among them would be recorded to their individual characters; but they would regain their lost character for hospitality, by attending to its rights; and these injunctions are not of such recent origin as to be strange to your ears; but have, to a very recent period, existed amongst you, and been enjoined on you by your forefathers. Spent the day at the Mission Station, occasionally assisting the Missionary in arranging his new house. The postman arrived in the evening, from Taranaki. Brought me a change of clothes, and some sugar, and biscuits. A letter from Mr. Webster, and from E Waka one of the Chiefs there; reporting all quiet at New Plymouth. Late in the evening I started for Arokino, a river eight miles from Moko. There was something very inspiring in the night travelling towards that river; the unsettled roaring white foam dashing against the cliffs, round which we had difficulty in passing; some of us carrying lighted torches to guide us on our way, contrasted with the quiet solemnity of the plantations and forests, and murmuring streams, which we had just passed. The postman now formed one of our party; and I having the advance, preceeded him to the settlement, where I had my tent erected, and form laid down for a bed, before he made his appearance; being detained by the tide at one of the projecting headlands on the route. Continued on our journey to Kawia. At one place we had considerable difficulty in climbing a projecting cliff, near Iwikawa. Having a mural face, it is necessary to have the assistance of natives to draw one up the face of it; and if passing round its base, the passenger runs the risk of being drawn into the foaming surf, by the reflux of the heavy rolling waves at this part. One of my natives, who assisted me in rounding this headland, narrowly escaped being drawn into the surf, whilst we were out of sight on the side of the rock; and with great difficulty regained his footing on the rocks, having lost some of his clothes. Slept at Teranga, having travelled this day 20 miles. We pushed on with the greatest rapidity to Mr. Whiteley's, to spend the Sunday, end replenish our stock of food, which was nearly exhausted. If did not, however, succeed, as night closed over us at the bush entering Kawia Harbour; the rain pouring down without intermission. In the midst of it we managed to pitch our tent, and strike up a good fire. Here I divided my meagre stock of food with the party, and invited them all to pass the night in the shelter of my tent; which became very uncomfortable towards morning, from the rain flowing beneath our feet; and made it necessary to strike it, and pursue our journey at the early dawn of day. Our path led through the bush, which was both slippery and difficult from the rains. My party were cheered up when we got to the ridge of the hill, by observing a small native village at 2 miles distant, where there were evident preparations making for the morning repast. Here I procured a boat, and pulled up to Mr. Whiteley's, where I was received with frankness and hospitality, for which he and his family are generally noted. Having shaved and stripped. I sat down to a comfortable repast; and spent a homely Sabbath evening. Remained at Mr. Whiteley's during the 6th. 7th. and the 8th. following days; at which time the mail arrived from Auckland. Left Kawia, and travelled through a bush country during that day, to the Piri Piri, a Station 20 miles distant. Got to Whare Kahukahu, where I could perceive a European was once established, from the style in which one of the houses was erected. On conversing with the natives, I found that this person was of the name of McLeod, who had since left the Island for some years. Arrived in the forenoon at Mania, a fertile rolling plain, interspersed with beautiful clumps of Kaikatea trees; which grow in swampy ground, and bearing a resemblance to the planted firs on the domains at home. At this place I met with a large eoncourse of natives who assembled to re-inter their dead; a ceremony attended with great feasting, and also of lamentations over the bones of their departed friends. I was recognised by some of them, and a feast prepared for myself and natives, composed of potatoes, pork, eels, kumeras, and the best the place could produce. My tent was pitched in a beautiful situation, which commanded a view of the several native villages in the neighbourhood; giving me a full opportunity of observing the regularity and decorum with which the Sabbath is kept in the most secluded villages of a race of people, whose simplicity, and frugal mode of living, correspond in some respects with the humbler classes of our Scotch community; excepting indeed, the former are only emerging from a savage state of barbarism. I attended the Native Chapel; one of the natives having preached a very good sermon. Several complaints were brought before me during my short stay here; two only of which bore on Europeans. One was in reference to articles taken by a Chief named Proure, from a European, who was married to a relation of theirs. The other was some trifling difference with their Missionary, Mr. Millar. The Kawia Chief, Pakaru followed me to this place; and assisted me in satisfactorily adjusting the several questions in contention. The goods were returned by the aggressing Chief, and quietly laid at my tent door, with an earnest request that I should take no further notice of his conduct, as my rebukes, in the presence of so many assembled natives, were severely felt by him; and with an earnest promise from him of better behaviour in future, I bid all farewell, and left the settlement. Proceeded to Wakatumutumu, a Mission Station, where I had not been many minutes when two messengers had arrived, who had been sent after me by Mr. Whiteley, with letters from Taranaki, and despatches from the police Magistrate of Wanganui, requesting I should visit that place, as they entertained great fears of a descent on their settlement by the natives of Waikato and Taupo. This decided me in altering my plans of returning by the Mokau river. I immediately set about an enquiry as to how far the fears of the Wanganui settlers were founded, by an attack from Waikato. I immediately communicated with the Chiefs whom I had left behind at the Mania; amongst whom was old Taunui, who had visited Wanganui with Heu Heu, and with whom I had a conversation on the previous day; which though not unfavourable, was frequently interrupted by the greetings and welcomes he was receiving from the natives assembled at the place where we had our interview. One very shrewd remark he made during our conversation in reference to the Taranaki bribe, who were driven by him and other Waikatos, to seek refuge in the Southern parts of the Island, - "That a bird when once driven from its nest, never returned again." Consequently it is not right, McLean, that I should assert my claim to such lands at Orini and elsewhere as the flour birds have not thought fit, from fear of a snare tribe to occupy (?) It is enough. I allow them to occupy what they already possess, without encouraging them to increase in number or extend their territory; the result would be a continuous aggravation to myself and people, to whom your natives (Taranaki) are adicted (?), and if it were not for your interference (myself), bloody and exterminating warfare would ensue. Advise your people to live quietly, and let them consider that I have been the first Chief uninfluenced by any Mission interference that ever returned a slave to Taranaki, I have said a slave, but a slave's treatment neither he nor his family received from me, (meaning old Orowatua) I sent him back to his lands, and told him to occupy them in peace and quietness; that my treatment would, for his own conduct be that of friendship and consideration. Nor would I assert the severity of a conqueror towards him, but allow him every indulgence, as to a relation. Having so far digressed from my subject. I must again resume the result of my communication with the Chiefs, which was in accordance with plans I had matured to visit Taupo and see that Chief, taking a route homewards by Wanganui. -My negotiations having occupied the whole of Wednesday 14th. During which period my native attendants were using every endeavour and persuasion to induce me to abandon the trip to Taupo in such severe weather; and some of them wished to return, saying that it was an enemy's country, which they had never been to. On finding I was about engaging other natives, and having already got two guides, they said, - "Don't engage any more. We will not part with you. In the morning we pursued our Taupo journey, sleeping that night in a small settlement, the Hariphi, where the natives were attentive. This day our journey lay through wild forest land with occasional swamps and forn lands, and the rising ground covered with fern; occasionally meeting a few painted posts denoting the pig runts and boundaries of the several tribes here; but principally that of Taonui and his tribe, who claims an unlimited extent of wild unavailable country. At night pitched our tent in the forest, by the light of a large fire; the natives very quickly erecting a shade of nikau for themselves. Having partaken of a few roasted potatoes, the only food we could procure, we retired to rest for the night. A severe frost in the morning. Our route still lay through the forest. About 11 o'clock we descended a steep ridge and opened into a fern country, through which a large stream flowed. At a considerable distance we saw a smoke, which was the means of cheering my party, who still retained an aversion to the lengthened journey I had undertaken; and who, with myself, were beginning to feel the effects of humger; nor would they be persuaded to go off the road to where we saw the smoke, to provide some; as they dreaded them to be strangers. Having ascended the opposite ridge, we rested for a short time, whilst I fed my young Chief's boy; and then proceeded until we arrived at a beautiful grove of Toa Toa, a reed highly prized by the New Zealanders, from its elasticity, rendering it useful for instruments of war; the bark of which makes a beautiful dye of light broun, and rarely to be met with. This grove presented a lovely and pleasing contrast to the barren country we had come through. Here we lighted a fire whilst I emptied my food kits, and made equal division of their contents amongst us; excepting the young Chief for whom I procured a double allowance. Here we also planted some potatoes, in the expectation that at a future day they may satisfy the hunger of a passing traveller. This night we got to Tohua village. Remained here all day. Our guides' friends provided us with food. Moved on from there; young Chiefs accompanying me.