What Articles did they use in bartering with Europeans?
- Mr. Marsden, in order to lessen the Expenses of the Voyage to the Church Missionary Society, freighted Home a Load of Timber, and also purchased a Quantity of Flax. The Flax of the Country is exceedingly valuable.
Is there a good deal of Flax cultivated?
- Not cultivated, but it is spread over the Country in great Quantities. It would form a very valuable Article of Barter to this Country; it thrives exceedingly well there, and when properly prepared it has been found to produce stronger Rope than that made of the Hemp of Russia or any other Country, and also the Canvass made of it is of a very superior Description.
Are you aware whether the Admiralty have looked into that Subject, and whether there has been any Report made upon it?
- I am not aware of that Fact.
Is it within your Knowledge that Flax has been since imported?
- It has been imported by private Merchants; I am not aware whether it has by the Government. I do not think that till a Colony is formed it can be procured in sufficient Quantities from the Natives; they do not cultivate it.
They leave it to take its Chance?
- Yes.
So early as that you had not heard of Baron De Thierry?
- No, not till long afterwards. In 1820 Mr. Kendall, one of the Missionaries, returned to this Country, bringing with him Two Chiefs; he went down to Cambridge soon after he arrived here to compile a Vocabulary of the New Zealand Language, aided by the Assistance of Professor Lee ; he took the
Chiefs with him , and there met with the Baron De Thierry. After Mr. Kendall returned to New Zealand the Baron set a Scheme afloat to colonize the Island; I believe he had not himself any Means for that Purpose.
What occurred in consequence of your Visit?
- We were very much impressed in favour of the Character of the Natives, from their superior Intelligence and Desire for Improvement.
Did the Missionaries settle there?
- They did; Three Missionaries with their Families, which constituted the first Mission on the Island, were settled in the Bay of Islands.
You state that when you were there, in the End of 1814 and the Beginning of 1815, you thought the Country was very healthy; did you observe many old People among the Natives?
- No; some, but not many.
Did you observe that they had any peculiar Disease?
- Generally speaking they appeared to be a remarkably healthy People; we saw a few, but very few, afflicted with cutaneous Diseases, and some appeared to be subject to sore Eyes; but they appeared generally a remarkably strong, healthy People.
Do you know what became of the Four Men who were saved in the Massacre of the Boyd?
- A Vessel came into the Bay of Islands I think about Four Days after the Capture of the Boyd, the Captain of which got a Chief from the Bay of Islands to go to Wangeroon, and bring them away; they were brought to England, I believe, by that Vessel.
Do the Natives of that Part of the Island live by Agriculture, or by Hunting and Fishing?
- They do not hunt at all; there are very few Quadrupeds in the Country, the wild Dog is the largest; but they fish a good deal, the Coast abounding with a great Variety of Fish; and they cultivate the common and the Sweet Potato, but they do not cultivate nearly sufficient for their Wants; at the same Time for a savage People there is a good deal of Cultivation going on.
How do they procure sufficient for their Wants?
- The Fern Root is their general Diet; they have also Pigs, but they very seldom eat Pork, except at Feasts, as they prefer breeding them for Sale to the Captains of Ships.
