Do you know the Particulars of the Price?
- Yes; 2001., to be paid in Property, at a fair average Rate; that was understood on the River; Blankets, Tobacco, Fowling-pieces, and so on.
As far as you had an Opportunity of knowing, this was a Proposition coming from the Chief?
- I know it to be so, for I was present when the Subject was broached.
Do you know the Extent of the Land for which this Price was to be given?
- I walked over the greater Part of it, and by the Estimate of the Person with me he considered there was between 3,000 and 4,000 Acres. It was very advantageously situated, for a Part faced the main River, and had very deep Water, with every Facility for bringing Ships close alongside; and it extended across to another very beautiful River, where they had a Frontage of several Miles that would have commanded the Trade of the River.
Was that Land fit for the Growth of Wheat?
- I am not an Agriculturist, but judging from the Produce of the Land in general, I should consider it adapted for any Purpose.
Was there a considerable Depth of Loam?
- There was a considerable Depth of decayed Vegetable Substance.
Had you an Opportunity of learning from the Natives what was their Feeling with respect to the Influence of Europeans; do they expect them, or wish for them, or wish that they were not there at all?
- I will instance a Case of this Individual, Baron Thierry; he brought Sixty Persons with him, the whole of them unprovided with any thing beyond a Fortnight or Three Weeks Provisions. He stated in his first or second Interview with the Chiefs, that he anticipated that his Brother would be down in a few Months with 500 Persons; that appeared to create a great deal of Alarm, and One of the Chiefs decidedly said that an Attempt at landing would be resisted by them. The Missionaries also stated that they were afraid their Influence would not be sufficient if they attempted to possess themselves of the Land formerly claimed ; that they thought it could not be enforced. They appeared to labour under great Alarm at the Idea of a considerable Body settling. Their Idea of Europeans settling among them was that they should come in small Bodies and settle in their Valleys, but not to form distinct large Communities among them. There were Nene, now called Thomas Walker, a Christian Chief, Moses, Timothy, Rowmatta, now called John King, and Moka, and a Number of others whose Names I cannot call to mind.
As you did not speak the Language, what was the Means by which you obtained an Insight into their Views upon this Subject?
- Through the Medium of the Missionaries, being much interested on the Subject of this Man's Settlement, he having laid Claim to the sovereign Authority over that Spot; over the whole Northern Island; in fact he has done that in
his Manifesto.
What became of those Sixty People?
- It had not terminated; we left them all at Hokianga; an Officer of Her Majesty's Service, who was the Charterer of the Vessel, Lieutenant McDonald, received them into his Establishment, or they would have been houseless. He is under Contract to supply Her Majesty's Dockyard with Spars.
What is the State of the European Society already settled there, exclusive of the Missionaries?
- The Majority of Persons are Persons of irregular Conduct and infamous Character. My own Servant recognized Two Persons whom he had known when Constable as Convicts in Van Diemen's Land.
They had escaped?
- I presume so. There was another, whom a Fellow Passenger in the same Ship with me happening to meet when he was in Half Uniform, he got out of his Way with very great Expedition. They almost all sell Spirits; our own Ship was placed in very serious Peril in consequence of their supplying some of our Crew repeatedly with Spirits; we were obliged to tie One of our Men up.
