Page:Report from the Select Committee of the House of Lords, appointed to inquire into the present state of the Islands of New Zealand.pdf/27

Mr. J. Watkins.

but I think it was a Barrel of Powder and some Tobacco he gave. He had not the Power of giving much. He gave a Musket for cutting the Wood and carrying it down to build his House, which he built himself.

Supposing a Man commits an Outrage, how is that Man tried; is it by his Chief, or is there any Form of Trial?

I do not know that there is any Form of Trial, but he is knocked on the Head at once with a Mari; if they detect him in Crime he is killed without Ceremony.

Are there many Europeans that are killed in Frays?

No; they never kill the Europeans, to my, Knowledge; they are very tenacious of retaining them in their Tribes, for the sake of the Emolument they procure them. These Men make their Bargains with the Masters of Vessels, and get perhaps a higher Price than they can themselves.

Suppose in drunken Quarrels a certain Number of the Natives and Sailors quarrel, how is that settled?

In the best way they can. I have seen Affrays of that Kind. The Chief would interfere, and perhaps demand some Reparation; they would separate the Combatants, and demand from the Masters of the Sailors some Reparation for the Assault.

Do the Masters give that Reparation?

Sometimes they do; sometimes they threaten them with so much Vengeance that they are glad to let them go away; they threaten to bring the Ship alongside and give them a Broadside; and in various Islands they do that, but in New Zealand it has not been done so frequently, and perhaps from the determined Character of the Natives. I recollect one Captain who had been in the Sandwich Islands; I heard him relate the Tale himself; his Mate quarrelled, and the Natives detained him; the Missionaries thought he ought to pay for the various Debts he had contracted; the Master of the Vessel immediately sent Word that if they did not instantly release his Mate he would bring his Vessel alongside and destroy them all; the Missionaries endeavoured to interfere, and point out the Enormity of the Crime; the Master turned round upon them at once, and said if they did not suffer him to do as he liked he should fire upon them also; the Missionaries advised the Chief to give up the Mate and prevent Injury.

Do the Captains pay for those Women beforehand?

No; afterwards, or just as they are going away. Frequently during the Time of Intercourse they give them Presents. A Chief sometimes has a Payment beforehand; and sometimes the Women have a Payment beforehand, a Cotton Shirt, or something in the Shape of a Petticoat, given them, just to wear while they are on board; they are very fond of having any thing of the Kind, to appear as much as they can in the European Garb.

You have spoken of the Extent to which the Venereal Disease prevails in the Island, and the Effect it must have to depopulate the Country; is it the Fact that the Depopulation been extremely rapid within the last few Years?

It is supposed it is more rapid than Europeans can account for; but I do not know how far that is the Case. I should fancy that at the Time Captain Cook was there a Ship was so great a Novelty that the Inhabitants from every Part were collected. From this Circumstance I suppose, that when I went among the Natives the People would call out, “A Chief of the White People,” and another, hearing that, would repeat the Saying, and so it would go round the whole Village till all were collected; and hence I should apprehend that Captain Cook saw, when he was there, a great many more People than lived in the Place itself.

You did not find that within the Memory of Man whole Districts had become depopulated?

I do not doubt the Fact altogether; there may have been Depopulation, but it is impossible to assign a Cause sufficient for it.

You are not aware of it from your own personal Knowledge?

I am not.