He is an Englishman settled there?
- Yes. He consigns to us his Shipments of Maize, Flax, Whalebone, & c.
Does he cultivate his Land by Slaves?
- No doubt of it, and from his high Connexions can command as many as he pleases. He has married a Chief's Daughter, or perhaps the Daughters of Two or Three Chiefs; and when they go to war, or have their Tumults among themselves, they lock him up in a Fort and make him a Neutral till they decide their Quarrels; then they bring him back to his old Station.
Does he find that he can get his Land cultivated?
- Yes, to any Extent.
There is no Indisposition on the Part of the Natives to work for a Compensation?
- No, I think not.
There would be no Necessity to send Europeans to cultivate the Land, in order to raise Produce there?
- No, not if they can compel the Slaves there to work.
They do produce agricultural Produce without?
- Yes, they do. It is a most beautiful Country. I have visited the Brazils, the whole of Van Diemen’s Land, and New South Wales, and been on the Continent, but I never saw a Country in the World that equalled it; in Scenery, Climate, and Productiveness it is a perfect Paradise.
You state that large Quantities of Oil are imported from Cloudy Bay; what is the Sort of Oil?
- Whale Oil.
By whom is it caught?
- By the Natives; they mix in the Boats; they are very good Whalers.
Have they any Whale Boats of their own?
- No; they are employed by Europeans, by the Mercantile Establishments in New South Wales.
Do they hire themselves for Wages?
- Yes.
Is it for Money Wages?
- Those that have come over to Sydney, who enlist themselves on board a Whaler, sign Articles, and have their Pay like all the other Sailors. Every Whaler that goes out of Sydney, from the Captain down to the Apprentice, has an Interest in every thing caught on board; the Captain begins with the Twelfth, and they go to the Hundred and twentieth Part; they have no Wages.
Still, in its Result, they must be paid in Money?
- Yes.
Is the Centre of the North Island mountainous?
- The Northern is rather mountainous.
Is it too mountainous to be cultivated?
- No; there may be Ranges which cannot be cultivated, but they would do for Pasture.
In the Place where you apprehended Treachery, were you aware that the Natives had been ill-treated previously?
- No, I think not; it may have arisen from the Fact of the Attack at Banks's Island.
Had that occurred previously?
- Yes; I have no Doubt it was connected with that.
That might be done meaning to retaliate on White People?
- Yes; White People, whatever or whomsoever they were; that was of no Consequence.
