POWER'S SKETCHES IN NEW ZEALAND. * MR. POWER appears to belong
to that important branch of the service which provides the comestibles of the Army and keeps up the courage of heroes by catering for their carnal appetites. After serving in China and at Sydney, he was ordered to New Zealand; and arrived during the war which Governor Grey had to wage against the Aborigines in the Southern part of the Northern Island. Here he knocked about for a couple of years, sometimes in one new settlement, sometimes in another ; often actively employed in following the enemy, now and then enjoying himself at Wellington. Of what he saw, underwent, and did, be occasion- • Sketches In New Zealand, with Pen and Pencil. By W. Tyrone Power, D.A.C.O. From a Journal kept in that Country from July 1846 to Jane 1848. Published by Long- man and Co.
ally kept .a journal; of which his volume consists, with the addition of a voyage home by way of Sydney, the Indian Archipelago, and Calcutta, and thence by the overland steam route through Egypt. Mr. Power is a rapid and rather graphic describer in a rough and ready way. His sketches give a good idea of the discomforts of a cam- paign in New Zealand; the evils which war inflicts upon the colonists in small settlements; the external appearance of the chief towns, and what tra- velling is through a country in a state of nature. When the more complex subject of man is in question, the Deputy-Assistant-Commissary-Gene- ral is not so successful : he sketches looks, dress or undress, behaviour, and brawling; "the manners and the mind" are too much for him. The book is pleasant, but superficial, with the predominance of perhaps a professional sense of creature comforts. This was his first taste of ac- tual service in the country.
" On landing at Porirua, we found, to our great surprise, that the whole of the soldiers hen returned from the Horokiwi Valley. There had been no fighting Shift the skirmish in which Ensign Blackburn was killed; in fact, owing to the dreadful weather and the impenetrable nature of the country, nothing more had been attempted except to throw some shells into the enemy's intrenchment, and which had no effect. The camp is a miserable place, in the midst of sand-hills on the sea-shore, and completely exposed to the violent gales which are very frequent at this season. There is a slight stockade round the small reed huts, in which officers and men live, without chairs and tables, and with only a couple of blan. kets for a bed: this in a dry climate might be well enough, but here, where it has poured incessantly for six weeks, it is no joke. " It was a startling change for me, so recently from the luxurious habits of China and the comforts of Sydney and of the Castor, to find myself left on the shore in such a place, a stranger in a strange land, and unprepared to fall into the habits of my companions, exposed to rain and wind, with coarse fare and coarser lodging, my clothing ill adapted to the climate, and altogether inexperienced in the scrambling state of society where the rule appears to be every man for him- self and God for us all.' It was a most uncomfortable though not an unexciting scene, from the constant arrivals and departures, rumours of war, alarming re- ports, the anxiety for news from the outposts, the numerous shifts and resources to employ time and extract amusement from such limited resources, and the inge- nuity required to supply the commonest wants. In the evening, thirty-six of us sat down to dinner, consisting of native beef, biscuit, and rum. Our utensils were tin and pewter plates and tin cups, which latter served alternately to contain the soup, the grog, and the coffee. He was a lucky man who had knife, fork, and spoon • very few had all three, some none at all; and these last fared badly in the general scramble, and met with but little pity or assistance from their more fortu- nate neighbours."
What with railways, turnpikes, county-rates, and the competition of caterers for the public, the British people have almost forgot the taste of trouble in their locomotion, or what nature is in an unimproved state. The following passages give an idea of what Britain once was, and the difficulties that Governor Grey had to encounter in his operations.
" This is the worst country I ever saw for field operations. The forest is so thick as to be almost impenetrable: it is everywhere a mass of evergreen trees and shrubs matted and twined together with supple-jacks creepers, and wild vines. In the whole district there is not one single road, and the tracks by which communication is kept up between the different posts are scarcely broad enough for one man to pass; they are everywhere obstructed by roots, fallen trees, and willies, and are generally knee-deep in mud. The whole of the country in this neighbourhood appears to be a succession of precipitous hills, and deep, dark, boggy ravines, covered everywhere with a vegetation more dense even than a Tro- pical j .ungle. • • " We have, for the first time since I landed in New Zealand, had three succes- sive days of fine weather; and I must say, that when it is fine it is the most de- licious and invigorating climate that I know. I set out this morning on horse- back for Wellington, over the most execrable road that ever was seen: a day's steeple-chasing would not give one so much trouble, or more risk of falls. Within the first two miles I nearly lost my horse in a quicksand, and had to dismount to pull him out: for ten miles farther there was scarcely any footing ; and it was a succession of plunges, jumping, slipping, stumbling, and falling among interlaced roots, fallen trees, deep holes, bogs, streams, and gullies. Several times I pulled up,. believing it impossible for a quadruped to get over some of the places; but, on seeing tracks on the other side, I put my horse at it, believing that what had been done once might be done again: besides,
"'Should I wade no more, Returning is as tedious as go o'er.' The last Few miles are by a narrow and broken path at the edge of a precipice, with a mountain stream leaping and brawling at the bottom. In spite of the diffi. sallies, I enjoyed my ride exceedingly ; thanks to the fine weather, the beauty of the forest, and the exhilarating songs of the birds."
This state of things, in the Wellington district and on the leading lines of route, did not last long. The great improvement in the settlements, both as regards the country and the natives, in the course of two years, is one of the most marked points in Mr. Power's book. We have just seen the condition of the road between Porirua and Wellington ; let us take another look at it twenty months afterwards.
"The following morning I got a horse, and on it sped in quickly and com- fortably to Wellington. The whole of this once dreadful road is now a fine high- way, and as I cantered along I could scarcely believe that it was the same ground that I had toiled along so slowly and painfully less than two years ago. Gardens, cottages, and cultivations, are seen springing up on all sides; large patches of cleared land are making deep inroads into the forest, and the whole aspect of the country is being rapidly changed. I did not find the town of Wellington much altered; but it is a pleasant place enough, and, at any rate, the inhabitants can- not be charged with inhospitality, for dinner parties, dances, and soirees succeeded one another daily. The polka, cellarius, and valse a deux temps, have already found their way to the Antipodes, and are danced to some purpose, as the Welling- ton balls rarely break up till after daylight; and to go home with the girls in the morning' is generally part of one's duty. " There are some delightful rides and walks now about Wellington, and there is every prospect of its becoming as pleasant a residence as one could wish for. A new race-course has been laid out about three miles from the town, where the sport promises to be very creditable, as there are plenty of good imported horses; and there is also some fine thoroughbred stock bred in this country, particularly by the Honourable Mr. Petre, on his farm in the Hutt Valley, and which in the course of another year or two will be able to take a conspicuous place on the New Zealand turf.
"I rode one day a distance of twenty miles up the Hutt Valley, and through the Taita by the new road: the scenery was beautiful,. and the road so good that I longed to see a four-horse coach plying along it; a sight that in another year or two will doubtless be common enough. The road will connect Wellington with tho extensive plain of the Wairarapa, besides opening out the valley of the Hutt and other large tracts of valuable land, and will be the commencement of the grand North road which will one day connect the Northern and Southern settle- ments."
The usual consequences of the contact of the European with in. ferior races appear to be showing themselves in New Zealand ; the Native population is said to be decreasing, through diseases arising from intem- perance and other vices, or from change of habits. Should this finally turn out to be the case, and the New Zealanders waste away, it would seem to arise from some physical law, since no savage race ever exhi- bited so much aptitude for civilization. Labour is attended with no de- gradation, and they readily acquire a turn for barter and business. The roads have been chiefly made by the Natives ; they breed pigs, raise crops, and engage in trade while those who profess Christianity exhibit powers of combined and steady industry in the ecclesiastical edifices they erect. It would seem to be through this disposition to earn the rewards of industry that Governor Grey has been able to keep the peace.
" There is a wonderful change in Otaki since I was here two years ago. It was then the limit of our pursuit after Rangihaeta, and I thought it the most savage and licentious place I had ever seen. The fortified pa has been deserted and allowed to go to rain, and the quondam inhabitants have settled themselves in the midst of their cultivations. Their houses, neatly built, are in the midst of well-fenced gardens; and there is abundant proof of prosperity in the number of pigs, cattle, and horses feeding about—evidences of a thriving population, which give good promise of continued improvement. Several of the chiefs have accounts with the bank at Wellington, amounting in some instances to two or three hun- dred pounds. An officer on his way through Otaki to Wellington, a short time since, was much amused at being applied to by one of the chiefs for any spare money he had about him; the applicant stating that he would not trouble him but that he had immediate necessity for the money, and would be obliged if he would take a check for the amount. The request was immediately complied with, to the infinite gratification of the Maori, who was delighted at being able to make a practical use of his credit.
The first house we paid a visit to was Tommy Rauperaha's; who was exceed- ingly shocked at being caught in a red blanket and slippers, and speedily reap- peared, got up quite regardless of expense. He was vexed that we had not de- manded his hospitality instead of going to the whaler's, which he evidently thought infra dig ; and he insisted on our staying to breakfast, though he re- gretted that his hens were not laying.' While the breakfast was preparing, we took a stroll round the village to see the improvements; among which, and not the least, was Tommy Rauperaha's new house. It was built partly on an English and partly on a Maori plan ; or rather, the architecture was Maori, with English
windows, doors, and other comforts. * • • •
" While at Waikanahi, we called at the warre of a Maori, who, with an eye to business that does infinite credit to his judgment, has recently set up a sort of public-house for entertaining the Maories belonging to working parties in the neighbourhood. A weekly ordinary is held on the Saturdays, after the week's work is done and paid for, and which is usually very well attended. He provides a dinner of pork, potatoes, bread, and coffee; for which he demands the moderate sum of one shilling a head. At first he gave every one as much as he could eat for this charge; but he soon found, to his cost, that his countrymen were not so easily to be dealt with; for most of them, by way of getting as much as possi- ble for their shilling, made a point of eating nothing the whole day before; so that they came to the scratch as ravenous as wolves. He has now arranged to give every man two pounds of pork, as much of potatoes, and a pint of coffee with sugar; which may be fairly considered sufficient to sati;fy. any reasonable ap- petite, and is by no means a bad shilling's worth. The Mannes are making such rapid strides in civilization, that I have no doubt we may shortly hear of their having public dinners to promote social and political objects, and when, under the influence of fall stomachs and open hearts, great things may be expected from them. They have a very natural aptitude that way, as even in their aboriginal state they were much given to heavy feasting and long-winded speeches; and they only wanted the formalities of president and vice, commonplace toasts, noisy cheering, and the bill to pay, to complete a resemblance to similar entertainments in the most civilized society. In alluding to innovations and improvements, must not forget to mention that a prospectus has been recently issued for the publication of a weekly newspaper in the Maori language, to contain all the news, scandal, and gossip of the colony, political, domestic, scientific, and literary." In a sort of introductory sketch of the history of the colony, and by frequent digressions in the course of his narrative, Mr. Power discusses various topics in connexion with the colonization of New Zeatand I but without throwing any new light upon the mischievous arts of the Mis- sionaries and land-sharks, the blunders and follies of the first Governors, and the suspected jobbing of the officials. In his remarks on the haste with which the first settlers were sent out, before Colonel Wakefield was ready to receive them, lie overlooks the fact that it was only this promptitude that preserved the islands to the British Crown. Of the benefits of New Zealand as a place of settlement his opinion is more fa- vourable than much of his narrative would imply, unless it be borne in mind that the author saw the very worst state of things when he was cam- paigning about, and underwent difficulties from which even the earliest settlers of a district must be free unless involved in war. The climate is so healthy that medical men who emigrate find their occupation gone ; and notwithstandime' the drenching rains and the exposure of the troops, no one took cold. For the poor man who can get there, Mr. Power de- scribes New Zealand as a paradise ; wages high, provisions plentiful and cheap, and the climate capital : but perhaps his true opinion best appears in an incidental remark at Calcutta.
" The heat was excessive; but in spite of it we managed to get about and see a great deal of the city of palaces.' It is certainly a fine city, and one feels proud to have such a metropolis in our Eastern dominions; but for my own part, I would rather live in a reed-hut in the pleasant bracing climate of New Zealand, than call myself master of the finest mansion in the Maidan, with all the luxury and attendance befitting it."
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