It is almost incredible that a man in MR. BOOLEY’S station of life,
however adventurous his nature, and however few his artificial wants,
should cast himself on a voyage of thirteen thousand miles from Great
Britain with no other outfit than his watch and purse, and no arms but
his walking-stick. We are, however, assured on the best authority, that
thus he made the passage out, and thus appeared, in the act of wiping
his smoking head with his pocket-handkerchief, at the entrance to Port
Nicholson in Cook’s Straits: with the very spot within his range of
vision, where his illustrious predecessor, Captain Cook, so unhappily
slain at Otaheite, once anchored.
After contemplating the swarms of cattle maintained on the hills in this
neighbourhood, and always to be found by the stockmen when they are
wanted, though nobody takes any care of them—which MR. BOOLEY considered
the more remarkable, as their natural objection to be killed might be
supposed to be augmented by the beauty of the climate—MR. BOOLEY
proceeded to the town of Wellington. Having minutely examined it in
every point, and made himself perfect master of the whole natural
history and process of manufacture of the flax-plant, with its splendid
yellow blossoms, he repaired to a Native Pa, which, unlike the Native Pa
to which he was accustomed, he found to be a town, and not a parent.
Here he observed a Chief with a long spear, making every demonstration
of spitting a visitor, but really giving him the Maori or welcome—a word
MR. BOOLEY is inclined to derive from the known hospitality of our
English Mayors—and here also he observed some Europeans rubbing noses,
by way of shaking hands, with the aboriginal inhabitants. After
participating in an affray between the natives and the English soldiery,
in which the former were defeated with great loss, he plunged into the
Bush, and there camped out for some months, until he had made a survey
of the whole country.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account