I did not mention to anyone
the hiding of these muskets in the woods, though, according to "The
Articles of War," I ought to have done so, as getting possession of them
would have added two more to our strength, and lessened that of our
enemy; my silence arose from a repugnance I felt to betray these poor
creatures, who had behaved so well to me.

Although prepared for war, we were very well pleased to find no attack
was made upon us. Indeed, from the first, it had been my decided opinion,
that unless we interfered, and made ourselves by that means obnoxious,
they had too much respect for us, and were too anxious to retain our
kindly feelings towards them, to molest us; at the same time, I felt that
it might be a very politic measure to show them what powerful resistance
we could make, if driven to extremities.

After passing a week of the greatest anxiety, on account of our expected
invasion, it afforded us the utmost satisfaction to receive a visit from
Mr. Hobbs, the Wesleyan missionary, one of the persons who had visited
the war-camp of the assembled chiefs, who were convened, on the death of
our lamented friend George, to debate and decide upon the momentous
question of peace or war.

The subject (our informant stated) had been gone into at great length,
and stormy and fierce had been the discussion. Finally, the good sense of
the elder and more experienced chiefs prevailed over the fiercer passions
of the younger, and peace was decided upon. This event forms a new era in
"The Political History of the Few Zealanders," it being the first time so
great an assemblage had met to discuss openly a national question, or in
which they had allowed cool reasoning and good sense to prevail over
their habitual ferocity. As may naturally be supposed, where such various
interests were at stake, this pacific measure was not effected without
considerable opposition from the young and furious chiefs. The
provocations given by them to the elders, whose voices were for peace,
were considerable. They did not confine themselves to abuse, but fired
several muskets during debate, in hopes that one shot out of the many
might prove fatal; which, if it had, and any distinguished chief had been
killed, or even wounded, it would have immediately thrown all into
confusion. Even when pacific measures were decided upon by a very large
majority, and the chiefs were about to separate, a bullet was fired from
the pa, which had evidently been aim