justice, and, from a careful review of those
circumstances which have fallen immediately under my own observation;
this prejudice has long retarded our knowledge of their true character,
but error must gradually give way to truth; and as the circumstances
which first brought the stigma upon their name come to light, and are
investigated and properly explained, I feel confident the conduct of
these islanders will be found superior to that of any other nation in the
South Seas. If we take the whole catalogue of dreadful massacres they
have been charged with, and (setting aside partiality for our own
countrymen) allow them to be carefully examined, it will be found that we
have invariably been the aggressors; and when we have given serious cause
of offence, can we be so irrational as to express astonishment that a
savage should seek revenge? The last massacre was that of "The Boyd's"
crew; every impartial person who reads the account of that melancholy
transaction must acknowledge the unfortunate captain was most to blame.
But that event took place nineteen years back; since which time they know
us better, and respect us more; in proof of which, four years since, The
Mercury brig was taken possession of by a crowd of natives, after they
had endured a series of offences and every kind of ill-treatment; but the
difference in their fate, compared with that of The Boyd's ship's
company, was remarkable, and proved that the savage temper of the natives
was much softened down and humanised, as they merely plundered the
vessel, but made no attempt to murder or molest any of the crew, who, if
they had possessed sufficient courage, would not have sacrificed their
vessel; but, being terrified, they abandoned her, and she was finally
wrecked. During my residence, I never heard of one of the men having been
murdered; and I feel fully convinced no massacres will ever again be
committed in any of the ports in New Zealand where European vessels have
been accustomed to anchor.

I once saw, with indignation, a chief absolutely knocked overboard from a
whaler's deck by the mate. Twenty years ago so gross an insult would have
cost the lives of every individual on board the vessel, but, at the time
this occurred, it was only made the subject of complaint, and finally
became a cause of just remonstrance with the commander of the whaler. The
natives themselves (and I have heard the opinions of various tribes) have
invariably told me that these t