The Wilmingtonian., 1824-03-25

60 of couyicts to Botany Bay, sailed to
New Zea and, in the hope of obtaining a
landing o. spars of the katkaterie, or OF the
preferable cowry Of cowdy tree; represent
ed as being adni ahly adapted to supll
the wants ofour navy, End to grow IN abun-
dance in those parts. Mr.. Marsden the
worthy missionary, and several chleitainsI
of New Zealand (who had been al Sydney]I
were passengers in the vessel, which made
a safe passage, and reached in about ten
days, the Bay of Islands-Here, says cap.
tain Cruise, Before the ship was brought
too, she was surrounded with canoes, full
of the friends and relations Of the chiefs We
had on board. To salute them, as well as
to exhibit the riches they had acquired b,
their visit to Port Jackson our New Zea-
landers began firing their muskets wlthon
intermission, and indeed, so prodlgal were
they of their powder, that one might pre-
sumo little of it would remain after the
landing for the destructive purposes fo'
which they had gone SO far to procure
it. When their fathers, brothers, sc. wer,
admitted into the ship, the scene exceeded
description: the muskets were thrown a.
side, and every appearance of JOY vanish
ed. 1t is customary with these extraor-
dinary people TO go through the same Ger
emony upon meetings as upon taking leave
of their friends. They join their noses
together, and remain in this position for at
least half an hour during which time they
sub and howl in the most doleful manner.
If there be many friends gathered around
the person who has returned, the nearest
relation takes possession of h.s hose, while
the others hang upon his arms, shoulders,
aud legs keep perfect time with the chief
mourner (if he may be so called) in the
various expressions of his lamentations.
This ended, they resume their wonted
cheerfuncss and enter into detail of all
that has happened"
One Of these chiefs was named Jetoro.
whose "wife, whom he had not before seen,
arrived and, presented him with a boy that
had been born in his absence. The infant
had light hair, and was singularly fair, but
the sobs and lamentations that Immediate
ly followed the meeting OF the parties, de-
prived US of all further communication
with the chief, and were prolonged du
ring the greater part Of the night"
Wevere (the chief, and this Jetoro's bro
ther) ordered nearly the whole tribe topper.
form dance 10 honor ihis visitors; and il
is thus described
Preparatory to the dance, the upper
mat or garment is laid aside by both men
and women: afYer which, the performers
having ranged themselves in line one Of
sometimes two deep, begin beating thei'
breasts, and frequently join in chorus viii
an individual who repeats song. The ac
ton of the arms, the gestures of the body
and the contOrtlons OF the c0nnteBance, arr
very violent, and often frightful in dane
ing, the parties stamp vehemently witt
the feet but seldom move to any conSidera
BILE distance from the place where the,
originally ranged themselves. II is sin
eular how Simultaneous even the sllShtes
motion of the fingers is, with all the III
divlduals in the group, be their numbc
what it may; no nregularity Is perceptl
bic in the time and manner of their move
nents.
"At later period of our residence i
this country, when the natives had fire.
ouent opportunities Of seeing our peopl
dance, they observed, and with degre
q rilicule, that no two white men eve
moved their arms or legs in the sane mar
ncr.'
Soon after the arri,a of our c0un ry
men, a warlike expedition OF the native
returned from an incursion upon ais'ar
tribe, and much of their character is expos
rd on the occasion.
The fret was composed OF about fiit
canoes, many Of them 20 or 80 feet Ion!
and Few less than 60. Their prows, side
and stern posts were handsomely carve,
snd oruamented with a profuson of fr
.hers; and these generally carried two sa'
snade Of straw mating. They were file
with warriors, who stood up and shout'
40 ,hev passed our boats, and held up s
vera human heads as trophies of the
success.
The barter ofpowder and muskets, ca
led on by the whalers, had already d
irhuted some hundred stand of ar,
amongthe irhabitants'of this bay; aod as t
natives of the river were unprovited wi
similar weapons they made little oppo
ION to their more powerful invaders, W
in the present instance, told US they h
billed 200, while they returned with t
loss of only four men.
Before we met the canoes we had pret
Wcu learned the result Of the expediti