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quainted with his name, and the projected arrangements for conveying them to their native islands. They insisted on being landed by myself: but I told them I had no men now to weigh the anchor, they being all sick as well as myself; that I must die if I attempted to go into a warm climate, in which event no person would be left to look at the sun, and then they could not find their way home; and that after all the provisions were exhausted they could not get any thing to eat and drink, and must of necessity also die. This home argument reconciled them; but they begged that, if I did not accompany them my brother would (for so they believed Mr. Russell to be), otherwise that the strange white chief and his people might illtreat and land them on some desolate country, from whence they would not be able to escape to their friends and native country: "He will then," continued they, "tell you that he took us home, and in payment for his trouble will receive from you his beads, tokees, and muskets." I explained to them that I would give him none of those things; but a great deal of money, which he preferred to tokees. They expressed surprise at his stupidity in preferring money, which he could neither eat, drink, nor wear, to beads, tokees, and other treasures, which far exceeded money in real worth.

Their request to have Mr. Russell with them

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in the ship that was to convey them home I considered only reasonable, and communicated their wish to that gentleman, who though extremely ill, consented, if he recovered sufficiently, to proceed with the Governor Macquarie, expressing his opinion that, as a prudential caution against malignant insinuations, an officer of the expedition should embark, and see the interpreters safely landed, and the charter-party every respect faithfully complied with.

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At 3 P.M. all were assembled on board to proceed in the consultation on Captain Kent's proposals, when I was suddenly seized with a cold fit of ague, and compelled to retire to bed.

16th. This morning a full council was held upon the subject of Captain Kent's demands for chartering or freighting the brig Governor Macquarie, when the following resolutions were passed:

We, the undersigned, do hereby certify, that Captain Dillon has this day submitted the following proposals for our opinion and advice, as to the steps proper to be taken in the present critical situation of the expedition under his command. He has produced to us the surgeon's certificate of the expedition, as to the danger that would result from the ship proceeding into a tropical climate while the malady which is now raging on board continues. He has clearly pointed out to us the enormous expense that would attend the ship proceeding to the islands in the Pacific for the purpose of landing the interpreters, besides the detention that would arise, and the risk the ship would run of being lost, with so many valuable relics on board. He has also stated that

the ship Research was victualled for forty-four weeks when she sailed on the present expedition, and that there have now elapsed nearly forty-six weeks, which would leave remaining on board a very scanty supply for the ship to proceed with to a civilized port, where a fresh supply might be procured. Captain Dillon has also informed us, that Captain Kent, the commander of a New South Wales vessel called the Governor Macquarie, now lying at anchor in a harbour distant thirty-five miles from here, has offered to convey the interpreters to their respective islands for the sum of five hundred pounds sterling.-Having maturely considered the above statements of Captain Dillon, the authenticity of which we are all well acquainted with, we have come to the following opinion: viz. that he ought to accept of Captain Kent's terms, for having the interpreters forwarded to their native country without delay, so that he may by that means proceed direct on his return to the ship's port of destination.

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Of this opinion I approved, and it was consequently determined to carry it into effect.

17th. I wrote a letter this morning to Capt. Kent, informing him of the resolutions adopted yesterday, and received another from him accepting of them.

In conversation to-day with Captain Kent, he informed me that Hokianga was a bar-harbour, and that to enter or depart from it required a fair wind. He intended, he said, to set out for it this evening, and as soon as he reached his brig, drop down to the bar, there wait for a fair wind, and I might expect his arrival at this place in about ten days.

The entrance of the harbour of Hokianga is situated on the west coast of New Zealand, south of Mount Campbell. On crossing the bar, ships enter a fine fresh-water river, navigable from the harbour's mouth eighty or ninety miles into the heart of the country, the banks all the way abounding with the finest spars for shipping.

19th. The weather yesterday and to-day was exceedingly fine. Having recovered a little strength, I went on shore to see the sick, a few of whom had been sent on board last week sufficiently recovered for ship's duty; but after a little exertion they relapsed, and were now in as bad health as ever. I sent a messenger to Hokianga to procure some fresh provisions yesterday, with some potatoes, which were to be shipped on the Macquarie for me.

While on shore, king George, the chief of this place, earnestly entreated me to let Prince Brian Boroo, and Morgan McMurragh remain with him on my departure from New Zealand, saying that he would take the greatest care of them. I told him plainly that I would not leave them for him to knock their brains out and eat them. On hearing this blunt declaration he appeared offended, and piqued at the opinion I entertained of him. He said that Brian's father and he were particular friends, and an understanding existed between them with regard to the pro

jected campaign; that it had been privately settled that Brian's father, with his numerous troops, were to pass over to him, and this powerful coalition was to exterminate all the other tribes on the banks of the Thames. I was however too well aware of the wily disposition. of South-Sea Indians to be duped, and related to Brian Boroo the specious story which had been contrived, to wheedle him from under my protection. He thanked me for the regard I manifested for his safety, and concurred with me in my opinion as to king George's intentions.

27th.-Nothing remarkable occurred here. since the 19th instant, except the arrival of a small schooner belonging to Port Jackson called the Enterprize, carrying four men, and employed trading with the natives for flax.

December 3d.-Rathea the Tucopian was ill and very low-spirited, in consequence of his long absence from his native country. I tried all I could to divert his melancholy, but to no purpose. Last week, in order to amuse him, I went about nine miles up the river Kavakava, where we landed in a charming country, well cultivated and thickly inhabited; but the greater part of the inhabitants were ill of the catarrh or influenza, which they ascribed to the arrival of our ship with so many sick on board.

The brig Governor Macquarie arrived in har

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