The venerable chief, after having taken great
pains to pronounce my name, and made me well acquainted with his, got
into his canoe and left us. On putting off from the ship, they were
saluted with three cheers, which they returned as well as they could, by
Toogee's directions. It was now seven in the morning of the 13th: at nine
a breeze came from the north, with which we stood to the eastward. After
a passage of five days from New Zealand (having had light winds) and ten
days absence from Norfolk Island, I landed at three o'clock in the
afternoon of the 18th.
The little intercourse that I had with the New Zealanders (as I was only
eighteen hours off that island, twelve of which were in the night) does
not enable me to say much respecting them, or to form any decisive
opinion of them, as much of their friendly behaviour in this slight
interview might be owing to our connexion with Too-gee and Hoo-doo, and
their being with us. These two worthy savages (if the term may be
allowed) will, I am confident, ever retain the most grateful remembrance
of the kindnesses they received on Norfolk Island; and if the greater
part of the countrymen have but a small portion of the amiable
disposition of Too-gee and Hoo-doo, they certainly are a people between
whom and the English colonists a good understanding may with common
prudence and precaution be cultivated.
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