some of them as those who were very friendly on board the Bertha, and spoke to them; but they hurried past, frowning and saying something I did not understand.  They went straight on to the chief’s house, and surrounded our party.  I passed through, and stood in front of them.  One very ugly-looking customer was brandishing his spear close by me.  It was an anxious moment, and one in which I am sure many would have used firearms.  I called out to the teachers, “Remain quiet.”  Our chief sprung out on to the platform in front of the house and harangued.  He was very excited.  Shortly he called to the teachers, in signs and words, to bring out their guns and fire.  They refused.  He then rushed into the house and seized a gun, and was making off with it, when one of the teachers caught hold of him.  I, seeing the teacher with the chief, thought something was wrong, and went to them.  We quieted him, and did our best to explain to him that we were no fighters, but men of peace.  The babel all round us was terrible.  By-and-by a request was made to me to give the chief from the other side a present, and get him away.  I said, “No; had he come in peace, and as a chief, I would have given him a present, but I will not do so now.”  They retired to deliberate, and sent another request for a present.  “No; no presents to men in arms.  If the chief returns to-morrow unarmed, he will get a present.”  It seems they are vexed with our living here instead of with them, because they find those here are getting what they consider very rich by our living with them.  When quiet was restored, we returned to the carrying of our things.  When we came to the last few things, our chief objected to their removal until he got a farewell present.  He had been paid for the use of the house before any of us entered it; but we gave him another present, and so finished the business.

Our large cross-cut saw was stolen during the hubbub.  It belonged to the teachers of East Cape.  It had only been lent to us, so we had to get it back.  The next morning the chief from the other side came to see me.  He received a present, and looked particularly sheepish when I tried to explain to him that we did not like fighting.  All day I took care to show that I was very displeased at the loss of the saw, and by the evening I was told that it had been taken by those on the other side; and offers of returning it were made, but I saw I was expected to buy it from them.  I said, “No; I will not buy what was stolen from me; the saw must be returned, and I will give an axe to the one who goes for it, and fetches it to me.”