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We deem it necessary here to remark, as some editors have manifested a disposition to vindicate Shortland's conduct, that, allowing every circumstance to be placed in the most unfavourable point of view for the prisoners, suppose, for a moment, it was their intention to break out, and a number had collected in the market square for that purpose, when, being charged upon by the military, they retreated out of the square into their respective prison-yards, and shut the gates after them without making any resistance whatever; under such circumstances no further opposition could have been expected, and, consequently, their intention must have been completely defeated.
Having made these arrangements, we left for Port Phillip, where, after landing another party at Shortland's Bluff, also to make tidal observations, we pursued our course round Indented Head towards Corio Harbour, anchoring off Point Henry where no less than four vessels were lading with wool for England early on the morning of the 27th.
Passing through this channel, we spent an afternoon within the heads for the purpose of visiting the lighthouse just built on Shortland's Bluff. * This I found to be 108 feet high; the lantern, to contain a fixed light, had not been established.
Her Majesty's rule, said Lord Stanley, having once been proclaimed over all New Zealand, it did not lie with one of her officers to impugn the validity of her government. Mr. Shortland's day was a time of trial for the land claimants. After nearly two years' delay Mr.
Shortland's successor was on his way out, and there was reason in waiting for him. Now had come the result of Hobson's error in fixing the seat of government in Auckland, and in keeping the leading officials there. Had Wellington been the seat of government in 1843, the Wairau incident could hardly have occurred. Not the least of poor Mr. Shortland's troubles were financial.
They had suffered much at Barbadoes, and they expected a different treatment in England; but alas! Captain Shortland at once dissipated the illusion and shewed himself what Britons really are. The next morning they were taken up to Captain Shortland's office to be described, and marked, and numbered.
The southern settlers complained, truly enough, that whilst they found much of the money, nearly all of it was spent in Auckland. In 1844 if I may anticipate Mr. Shortland's successor had the melancholy duty of warning the Colonial Office that to meet an inevitable outlay of £35,000 he could at the best hope for a revenue of £20,000. Mr.
Among the descriptions of the country as it was when the colonists found it, Edward Shortland's account of the whalers and Maoris of the South Island, Jerningham Wakefield's of the founding of the New Zealand Company's settlements, Dieffenbach's travels, and Bidwill's unpretending little pamphlet telling of his tramp to the volcanoes and hot lakes in 1842, seem to me at once to tell most and be easiest to read.
King's report, we deem it necessary to state, that our anticipations of it are not of the most favourable nature, from his not appearing to take that interest in the affair which the injuries his countrymen had received demanded, as far the greater part of their time was employed in taking the depositions of Shortland's witnesses, most of whom were the principal actors, on that day, and of course were implicated with him in his guilt.
The result of the tidal observations made at Shortland's Bluff, gives 12 hours 20 minutes for the time of high-water on the full and change days. The simultaneous ones made in other parts of this great sheet of water during our stay, gave the times of high-water later as follows: At William Town: 1 hour 0 minutes. Under Arthur's Seat: 1 hour 45 minutes. At Corio Harbour: 2 hours 30 minutes.
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