Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/404
said cards to be confiscated and burnt before the county jail by the public executioner, as a nuisance imported clandestinely into the colony." Turnbull applied for a copy of the Governor's decision, "merely for the satisfaction of principals in England." King replied that he gave no copies of his decisions in appeal,—
"but if it will be any satisfaction to the parties in England, for whom you are concerned, you can inform them that the cards . . . . were brought into this colony and landed by you in a clandestine manner, contrary to every existing order, regulation, and the policy of the colony, and your not entering them subjected you to the penalties of the Manifest Act, exclusive of the forfeiture of your bond of £200."
Friendly overtures were made by King to the islanders of the Pacific. Pomare asked for fire-arms, King sent him six old muskets, and instructed the commander of H.M.S. Porpoise (then going to Tahiti for pork) to deal with the seamen. He hoped that "your Majesty will take care that Captain Scott is not imposed upon" in purchasing pigs. He gave strict injunctions to Scott as to his behaviour to missionaries and natives. A notice (28th March 1801) was sent to Tahiti, warning all masters of English vessels to prevent the disorderly conduct of their crews, "that the British name and character may not suffer in the opinion of the natives by such licentious acts." The missionaries were to be respected, and no cause of offence was to be given to the natives. Contrary conduct would be reported to England, "that delinquents may be brought to justice." The order was sent to a resident missionary.
At a later date (Nov. 1801) the brig Norfolk (56 tons) was sent to Tahiti. The master was to "suffer no natives on board except Otoo, Pomare, and the rest of that family, to whom you will show equal attention, as you observe Lieut. Scott has done." . . . "As Pomare has signified a wish to come to this place, should he persevere in that desire after you have told him the great length of the voyage and the uncomfortableness of the vessel you command, you will not disappoint him by persisting in a refusal to take him on board."
At New Zealand, the kindly feeling created by the restoration of Tookee and Woodoo had ensured kind treatment for British sailors, many of whom visited the Bay of Islands. Tip-a-he was influential there, and in return for