A Ride Through the Disturbed Districts of New Zealand: Together with Some Account of the South ...
Herbert George Philip Meade, Sir Robert Henry Meade
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LONDON: JOHN MUBRAT, ALBEMAELE STREET. 1870. LOKDON : FKHTTED DT W. CSjOWEB AKD 80KS, STAMPO&D 6TRKKT AKD OHABIKO 0B08S. PREFACE. The following pages are extracts from my Brother's Joumals which he kept while a Lieutenant of H.M. ships * Curagoa ' and * Esk ' in Southern waters, four years before • he was cut off by a fatal accident in the twenty-seventh year of his age. They were originally printed strictly for private circulation, but are now published at the request of friends connected with New Zealand, as serving to illustrate a curious phase in the history of that colony, and therefore likely to possess more than a merely personal interest. They have been edited in moments taken from the pressure of constant work ; and, with the exception of a few trifling corrections, are printed almost as they appear in my Brother's MS. For the revision of the proofs, so far as regards the Maori spelling and nomenclature, I am indebted to the kindness of Sir Greorge Grey, at whose request, while Governor of New Zealand, the expedition to Ijake Taupo was imdertaken. The object of this journey is fully explained in a 2 IV PREFACE. the subjoined letter from Sir Greorge Grrey, by whose permission I here insert it. My dear Meade, September 22, 1869. I return you the proof-sheets of your poor brother's journal. I have read it with very great interest. From my knowledge of the country through which he travelled, and of the race who inhabit it, I can testify to the great accuracy of his descriptions. I have never read anything more spirited, and at the same time more faithful, than his descriptions alike of the country and its people are. I seemed, as I read them, to be living again in a country I know so well. Your brother is quite right in saying that it was at my request he undertook the journey to Lake Taupo, although I did not contemplate his separating himself from Poihipi, or Busby, the native chief who accompanied him. Daring the period of the war in New Zealand, no Euro- peans had visited the great Lake, and the friendly chiefs and tribes of that part of the island complained of their having been quite deserted by the Government. A cessation of hostilities had taken place, and I thought, as your brother states in his journal, that the confidence I should show, by sending Europeans again amongst them, would be productive of much good amongst those who had recently joined the Government, as well as amongst the tribes who had always been friendly to it. You, who know so well how great was your brother's courage and love of enterprise, how winning was his manner, and how good, his heart was, will understand what were the qualities in him which drew me to him, and made me think liim the fittest person to undertake buel] a journey. ^^ PREFACE. V I would only add that very great benefits resulted from the expedition to Lake Taupo, which himself and Mr. Brenehley so successfully carried out. Very truly yours, (Signed) G. Grey. I have added his account of two cruises, while on the same station, in the South Sea Islands, which, though not so full as that of the journey inland, will perhaps not be read without interest. The illustrations are from his own drawings. R. H. Meade. Seittember, 1870. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Departure from Auckland — The party and object of the Expedition — Tauranga — Iguanas and Cuvier Island birds — Gate pah and Te Ranga rifle-pits — Penetake of Wairoa — Crossing the ford — Maketu — Whare for winter use — A Tangi — Holding the Runanga — The Treaty Stone and Arawa politics — Description of the pah — Maori toasts and races — Christmas at Maketu ; . Page 1 CHAPTER n. Start for Taupo — Williams' house — First steam-jet — Lakes Rotoiti and Rotorua — Hostile pah — Mouria pah — Sleep at Ngae Mission-house — Hau-hau faith — Difficulty of a native assessor — Legend of Hine- moa — Hot springs and mineral waters of Ohinemutu — Maori women and tattooing — Warm lounging-stones — Arrival of Hau- hau euussaries — Danger from boiling springs at night — The great geyser — Native bathers — Hot fountains — Father Boibeaux — Arrival at Motut^wa — Te Eepa's house — Lake Tarawera — Crossing the hot river — Te Tarata, the great hot spring — Mud volcanoes — Lake and mountain scenery — Effect of lightning — Maori alarm — Earolina's visit 29 CHAPTER in. Pairoa Range — Honey and the dragon-flies — First view of the Waikato — G^eyse^8 and steam-jets at Paul's settlement — The Turkey ques- tion — Porokaia's present — Dr. Hooper — Cairns — Poihipi's home on Lake Taupo — Hochstetter*s opinion — Kingite neighbours — Lake scenery — Rev. Mr, Grace's mission and its fate — The Falls — Wild fowl at the Bitter Lake — Wardanee and Tangi — Love of fighting inherent in the race — Mount Tongariro and volcanic eruptions — Arawa legends — Cascades — Return to Poihipi's village . . . . 60 vui CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. Mr. Grace driven away — Change in the people — More warm springs — Lava and pumice blocks — Warlike rumours — Native cookery — Grand duck-hunt — River scenery — A wild pig — Ascent of Mount Tauhara — The comet — Long delay and difficulty of returning — Hostility of Te Heu-heu — Choice of routes — Reasons for separation from the rest of the party — Determination of the Kingites to fight — Difficulty in procuring a guide — Dark prospects — A clair- voyante cook — Departure with Hemipo — Fear of darkness — Forest scenery Page 93 CHAPTER V. Ihaka's mission — A dangerous meeting — Tataroa — Captured by the Kingites — Pai Marire worship — Ihaka's narrative — Impossibility of escape — Debate on the prisoners* fate — Hemipo's defence — Appear- ance of Ahumai — Release and alarm of treachery — A ride for life — Reach the friendly pah of Oruanui — Arrival and report of Ihaka — Rejoin Messrs. Mair and Brenchley — Pai Marire tenets — Mr. Mair*s escape — Mr. Volkener's murder and escape of Mr. Grace — Murder of Mr. Fulloon — Mr. Mairs expedition against the murderers — Capture ofTekoi^ah 119 CHAPTER VI. Cross the Waikato — Meeting with Poihipi — Party of Uriweras — Over- take Mr. Brenchley 's party — Camp out — Mountain terraces — New Zealand pigeon — Mohdka — Evening prayers — Pohuhe — Between the sheets — Arrival at Napier — Auckland Club — Points of Maori character — Immorality — Infanticide — Hospitality — Administra- tion of justice — Capacity for work — Christianity — Prospects of the race It53 CHAPTER VIL Norfolk Island — Sydney Bay — Singing and dancing — Confirmation and the Bishop's sermon — Savage Island — Mr. Lawes and the Samoan teachers — Dress and character of the islanders — Tutuila — Pango Pango Harbour — Beautiful tropical scenery — Native houses — Maunga the chief — Visit to the great waterfall — Native dance on board — Population and religion — A proselytizing captain and a trader's trick — Crime, climate, and government — Upolu — Apian morals — Dinner at the consul's — The Dodunculus — A christening on board — Water- fall — Religion, government, and produce 171 CONTENTS- ix CHAPTEB Vin. Tongataba — Protestant missionaries — Visit to King George and his palace — Taxation and land tenure — Eoyal dinner on board — Charley Moafii — Lesieli, the Tongan belle — Repulse and death of Captain Croker, of the * Favourite ' — The King's dinner-party — Religion and dress — Lakunba and Ovalau Islands — Viti Levu — Mr. Moore, the missionary — The gathering of the warriors at Bau — King Thacom- bau — Cannibal cookery — Viwa Island — Expedition to Rewa — Meet Mr. Cmlman — The great river — Rewa, the Fijian Venice — King Tui Drakete — Messrs. Carey and Baker — The boat capsized — Pur- chase of curios — Thacombau's history — Fijian proverb — Charles Savage — Fijian cruelties — Fiji group — Exports and government — Kandavu — Messrs. White and Nettleton on polygamy — Amiteum or Annatom — Homicide on board a trader — Mr. Underwood's whaling station Page 203 CHAPTEB IX. Messrs. Gordon and Paton — Their determination and prospects — Nova Sootian Mission Society — Tanna — A chiefs dress — Failure of nego- tiations — Operations of the landing party — The Marum, or dancing- ground — Engagement with the savages — Death nof Quatangan — A misfire — Submission of the native chiefs — Laws and government — Dillon Bay — Erromango — Mr. Henry, the sandal-wood trader — Murder of Fletcher — Messrs. Williams and Harris — Projected expe- dition against Narai's village — Scouting by night, with its results — Submission of Warris Nangri — Fate of the guide — Vila Harhour — Vate and Deception Islands — Moafu's exploit — The chiefs submit — Leave the New Hebrides and sail for Banks Islands .. 230 CHAPTEB X. Vanua Lava — Unhealthy climate — " Supwe " club-house — Inspection of ladies — Vanikoro — Graciosa Bay — Active harter — Betel-nut chew- ing — Solomon Islands — An earthquake — ^ Contrari^t^s — Land with the Bishop — Remarkable canoes — West Bay, Uji — Pigeon-shooting at San Christoval — Recherche Bay — Fate of native teacher — Marau Sound — Guadalcanar — Florida resembles Norfolk Island — Trade — Rodd's atrocities — Exploring party — Isabel Island — First landing of the Bishop -r Ebony tree — Visit to a tree village — Pigeon-shooting extraordinary — Native industry and ingenuity — Man overboard — Return to Dillon Bay — Salutary effect of the Tannese operations — Kaniau and Warris Nangri — They refuse to appear — Bomhardment 6 X CONTENTS. of Sifou — Agreement as to use of fireanns — New Caledonia — Good Cove Harbour and Port de France — H.M.S. 'Falcon' with a mail — Beoeption of the Governor — Picnic at the model £arm — Vege- .tation and scenery — Dinner on board the 'Falcon' — Banquet and ball ashore — Prospects of the colony — The curfew gun — Arrival at Sydney Page 264 CHAPTER XI. Sail for the Friendly Islands — Tongatabu — Father Lamage and mission- ary squabbles — Wild ducks and flying foxes — Moafu, father and son — Vicarious punishment — Tongan Stonehenge — Eava-ring at Lifuka — Vavau cotton-growing — Governor David and his son Wellington — Legend of the submarine cave — Difficult entrance — Latte — Fiji group — Mbua products — WaterMl — Rubbing fire from two sticks — Mission policy — Canoe-building 297 CHAPTER Xn. Tui Mbua on board — Nanduri girl — Expedition against Bitova — Village burnt -^ A sign of disgrace — Search for opercula -^ Sharks and sword- fish — Strangers' house at Mbau — Cannibal fork — Sacred tree and the braining-stone — Departure of Messrs. Jones and Thurston — Eandavu — Mosquito tree — Tree ferns — Mr. White's station 326 CHAPTER Xm. Mr. Nettleton's house at Bichmondi — School examination and students' dormitories — A dispute adjusted — Natural history — Tavuki church service — Examination again — Prayer by pipe and drum — Opercula shells — Good oarsmen — General quarters and native astonishment — Burning bush — Present of turtle — Bival ministers and creeds — Native students — A letter of thanks — Alarm of shoals all round — Mr. Jones, the Consul for Fiji and the Tongan Islands .. .. 349 Index 369 LIST OF ILLUSTEATIONS, ^•O*- Geyser, Boiliko Catabacts, and Steam-jets on the Waikato, (See ps^e 66.) {Chromo.) Frcntiepiece, PAQR Gate Pah Redoubt, Taubanoa. (Chromo.) .. .. To face B Maketu 13 Eastebn Gate, Maketu Pah 24 Ohikemutu Getser, Mokoia Island, and Lake Botobua. (Chromo,) To face 39 Exit of the Waikato fbom Lake Taupo. (Chromo.) „ 73 Lake Taupo, with Mounts Tosgabibo and Ruapbhu .. .. 75 Pai Mabibb Wobship 128 ^Lap of the Lake Distbicts in the Pbovince of Auck- land To/ace 170 Map of the South Sea Islands „ 171 Savage Island Woman 181 Savage Island Gibl ih, Pakgo Pango Habboub 183 Samoan Woman 186 FoA 190 Apu, Capital op Upolu 196 Charley Moafu 207 Lesibli, the Tongan Belle 209 Tansa. Resolution Bay 234 Friendly Village OF Samoa 236 Billon Bay 261 Native Head-dbebb " 267 Idols pubchased at Wanoo 274 View of Latte 315 A BIDE THROUGH THE DISTDRBED DISTRICTS OF NEW ZEALAND. CHAPTER I. /sr->^fJS)^ ¥ — Departure from Auckland — The party and object of the Expedition — Tauranga — Iguanas and Cuvier Island birds — Qate pah and Te Ranga rifle-pits — Penetake of Wairoa — Grossing the ford — Maketu — Wbare for winter use — A Tangi — Holding the Runanga — The Treaty Stone and Afawa politics — Description of the pah — Maori toasts and races — Christmas at Maketu. December 16^A, 1864. — The little colonial war- steamer * Sandfly/ provided by the Grovernor of New Zealand for the conveyance to Tauranga of the party for Lake Taupo, steamed out of Auckland har- bour shortly before midnight. The summer's night was calm and warm^ the sea like glass. We had stayed till the end of an opera, very fairly produced (or it seemed so in the absence of better) by an American company which had gone the rounds of the colonies, and the last strains of *Maritana' left more pleasing impressions on our minds than the predictions of the numerous friends who ridiculed the idea of our ever reaching our desti- nation, and prophesied every sort of disaster, from B 2 THE PARTY AND death at the hands of the Kingites as foes or spies, to merely a year or two's captivity, relieved by regular and wholesome exercise, hoeing potatoes for our captors. The Europeans of our party are three — Mr. Brenchley, a well-known traveller; Mr. Mair, late Interpreter to the "Defence Force" (Colonial cavalry); and the writer. With us also are a small number of natives, including two or three chiefs of note; and others are to join us on the road. By no means an ill-looking lot are they ; and their European clothes hang not so awkwardly from their stalwart limbs as is usual with the " brown man " of other lands. Let us make the acquaintance of the chiefe : 1st, "Te Poihipi Tukairangi." The first part of the name of this chief, to whose especial care the Go- vernor has consigned us, is Maori for " Mr. Busby " — the English Eesident under whose auspices was signed the Treaty of Waitangi (our title-deeds to New 2iealand). Poihipi, then but a very young man, signed on behalf of his father, who lay ill at Taupo, and thus by virtue of representing the chief of one of the most powerful and distant tribes, assumed the name of the British signitary, in accordance with a custom, which we found common to most of the South Sea Islands, of complimenting a distinguished best or guest by exchange of names. Amongst the whole of the "Queenites" (in contradistinction to the " Kingite " followers of the so-styled Maori king) A OBJECT OF THE EXPEDITION. 3 Poihipi is probably the most influential chief, being only two removes from being patriarch or senior chief of the whole of the Taupo or Lake country, and having succeeded in attaching to himself far more "Mana" than either of the two chiefs who precede him in the Maori peerage — ^Kingites though they be. That word " Mana " is the most provoking stumbling-block to the stranger in the land of the Maori ; almost a language in itself, yet necessary to be mastered with all its ramifications before any just estimate of the character or customs of the natives can be formed. The new out-settler finds himself in continual danger of unforeseen hot-water in his relations with the natives, from ignorance of the " Mana " of some powerful neighbour. So, being no wiser myself, I will merely say that in this instance it meatus influence, power, and prestige. The Poihipi is the soul of loyalty, which quality administers alike to his interest and his pride, and he has rendered good service during the war. A bold navigator also is he, and said to be the only one who ventures to cross the broad waters of Taupo in the crazy lake-canoe. But the gallant chief is more at home with paddle or tomahawk than with saddle and bridle, and is noted for his preference for a very little steed, on which his legs will nearly meet, and whence he has not far to fall. It was mounted on some such little " nugget " that he, last year, distinguished himself at B 2 4 THE PARTY AND Rotoiti, fighting against the Kingites, and galloping about between friends and foes, like the youngest A.D.C, at a grand review — hard times though for his steed, for Poihipi is a Jolly burly personage of ^ \ /^ if~^ some sixteen stone. Wi Karamoa, native surname Takirau, is one of the chiefs of the Waikato (the battle-ground of the last campaign), and was one of the ministers (Chan- cellor of the Exchequer, or something of that kind) to his late Majesty Potatau I. A clever-looking, gentlemanlike man, very reserved in his manner, and making a favourable impression on better acquaint^ ance. He surrendered at the storming of Ordkau, meeting the attacking party with a white flag in his hand, but was near being bayoneted by the excited soldiery, when Mair, who was present, interfered in his behalf. His own account of himself is, that after the overtures which were made by William Thompson, consequent on the fall of Rangariri, he and many others ceased to take any active part in the war against us; and that he found himself penned up, when the troops surrounded the Ordkau pah (to which he had gone in search of some stolen horses), but took no active part in the defence — one of the most desperate of the whole war. Beihana and Haeana were also taken after Orakau, whence with the rest of the gallant little garrison they had cut their way out of the pah through the OBJECT OP THE EXPEDITION. 5 40th regiment, not, however, without suffering tre- mendous loss. Haeana, a hoary old warrior, now one of four who are all that remain of a " hapu " * which, at the commencement of the war, could must-er forty fighting men. Beihana, a shy young fellow, " very well con- nected " (at whose wedding fabulous numbers of fat pigs and cartloads of potatoes were devoured), was captured in a swamp by Mair himself. Both these two last levanted with the other prisoners from Kawau, but returned next day, and remained on parole at Auckland. They have now both taken the oath of allegiance, and received permission to rejoin their wives. Besides these, we have Perenara, a native magis- trate, a tall gentlemanlike-looking fellow ; Wharetini and Moe, two strapping good-looking young Maories ; and some half-dozen more, of whom 'I know little. We carry letters from the Governor to most of the principal chiefe of the interior, many of whom are Queenites, and, for our favourable reception by the others. His Excellency relies on his own personal "Mana," which he acquired in former years, with some even of those who were most strongly opposed to British rule. * Diminutive of " tribe.'* The loss sustained by this ** hapu ** is an extreme case, and must by no means be considered a fair specimen of that which the Maories in general have received at our hands. () TAURANGA— IGUANAS. The Governor expects that the confidence which he shows by sending us amongst them will be pro- ductive of much good, as well as with the few and distant tribes who yet remain loyal in the country round the Great Lake, but complain that no official person coming from the Governor, nor any other white man, has visited them since the beginning of the war. The Maories are to provide us with horses, as all our little journey will be on the saddle, with the exception of part of the descent of the river Waikato on the way back, for which a steamer will be provided. The natives are unable to pronounce some of our consonants, so in the letters to the chiefs we are described as " Te Peretiri " and " Te Mira," the former being the translation of Mr. Brenchley's name ; the latter, that of the writer of this narra- tive. • 17th. — ^Anchored oflF Tauranga this evening at dusk, the glorious weather all day having enabled us to enjoy the little archipelago of rocks and islands through which we passed on the eastern coast, — many of the most fantastic shapes ; one, for instance, pierced so as to form one large arch, surmounted by three smaller ones. On some of these islets, though only a few hun- dred yards in diameter, large iguanas are found, CUVIER ISLAND BIRDS. 7 differing from any species existing either on the main- land of New Zealand or Australia. On another, Cuvier Island, there are two species of birds which the natives say are not found else- where, and which serve them as barometers. The Maories assert that the peculiar note of one is an unfailing sign of fine weather, whilst the shrill cry of the other is a no less certain warning of storm. Those who live in the neighbourhood place implicit reliance on these signs, and invariably repair to the island to consult them before setting out on a fishing or other lengthened canoe expedition. ISth. — ^Tauranga is as yet little more than a camp and a mission station, but it must before long be a thriving settlement, for the harbour is a good one for small craft,- and the land is rich. Here we found excellent quarters at Colonel H 's, an old shipmate of mine in the West Indies. 19^/i, — ^We rode out to-day to see the remains of the Gate pah and of the Te Ranga rifle-pits. The road to the former place, which is about three miles from the harbour, lies over fine open fern-land, flanked by gullies leading to the sea. On either side little patches of luxuriant wheat and clover, accident- ally gown by the troops and horses, bear witness to the fertility of the soil. Beyond this, and a few stray Armstrong percussion 104-pounder shgUs (which 8 THE GATE PAH. failed to explode at the bombardment of the Grate pah, and now He harmless, half-hidden in the fern, some more than two miles beyond the pah they were fired at), there is little to call to mind the san- guinary struggle of which this was the scene a fe\^ months since. The Gate pah has been built up into a small sand- bag redoubt, mounting an Armstrong field-piece. The pah is situated on the summit of a gentle rise, across which the Maories had dug a chain of rifle- pits, extending from each flank of the pah about 200 yards, to where the ground falls away on either side into swamps. It was this formation of the ground which allowed the assaulting party to keep under cover until within a very short distance of the pah, whilst a small body of men from the Naval Brigade and the 60th regiment were enabled to pass round and occupy a position in rear of the natives. The rifle-pits, as well as the traverses and bolt- holes of the pah, are now filled in, and almost hidden by the rapid vegetation which conceals the little earthworks whereon our guns were placed. Another half-hour's canter over the same sort of country brought us to the Te Ranga rifle-pits. They had all been filled in by our troops, but the ground was still strewn with ammunition and with natives' clothing, cast away for fight or for flight. The skill with which the Maories usually make TE RANGA RIFLE-PITS. 9 the best of the ground at their disposal for defence seems to have deserted them on this occasion ; for it would be difficult to find any position in the neigh- bourhood less adapted to withstand the advance of regular troops, or more favourable to the operations of cavalry. It is indeed difficult to understand why heavier loss was not inflicted on the enemy, after they had been driven from their pits. The Maori entrenchment consisted of a ditch four or five feet deep, and about 200 yards long, stretch- ing across a broad level piece of table-land, without an atom of cover but the low fern, and forming an obtuse angle in the centre, with the apex to the rear. From the half on their proper right having been easily enfiladed by an Armstrong on a neighbouring and convenient spur, they were forced to crowd into the remaining portion of the ditch on the left. We say that the numbers on both sides were about equal. The 43rd and 68th charged right gallantly, reserving their fire till they got up to the pits, the Maories having delivered theirs when the English were within a few yards, but luckily nearly all firing high. An obstinate hand-to-hand fight ensued, resulting in the expulsion of the Maories, who, after a most plucky resistance, retreated, leaving a large proportion of their number dead in the pits. They were soon followed by the cavalry, and are said to We lost nearly 200 men. They had the advantage of their entrenchment, 10 THE WOUNDED MAORIES. such as it was ; our side, that of the field-piece and the cavalry. At the time when the tomahawks met the bayonets, each side had a reinforcement approaching to its assistance : 200 of the Ist Waikato regiment against a similar nimiber of Maories, mmour said under William Thompson, the New Zealand Earl of Warwick, or Wiremu Tamehana Te Waharoa, as his countrymen call him ; but neither were in time to take any actual share in the fight. The action over, every kindness was shown to the wounded Maories; and the latter won golden opinions from our men and officers by the heroic stoicism with which they behaved, whilst suffering from the most frightful wounds. One poor fellow who was brought in, calmly smoking his pipe, on throwing open his blanket for the surgeon's inspec- tion, disclosed four bullet holes and five bayonet wounds through his trunk and thighs. This man was pointed out to me walking about the beach, having recovered, in defiance of every precedent in surgery. After leaving Te Ranga we made for our redoubt at Judea, a strong position on the other side of the creek to the northward of Tauranga, crossing by the ford which it commands. By the way we met, and made the acquaintance of, Penetake, the chief who built the Grate pah, now a " friendly native." These men fought well as long OLD MAORI PAHS. 11 as they remained in arms against us, and then gave in thoronghlj ; they are now on very good terms with the troops. From Judea we went on to Wairoa — Penetake's village — prettily situated on the banks of a river of the same name, which winds through a deep and beautiful valley. Old Maori pahs are as common about here as feudal castles on the Bhine; some of them rather picturesque, especially that at Bethlehem, one of the largest that we saw, nearly covered with foliage and long drooping creepers, and moreover having, for a foreground to the picture, the only pretty Maori girl that I have yet seen. Poihipi went on to Maketu to announce our arrival, and bring back horses. 20^A.— Left this morning for Maketu, a native settlement and pah at the mouth of a river, about 17 miles farther south, where we are to remain for a day or two, in order to be present at a great meeting, or "runanga," where the Arawa chiefs from the lake and mountain tribes are to meet those of Makety, for the purpose of deciding on measures for defence against an expected attack from their neighbours the Ngatiporos, a very powerful tribe of Kingites ; and for the discussion of other important matters. We crossed over in a boat to Matapihi, a native 12 CROSSING THE FORD. settlement on the southern side of the harbour, where saddle and pack horses had been sent to meet us. Whilst the latter were being packed with our provisions and slender stock of baggage — ^no small share of which last was tobacco for presents — ^we inspected the court-house, or council-chamber of the village, a tolerably spacious "whare," substantially walled and roofed, and decorated inside with many- coloured sinnet and kakaho, a slender and graceful species of flag-reed, which served for wainscoting to the wall — ^affixed to which we found a code of laws for the suppression of immorality. Having saddled and bridled, we got a foretaste of the dilatoriness of our native companions, but at last got clear of the village, our party consisting of eleven horsemen and three on foot. Before reaching the beach we had to ford two swamps, each of them up to our saddles ; but after- wards it was all glorious hard sand, alive with my- riads of curlew, redbills, and graceful stilt-plover. A few, very few, small patches of potatoes, scat- tered here and there at random through the fern-land, were the only signs of native cultivation that we met with. Mair and I reached the river in time to ford it, and keep dry by crossing our feet between our horses' ears ; but the heavy-weights — Brenchley and Poihipi — did not reach it till dusk had set in and the tide risen; so, their horses being small, the night dark, and the river deep and broad, they preferred to cross in a rather crank canoe, leaving their steeds to follow- next morning. The rotten old canoe ended by cap- sizing, but luckily not till her last trip, after having safely transported the last of our packs. Almost overhanging the ford is the pah, which presents an imposing appearance, and is strongly fortified both by nature and by art in every respect, save that it would be commanded by artillery from one neighbouring hill. But the Ngatiporos having no guns, and the hill in question being crowned by a redoubt garrisoned by our troops, the Arawas are safe enough for the present. Leaving the pah on our left, we came to a settle- 14 WHAKES— THEIR CONSTRUCTION. ment on a small hill, which is in process of conversion into another pah ; here we found a whare prepared for our reception, among the dwellings of the na- tives from the Lake districts, who are to accompany us to Taupo. As soon as we were discerned approaching, some of those within the palisades set up a long intoned shout or song of welcome, whilst others conducted us to our whare. These whares, or native houses, reflect scant credit on the race that remains content to live and die in them; for they are generally far inferior in size and appearance to the habitations of most of the South Sea Islanders, and are not such as might be expected from men so intelligent in most things as the Maories. They are usually of an oblong shape, with an internal area of about 16 feet by 8, and the doorway too low to be entered without stooping; but the sloping roof gives greater height within. The skeleton of the house is of wood, the posts, ridgepole and rafters being cut to fit into one another, and then securely lashed. The roof is thatched with raupo, a plant which fills the marshes, and the walls are filled in with fascines of the same material, frapped in so tightly as to exclude both wind and water and keep the inmates warm. On either side of the door a narrow board confines -^^ WHARES FOR WINTER USE. 15 the loose fern or raupo, which, covered with a few mats, takes the place of bed and bedrooms ; and in the centre, the fire-place, lined with a few stones, is sunk in the flooring. In nearly every " kainga," or native village, two or three whares of a much larger size are to be seen, the common property of all the village; but the Maories, when urged to increase the size of their domiciles, refuse, on the score of the diflBculty of warming larger ones. They have also a kind of whare specially designed for cold weather, which is sunken some three or four feet below the surface, the eaves of the roof alone being on a level with the ground. In these (fens as many natives as can find room assemble, and, after lighting their pipes round a hot fire, close every communication with the external air, till the atmosphere becomes inconceivably foul. Our little whare was new and clean ; fresh green raupo, thickly laid on the hard-trodden floor, made pleasant beds; and two staid matrons were told oflF to cook and " do for us." As soon as we had supped and shaken down into our new quarters, we received visits from a number of the heads of families, bringing " salutations to the people from * Te Kawana ' (the Grovernor)." They had expected us early in the day, and had accordingly prepared a great feast ; but after waiting many hours, they concluded that we would not come 16 PERFORMANCE OF THE "TANGI." that day at all, and so fell to, and demolished the viands themselves ; an arrangement of which we very much approved. The worthy females who are specially in charge of our domestic arrangements, were soon called away to perform a duty of a very different nature — that of acting as fugle-women at a ** tangi," or general wail, with which Karamoa and Beihana were received on their return from captivity. When a Maori returns to his friends after a long absence, instead of smiles and joyous faces they receive him with tears and lamentations, intended to express the dreadfully painful state of their feelings while deprived of his company, sorrow for the death of such of his kindred as may have departed this life since he left them ; and in this case, sympathy with his real or imaginary sufferings in captivity. We found the two chiefs standing in an attitude of silent dejection, in the midst of a semicircle of their people, who performed the " tangi " for a good quarter of an hour. Commencing with an almost inaudible moaning, accompanied by a slight but increasing vibration of the head, they worked up their emotions till tears fell like rain — from men, women, and children — and the moaning became of the most doleful description. The "tangi" concluded, the quondam captives solemnly pressed noses all roimd, and in ten minutes all hands were as jolly as ever. THE RUNANGA. 17 2l8t. — Old Haeana, who was on foot, arrived during the night, so we were roused from our slumbers at early dawn by the " tangi " renewed with fresh vigour and wind, and headed by an old lady with a shock head of hair and dreadfully power- ful lungs. The Runanga, at which we were duly invited to attend, was assembled at the great pah to-day. Every precaution had been taken to ensure the comfort as well as the propriety of the meeting, but what tickled my fancy most was the posting of a small Maori member of the shoeblack brigade inside the gate of the pah, with his implements of trade, ready to serve anyone who might happen to wear shoes. The chiefs assembled in a marquee, which covered a long table with seats around, from the centre of which rose a lofty flagstaff bearing an English ensign, and images typical of the political attitude of the Arawas. On each side of the mast was a head, carved of wood ; one looking north to the Governor for arms and troops, the other glaring defiantly southward and challenging their foes to come on. The eastern yardarm was ornamented with the frontispiece of some revered ancestor, gazing towards Hawaii (the supposed land of their forefathers) for assistance — a poetical, but not very practical idea. From the opposite yardarm another ancient hero, who seemed to have a l>etter notion of the "situation," was re- g 18 COMMENCEMENT OF THE RUNANGA. presented calling the lake and mountain Arawas to the rescue. And finally, the . post of honour at the truck was occupied by a bust of the Queen. The Maories were very anxious to impress upon us that these carvings were intended only for symbols, not portraits. Close to the door were posted the bye-laws, which enjoined order and obedience to the directions of the chief who acted as chairman ; ruled that everyone on entering should uncover and make a sort of quarterdeck salute, by bowing in honour of the Queen; and forbade the use of tobacco during the sitting of the Runanga. About thirty chiefs were assembled round the table, which groaned under huge piles of bread and butter and biscuit, besides a small quantity of brandy, rum, and cider. Most of these men were decently dressed in European clothes, but a few clung to the national and rather primitive costume. The proceedings commenced by everyone in turn drinking the Queen's health. Now the only European present besides ourselves was a missionary, and having been helped first in virtue of the seats of honour where we had been courteously placed, we drank our "tots" in silence and ignorance of the etiquette; but afterwards, fearing that our omission might be ascribed to tepid loyalty, we asked for more, wherein we drank the " Kuini Wikitoria " with all THE TREATY STONE. 19 the honours. Yet I fear that our good intentions may have heen misconstrned, and that we were looked on as men who had obtained a double allowance of grog under false pretences. In the centre of the table stood a large wooden vase, handsomely carved out of a single block, which was much valued by the Maories on account of its antiquity, and made an excellent punch-bowl. One of the chiefe explained that many years ago, before the "pakehas" had brought metals into use, the only means of boiling food was by continually dropping red-hot stones into wooden bowls of water. These urns were very carefully carved, and handed down from father to son ; but since the introduction of European utensils, the art of carving the wooden vases has been lost. The presiding chief, after requesting Mair to translate for us the speeches of the others (which he was kind enough to do and with great fluency), went on to explain the signification of a slab of stone at the foot of the flagstaflF, bearing an inscription in Maori, " Let the peace be kept," deeply cut into the surface, with the date, Sept. 16, 1845. On that day peace was concluded, after long years of war, between the allied tribes of Maketu and Taupo on the one side, and the Tauranga and Waikato natives on the other; and this stone, to which they attach great 'Value, is their treaty, a facsimile being kept by the men of Tauranga. It also serves in some degree as c 2 20 POLICY OF THE ARAWA8. a sort of Maori temple of Janus, the stone being kept in its present position, with the fair side uppermost, as long as the " good principle remains in the ascen- dant" — that is, peace between these tribes; but so soon as fighting begins the stone is reversed. The first resolution proposed at the meeting was one setting forth that the lands of all who have car- ried arms against the Queen ought to be forfeited to the Crown. This was agreed to, and passed, with all the decision and liberality which usually charac- terizes the actions of men who are dealing with the property of their foes. The next subject was the proposed cession, or sale, of 20,000 acres of their own land to the Governor for the purpose of locating a large number of settlers, whom they had petitioned to be sent amongst them. This was a very different affair, and not to be dis- posed of in the same summary manner. The object of the Arawas in asking for settlers is to make sure of the assistance of our naval and land forces in case of attack from the Ngatiporos, by identifying the interests of the settlers with their own. In July last, the Ngatiporos crossed the boun- dary, a river a few miles farther south, and advanced to the ridge abreast of our redoubt and of the Maketu pah, where they threw up during the night two long lines of rifle-pits. From these they were dislodged by shell from the guns of the * Falcon ' and ' Sandfly ;' so, fording the J ARAWAS AND NGATIPOROS. 21 Waihi river, close to its mouth, they retreated by the only route possible, a long strip of shingle which separates the sea from a large and impassable swamp. The Arawas turned out of their pah, and pursued their foes with great success, killing many and cap- turing others whilst fleeing along the beach. But they lost their great fighting chief, Wynard Beckham, a grand old fellow, in revenge for whom they toma- hawked some prisoners. The next morning, at daybreak, they surprised the Ngatiporos a little farther on, at Mdtata, routed them with great slaughter, and captured their chief. Beckham's wife, Mata (whose acquaintance we made to-day, a very determined-looking, hnt not repulsive woman), became terribly excited at the death of her husband, to whom she was much attached ; and being moreover covertly goaded on by a miscreant who thirsted for revenge for the loss of an eye caused by a recent wound, she seized a gun, and blew out the brains of the captive chief of the Ngatiporos. For this the Ngatiporos, whose numbers far exceed that of the Maketu natives, have sworn to have revenge, and have moreover allied themselves to other east coast tribes, who are hostile alike to the Arawas and to ourselves. This murder cost Mata the pension which she would otherwise have enjoyed as the widow of a native magistrate. She was in the thick of the fight where her husband fell, and refused to desert his body. 22 BURIAL OF THE FIGHTING CHIEF. 